Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-01-11
BLAINE ITS CHIEF
A Grand Reciprocity Alliance
to Be Formed.
PLANS OF THE NEW PROJECT
Farmers and Wofkingvnen 70 Be unised
70 Foster the Theory Of Reeipsoe-
iiy and support Blaine

CHICAGO, Jan. lo.-The Morning News
OF yesterday, says: A new political
organization has formed. Reciprocity
ls its platform and Blaine 10 Its chief.
II u a combination Of laboring men IN
the protected trades. farmers who are
not in or are weary of the alliance and
democrats and republicans generally
who believe in Blaine and . protected
tariff.
The organization is secret and oath
bound. Each member must subscribe
to ritual that fixes his opinions on
certain questions iu black and white.
Ii claims 5000 members in Chicago
Among them are w. T.. Mason, Frank
Lswier, and host of others prominent
in politics and business. Outside OF
Chicago the organization, it Is said. has
IS 900 members. Encampments or
lodges are 10 he organized In .'ery
city in the land. Olc-tlme
political associations will be land ASIDE.
Its scope 10 immense. 1t takes IN half
q dozen great interests; IN the Y est and
southwest 1t embraces everyone who Il
partial to Mr.. Blame and reciprocity
and il is organized under the general
name of knights of Reciprocity" In
the east where there IS no farmers al
lance to bar the way TO success, the or.
ganzatlon is called the Centennial
League"
who Were the Projectors?
This particular branch of the move
mcnt was intended TO exist in cities and
toe .St nv
Ex-Assistant Postmaster General
Clarkson is said to have conceived the
idea of the organization and Patrick
Ford, editor of the Irish World. of New
York, is credited with assisting him III
working out its details. In the great
cities other difficulties besides those in
connection with the tariff had to be
considered. There were the so-called
deputies and other orders OF like
character which are supposed TO hate
Mr.. Blaine. To offset these Mr.. Ford
hit upon the continental league scheme.
Reciprocity aud opposition to the
theories of the deputies we're TO be
its platform. Particular emphasis was
to be laid ON the latter point. Out
wardly, at least, this was to be its OBJ
ject. Democrats and republicans would
lU3Ittl III us Iduks. III ttiC Lisu1A vi tfsc
continental league, four leading ques-
tions are put to candidates. All mem
bers are oath bound, and must not
under any consideration reveal the Sc
crets of the organization.
Questions to be Asked.
In the first question the candidate il
asked il he is citizen of the United
States. THIS requirement is essential
to admission. Question two deals with
the constitution OF the United States
and the Declaration of Independence
The candidate must be willing TO ce'
clare that he accepts everything IN
them unreservedly. The third tesl
reads in this way: ado You IN any
way sympathize with those who would
deprive any citizen of the United States
of civic honors on account of his re.
liglon?" To answer "yes" 10 this means
instant dismissal. In the fourth ques
ton the candidate is asked: "Do you
believe in the public school system oi
the United States?'' A negative reply
to this likewise disquaiities the appli.
can't for membership.
The plan was. says the News, first
mooted at = meeting in New York last
| October, and the organization was
started IN the city on December ], last
The constitution is gwen IN full.