The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-11-13

III CITIZEN dared 10 make legal
complaint against them he was
promptly notified to withdraw it or he
would be ruined.
The public was not permitted to
criticise any of its acts or its methods.
No man, not even the king,
dared to breath aught against La
Camorra. To do so was to call down
denuncistion from the CAPT Canon
risti, and if persisted in the stilleto
did its secret work.
A pretended friend of the farmer, it
robbed him; a pretended friend of the
laborer, il fleeced him; pretended
friend of the merchant, it inundated
him; pretended friend of those in
power, it removed them if it suited
their purpose. They demanded GER
tain laws and no peace officer dared
to arrest one of them. King Francis
the II. appointed them to the army
and they soon controlled it as they
did the police force in Naples.
All was not smooth sailing among
the Capi-Carmorristi. They were
Jealous of each other. They sus-
pected each other and each kept
close watch upon the other.
AS far as possible, however, the dis
sentions were kept from the public
and from the Camorra at large. 1t
would never do to let the member
ship at large know there was trouble
among the leaders.
oh! no.
1t would be disastrous.
Everything was kept secret.
The public was not permitted to
know anything, because the public
might make unfavorable criticism and
expose arrant fraud.
Just such news as the Capt. Camor-
risti wanted the public to know the
Capi-Camorristi gave out, and if it
suited their purpose the very next day
they would fatty contradict and deny
and solemnly affirm they never au-
thorized any such statements.
The public was kept in total igno-
rance as to the membership and
everything that pertained to the order.
While it took an interest in poll
tics, controlled the police and even
the army and made itself a common
carrier in opposition to the regular
carriers, all its meetings and all its
business were secret and everything
was concealed from the public.
La Camorra terrorized over Italy
and the Capt.. Camorristi grew sleek
and fat.
It's headquarters were in the city of
Naples where the great council sat,
and when Gen. Garibaldi entered that
city about the time of the unifcation
of Italy he took the Capi-Camorristi
and threw them into prison and
choked the very life out of La Ca
mora.
THE SECOND BOOK.
PROLOGUE.
The reader will find in this book a
deadly parallel.
Compare it with the first book.
The coincidents are remarkable.
Especially should the honest Al
lance man who believes in the orig
inal principles of his order make the
comparison.
His order has fallen into the hands
of political schemers.
Like the Camorristi of Italy they
have diverted it for political purposes
from its original design.
Under the control of the Capital.
lianti the ties of its affection and
brotherly love are all snares and its
sympathies all sorrows.
Its life now is tissue of falsehoods,
its benefcence hollow mockery and its
dictates of humanity decisions and
Nightmares.
Read carefully this book.
Some years ago what is known as
the Farmers Alliance was organized
1t was purely social order where
farmers and their families could meet
to cultivate friendly intercourse, dis
cuss the farming interest, advise with
each other and interchange views
upon questions affecting the farming
interest. 1t was purely social organ
ization gotten up among the farmers
for their mutual benefit and enjoy.
ment.
1t prospered and spread over the
land, and peace and songs and ever
lasting Joy prevailed in its halls.
1t grew in membership, and the
observing demagogue and the slick
cunning schemers after soft places
and much Doodle were not long dis
covering that if they could get con.
troll of the order they could use it to
further political ambitions and could
create innumerable soft and fat places
where they could live in ease and
comfort off of money wrung from the
membership.
They went to work with subtlety
insidiousness and shrewdness, and
wormed themselves into the order
and it was not long before they abso
lutely controlled it.
1t was the experience of the italian
Camorra over again.