New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-05-16
BANDED FOR PROTECTION.
A NEW LEAGUE AND ITS GREAT WORK.
TO SECURE SAFEGUARDS FOR THE COMMON
SCHOOL AND OTHER AMERICAN
,NNTfTUTIOyS.

The National L>aess for the Protection Of Ameri-
can institutions has Just issued the first official state
mcnt OF Its purposes and principles. This organiza-
ton, OF which John Jay is president, was formed
last year and was Incorporated December "a 1ooo
III mas opened headquarters In Nos. 43 and a.
Morse Building. Nassau-s and Is ready to begin
IN earnest the great work for which 1t started.
Inc objects Of the League. stated in the second
article ut Its constitution to constitutional
ana legislative safeguards for the protection OF tae
common school system and other American lnstiu'-
tons to promote public instruction in harmony with
such institutions and 10 prevent oil secaran or dc
nominational appropriations Of public funds As
step to this end the League presented the following
form of an amendment to the Constitution approved
by the law committee Of the league:
No State shall any Law respecting establishments
OF religion or prohibiting the free exercise Thereof or use
Its property or credit raised by taxation OF
authorize either TO be used purpose Of founding
maintaining or aiding, by appropriation payment for ser
vices expenses otherwise church religious deno-
nation religious society any institution. society or
undertaking which wholly part under sectarsn or
ecclesiastical control.
This amendment to the Constitution will, Is be-
leved accomplish the end in view which is to prevent
the use Of its money or credit by any state for sects
ecclesiastc purposes. II is not deemed advisable
to make provisions in the amendment in reference to
local municipalities within the States, these arc
governed by the organic law the statutes Oh t"e
several States creating them, and the amendment as
proposed gives q rule which In It's proper exercise
should prevent the application in any way and IN any
state Of public moneys to the particular purposes
prohibited 1t is desired that every State Constitution
not already containing it should be amended so as to
include this rule and to make 1t applicable to every
division OF the Government, State and municipal
This will be in harmony with the principle OF the pro
posed amendment to the Constitution OF the United
States and In aid of It's due enforcement.
OF the public schools and its purposes regarding
them, the League has this to say:
The enfrsnchsement Of the coored race, and the IN
creasng flood Of foreign immigration render more con-
spcuous than the importance Of common system OF
education in accord with American ideas We want no
foreign schools with doctrines ideas and methods ut Va
with constitutional principles disturbing, instead
Of conserving the national harmony, and controeo oy
SEEK perverting the infant mind OF America
American suffrage for the overthrow OF American
institutions. The situation demands united effort on
part the American press and all good citizens ana
especially part parents in their own States anu
their neehborhood to free the elementary SCHOOLS
partisan UNCONVENTIONAL CONTROL and TO bring e
highest standard OF excellence as regards moral
mental industrial education. We insist upon carei
instruction in principles of American law
rigid exclusion Of sectarian or denominatioha
teaching and attempts poseytize so that ciuzehs OF
differing faiths secure for their children wthoue rear
Of interference their religious freedom the unraied
advantages Of the public schools.
1t Is proposed 10 organize leagues III uho'@' WV"
muntes states throughout the entire country ana
publish and circulate articles by eminent writers Oh
American institutions These the officers OF the
League.
Managers-John Jay, George s. Baker, Peter Donald
Clinton B. Fisk, Warner Van Norden, John d. SayoacK
William H. Parsons Peter A. Welch. A. j. ID. Weder-
meyer James NJ. King, James McKeen. H. H. Boyesen'
Churchill II. Cutting, James NJ. Montgomery, William
Fellowcs Morgan Charles +. Whitehead, Alexander f.
Orr Manuel a. Kursheedt, F. Il. Bellamy Executive
Committee Clinton b. Fisk George s. Baker. A. J. D.
Wedermeyer William H. Parsons. II. H. Boyesen, james
NJ Montgomery, John d. Slsyback, Churchill H. Cutting
James McKeen. General Secretary-James King Treas
urer-Peter Donald.