Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1886-10-13
Secret Political Associations.

There are two classes of secret associa-
tions which meet with universal reproba-
tion, and as consequence are short-lived
and impotent; while on the other hand,
there are two classes which endure despite
the opposition of parties, both in church
and State. The former classes are secret
ecclesiastical and political societies; the lat
ter include secret, social and beneficiary So
cieties. Masonry and Fellowship and
kindred associations have existed from time
immemorial and have increased with age
though Masonry especially has been warred
upon by one party at least in the United
States, and by the leading Christian church
everywhere. Opposition has not weaken.
ed but rather strengthed it, and the same
may be said of the many secret clubs OF the
day, organized for purely social purposes.
But there is that about political and &C.
clcsiastical societies to which secrecy is a
deadly poison for the State and church,
based upon public confidence and designed
for the public good, must have all their acts
as open as MONDAY, lest distrust be excit-
ed and suspicion aroused. Men are natur-
ally doubtful of that which is hidden and
are disposed to reject the mysterious. The
Know-Nothing party made an effort to con-
ceal its purposes, but the mystery involved
in the secret oaths and meetings occasion
ed the want of public confidence which SO
soon destroyed it. Again, man who has
any individuality of character is unwilling
to give up his manhood, independence, free
dom of action and his belief into the keep
ing of the few, unprincipled it may be, who
invariably control all such associations
whether political or ecclesiastical. Secret
associations in the church have always
proved most dismal failures, for the reason
they have been formed for the control of
the church organization to which they be-
long.
This brings us to the object we had in
view when we began this article. lntem-
perance will never be suppressed by the eff
forts of secret Temperance Societies, though
as beneficiary association it may reclaim
many drunkards and be productive of great
good All legislation against rum should
be obtained by open efforts and with aid of
the people at large. AS political associa-
ton the Good Templars would soon be a
miserable failure, and SO would Masonry,
even though it has endured for thousands
of years. The same result would follow if
it sought to control the church-a thing
Masonry has most carefully avoided. We
may conclude from the above, from all past
experience of all kinds Of associations, that
the Knights of Labor are entering upon for
hidden and dangerous grounds when they
become political as well as beneficiary as
ISOLATION. These will most assuredly array
the masses against the classes of which
they are composed and the more earnest
and crushing will be the opposition, for the
reason these classes seek to control thu
masses, and by mysterious proceedings total
ly at war with everything open, fair and ex
posed to the light of day.
Demagogues will rise up among them,
factions will be formed, discussions will be
created by the desire for political prefer
ment, for even now, they are controlled by
laboring men who do not labor. Undel
their constitutions sanctioned by theu
oaths, the Individual has taken from him
self the privilege of saying for whom h
will work, at what wages and for wha
time; in word, he is not his own keep
err, not responsible for his acts. His in
dividuality is swallowed up, his manhood
gone, and himself bound hand and foo
under the control of a committee who ar
to order his going, establish his coming
direct his uprising and down-sitting, hi
happiness and that of his family being bal
tered away for membership in an association
whose leaders claim the power of subvertin
the claw of supply and demand' which
as imperious and unchanging as any law o
nature.-True IndeT.