Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-19
THE ARMY OF LIBERTY"
Something About the New Secret Society
WayinG War Prohibition in Kansas.
Special Cores ponlsnes Of The Evening Star.
1909

something ADOut the New secret SOciety
WsyinE War on Prohibition in Kansas.
Special Cores pOnlsnes Of The Evening Star.
TsPsxA, KAN. May II, 1898.
When the recent legislative session closed
the stormisst in the history Of any state of the
Union-ths people Of Kansas gave asigh ofrelief
and congratulated themselves on an era OF
peace when they could settle down, forget the
past and take long-nssdsd rest from secret
society politics and populist rsbellions.
But there is no peace. A new rebellion has
broken out in Kansas This time it is in
the nature Of q new political secret society. the
object Of which is to overthrow the prohibitory
liquor law. This new order is called the
army of Liberty" and the southern and
western part of the state has been honey
comted with lodges.
The spread of this new society has greatly
excited the prohibItionists. and IN all parts of
the state the order has gone forth to arouse
the temperance sentiment and prepare for a
vigorous war on this enemy OF the nome ana
good society"
For some time il has been known that Or
ganizers of this anti-prohibition society have
been working in Sumner, Sedgwick, Harper
and other counties. The men having the mat
ter in charge were not residents o. Kansas
They worked discreetly and were careful that
no one but members should know the real
prime Iples of the order.
All efforts having failed to get the inside
Facts it remained for young minister OF Great
Bend to secure the secret. He went to o
neighboring town in disguise and Joined
COMPANY" as the lodges are called. After
being initiated into the mysteries Of tie
army" he quietly slipped ritual into his
pocket, and III "a few days met a committee Of
minister. at Wichita. where they were all given
the benefit OF the secret work. They were not
surprised, for upon investigation they found
that their fears were well founded and that the
Army OF Liberty" was nothing more or less
than a secret organization which teaches its
members to abhor sumptaary laws in every
form.
The officers of this new order are captain
first and second leutenants, corporal, guards
and comrades.
THE RITUAL.
In the initiatory ceremony the captain de-
lvers long lecture to the applicant, in which
he says:
Like You we see that the liberties of the
people are slowly but none the less surely being
swept away. and that unless these infringements
are resisted IN short time nothing will be left
of our liberties and the American people will
be nothing but slaves. ruled over by the worst
type OF tyranny. fanaticsl bigotry. For these
reasons We are banded together; and that we
may the more successfully resist and overcome
the unholy alliance of fsnaticism aud politics
We have united ourselves with she A. of L.,
able means each aud every attempt under
taken by the common enemy having for its
object the slightest snsroachmsnt upon our
rights as free Americans: and also to compel
misguided men and Designing, interruptions
demaGogues from further attempting to unite
politics with fauaticism. Should you be mus
tered in you will be expected to devote a por-
ton of your time to the advancement Of the
great work sought to be accomplished by the
A. of L."
The candidate is blindtoldsd and when he
reaches the station of the first lieutenant that
officer says:
.'On being brought before this company you
were blin6!oldeG that you should not recognize
any OF Its members If You should fail IN being
mustered and to pre:ent YOU from carving
Information to the enemy. You were bound
III shacki-s TO remind You OF the ssrviIs condi-
ton OF those people Who have been robbed Of
their liberties"
The applicant for membership pledges HIM
seal not 10 vote tor any candidate tor Office who
i hot a member OF the ARMY of Liberty. or
" no Is not ~ full sympathy with Its principles
lie state Temperance Union is thoroughly
aroused. E-v. DR.. Miner. the president says
determined and heroIc battle must be waged
for prohibition or the whisky power will cap
turc kansas. lie is travelling constantly and
organizing Law and order leagues as an Offset
to the Army of Liberty. Rev Z. Leonsrdson.
the state organizer and lecturer. moved by the
rapid increase of membership IN the new anti
prohibition society has issued u call to all pro-
hibtionis;s. III which he saws:
Call meeting and organize a league at
once. Work with a dissemination and keep at
II till the saloon is suppressed die in the
fight"
At time when the psace-loving people Of
Kansas supposed they could lie down to pleas
ant dreams. forget the past and look hopefully
to the future they are confronted with another
war ii which families will divide and neishbors
array themselves against each other IN open
hostility.