Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-03-27

Communists and Anarchists have figured in
similar role. In this country the Know
Nothings and the knights of the Golden
Circle have acted prominent parta
The Kare and the Common Societies.
"In the second class the Agrarian, the
history Of Europe from the earliest days to
the present time affords numerous exam
pies, but in this country very few. The
most notable one, probably, was in the State
of New York in the time of Van Buren,,
when the famous Barn Burners cut such .
prominent figure.
"In the third class, the Provident, we have
Free Masons, Odd Fellows, Knights Of
Pythias, Druids and many more. There
are others that don't quite fit into any Of
these classes and can hardly be properly
designated by the epithet of secret, as their
secrecy is merely nominal. One of these is
the College Societies, which are multiply
ing rapidly, and are usually designated by
the names of two or three letters of the
Greek alphabet The first organization Of
these was the Phi Beta Kappa, of William
and Mary College. Now their number is
legion all over the country, and they are
considering plan of consolidation by
which they will make themselves power
in literature, social science and the arts.
other combinations of human beings by the
following characteristics: The adoption of
an oath of secrecy and fidelity, an initia-
tory ceremony and the use of symbols, pass
words, grips, etc. Now, regarding the soci-
eties in general, possessed of these charac-
teristics, and aiming at the purposes
described, with the probable exception of
limited number of the provident class, his
tory has sad story to tell. No matter how
pure their original intentions have been,
they have eventually degenerated far be-
meath their benefcent purposes In many
instances they have become so powerful
that society, by an instinct Of self f-preserva-
tion, has hurled them from the tyrannical
eminence that they had usurped in the
name of liberty I do not, therefore, ap-
prove of secret orders as thus defined, be-
cause I believe they are wrong in principle.
Opposed to the Caucus.
SIN any country possessing manhood suf-
frage, secret orders in politics can hardly
prove otherwise than detrimental to the
best interests of society and liberty. For
ample proof of this read history, either an
cient or modern, beginning with to-days
newspaper or Herodotus, the father of his
tory. Each is pregnant with proofs of the
point at issue, from the very dawn of his
tory to the latest fasco in South America.
The tendency of all secret societies is to
lead to the sovereignty of the mob AMI that
leads, says Macaulay, Ono mean authority
TO the sovereignty of the sword. The
leaders of these societies generally appeal
to the emotional instead of the rational in
mans nature and fl his mind with visions
of Utopias impossible of achievement.
Known othingism, still existing under vari-
Gus names, though opposed to the Constitu-
tion and the best interests of the nation, is
the worst form of secret society in our poll
tics
''King Caucus is perhaps the worst. It is
the most insidious and pretends to simply
and harmlessly dispatch business, but
really deprives the citizen of everything
making it worth while to be citizen. 1t
robs him of the privilege of taking part in
selecting a candidate for any office, and
obliges him to register the ukase of self
ish clique, or more likely that of one man
owning and controlling that clique Switz-
erland, best and oldest Republic the world
has ever seen-best because its practice ac-
cords most closely with its governmental
theory, which in the main is counterpart
of ours-has no caucus. The Swiss Repub- |
lie has seen its sixth centennial, while with |
all our greatness we have celebrated only |
our first. The question where we will be |
500 years later appals the imagination. If |
there is to be no retrogression we must |
eliminate the caucus, and every other form |
Of secret society opposed to the spirit of the |
Constitution. For these and many other |
reasons 1 deem secret societies inimical to |
he spirit of our institutions and the stabil- |
ty and permanence of our Government
Some Of our secret societies are now |