The advocate., 1891-03-18
THE KNIGHTS on RECIPROCITY BO-
MANIA.

bho lt1 lubt5 he0ulh hllnObb blCklou D
death that "a secret organization
formed TO Offset the Farmers ALI
ance, which sprouted from the soil Of
Kansas soon after the election last
fall as a counter irritant 10 the Farm
ers' Alliance, is about to blossom forth
all over the country"
One Of the founders OF the order is
Hon. Samuel r.. Peters, OF Newton,
Kansas, the predecessor Of Hon. Jerry
Simpson, the Representative Of the
Seventh district. AS the late Mr.
Peters packed up his traps, bade
goodbye to his friends and boarded
the train for his home, the ex-Con-
gressman permitted himself 10 be
thus interviewed:
Application has been SENT said he, "irom
Washington FOR tho establishment OF lodge Of
the knights Of Reciprocity here. Applications
have also been received NJ the central Office, 20
am Informed to-day by letter OF the Hon. Jesse
Taylor, Of Garden City, Kan, supreme Judge OF
tho order, from every state and territory In the
union.
'The new order is taking pTOdgOus strides 10
10 o secret organization, and therefore the pub
llc has not been made aware Of its wonderfully
,s,ua srovyth nvA aa,toIowu,ant Wa stortad tba
organization out In Kansas after the election.
"It has the same social features as the Farm
ers Alliance, and lts object IL 10 embrace event
ually an those who believe In certain well de-
fined principles These articles Of faith and al
leglance arei First, desire for the peTpetuty OF
the unlOn advocacy NJ liberal pensions 10 all
hOnOrably discharged soldiers and sailors OF the
late war; the protection Of American industry
reciprocity between all friendly nations or fair
trade, especially with those friendly nations on
the American continent; reciprocity also be-
tween an classes In our nation, including a com
munity OF interest, which should exist between
producers and consumers, between manutac-
hlTers and operatives, between common carriers
and shippers a fair and honest ballot and,
lastly, tho observation-disclosures Of every person
Offering or accepting bTIbes or attempting i'm.
properly tO influence the ballot,
"Belioi In these" said Mr.. Peters, 'ls the fun.
damentAl requisite 10 membership. knights Of
Reciprocity are not confined TO any political Or
ganizatiOn, and are not subjected 10 any political
tests Every citizen Of the United States over 10
years Of age, male and female, Is eligible etOmem.
beuhlp. The OiilCorH are supreme Judge, treas
urer, marshal, supreme clerk, supreme tTeasur-
or and supreme outer and inner baillh. The
sub-lOdgos have their similar local officers. The
first lodge was instituted ON November 20, at
Garden City, Kansas. Now there are In the
nolghb0ThOOd OF 500 lodges principally In Kan
sas, but scattered also through Nebraska, Mis-
souri, and Colorado. The organization Ia friend
~ 10 Mr.. Blaine, OF course In so far as his ideas
ON reciprocity agree with those OF the Organiza-
ton. But this IA no sldeshOw for any individual.
When we formed the organization In Kansas II
was intended simply as q state society, and its
founders had no idea thaG IL would extend be-
yOnd the limits of the state, but the attractive
name, knights Of Reciprocity, together with the
treaty with Brazil recently made and the pros
poets Of further treaties with other South Ameri-
can nations, has given the organization ma
tlOnal boom. The leaders In the movement In
Kansas are mostly Republicans, They are ad-
vanced thlnkera, and such, you know, belong
chiefly 10 the Republican party. But member
OF any party who Ia In favor Of reciprocity and
is not On absolute iree-tTader Is eligible. There
Is nothing to our rules or bylaws requiring
political action
Hudson, Peters and RiCel What
a glorious trio the aforesaid patriots
must needs be, considered as a band
Of reoEganizers Of the deiunCt Repub-
lican party Of the state and Of the ma
kion.