Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-09
UNITING AMERICANS.
Suggestion of a Good Substitute for
the Order of Jr. 0. U. A. N.
BY A MEMBER OF ACME COUNCIL.
A Scheme to Unite the Order With all
Kindred Organizations
AND FORM A THIRD POLITICAL PARTY

In a pleasant chat recently DIR. G. G.
Hersman, a member of Acme Council, No.
219, Junior Order of American Mechanics,
in discussing the decision of the lodge not
to change the name recently voted on. said:
''The step they have taken was certainly a
wise one for more reasons than one. First,
it would have depleted their treasures to the
extent of many thousand dollars, possibly
bankrupting some of the subordinate coun-
cils for many of the weaker lodges
were not able to go into it; again.
the name proposed was little if any
better than the one they already have.
and to make a change with no object
toward bettering the order was nonsense.
There must have been something else at the
bottom other than a mere change in
name. The money in the treasury is GER
tainly more to the order than change OF
that kind. There is a change, however,
that could be made that would benefit the
order not merely as a secret organization
but as American citizens as we'll. Let the
Jr. o. q. A. NJ, the Sr. o. U. A. NJ, the
Sons of America and all other kindred So
cieties (if there be any) unite in change.
If all these orders will join hands in a
scheme of this kind the expense to each will
be small. and such union
WILL MAKE IT THE STRONGEST
secret organization in America. Their
treasures would be one, there will be the
expense of but one ritual and secret work,
and all be merged into one organization.
"Such an organization would be power.
Then it could afford to take hold of
political matters, and by so doing could
make this Government purely American.
1t would be able to put good men up for
Office all the time, and elect them.
'Yes, we have just as good men, possibly,
who are of foreign birth as those of Amer
lean. We have many men American born
who do not deserve the name American.
But those of foreign birth do not come here
for Office. They come to better their condi-
ton in life. and some of them are Just as
loyal to our flag as those of American birth,
but we don't hear of our people going to for
eign countries to participate in governmental
affairs, and we can have it the same here.
No foreigner ever put himself before the
people for the Office of President, and he
thinks it all right, and it is right. We can
have it the same in all offices. American
Mechanics and kindred organizations will
never amount to much until something of
this kind is done.
"Order of United Americans would be a
better name than the one voted on by the
lodges. By such move as this American
offices would be protected, American laws
would be protected, American labor would
be protected, etc., etc., and everything that
is or should be American would be purely
American. American children could attend
American schools protected under our flag.
Even foreigners who have become citizens
fnr fhan 4bo1r
could have better assurance that they could
be protected as citizens of our country, the
greatest on the globe.
A MIGHTY GROWTH IN VIEW.
"Such political organization would re-
ceiYe the patronage of all loyal, law-abiding
citizens who are not eligible for member
ship, and, by proper discretion, all Ameri-
can born, who are not proper material, could
be rejected just as it now is. Wouldn't
that be grand practical organization? All
selected men; men of morality, integrity
and intelligence, with the exception of a
black sheep now and then, which is likely
to stray into any order. Every member
obligated to be a true American citizen.
''This is now looked upon as being the
greatest country on the globe, but this
would make it the model in the superlatiye
degree 1t would be the greatest step
taken by the American people since she
laid the British lion at her feet. Every
foreigner is now proud that they can have a
son to join such an order and would they
not be doubly so if it were made such an
organization as this?"
''This, however, is not the proper time
for merging into one organization, but it is
the time to commence the agitation of such
a move and by the time few years have
rolled around the scheme will have been
thoroughly discussed and the people pre-
pared to accept such an organization.
"Then, we would have a new political
organization, a'third party. sure enough. In
selecting candidates for Office all parties of
the past should be laid aside, the nomina-
tions made with no reference to past party
affiliations, but as true American citizens
ready to stand by our colors at all hazards" 4"