Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1893-11-07
A NEW PARTT.

A new element in American politics
il cropping up in the Eastern ststes;
and il i one which promises 10 divide
the people on . stronger lice than eth
sr the tariff OF the silver question.
For many years an organization,
known TO the world a. the "a P. A, {"
has been quickly growing and extend
ing 70 boundaries and Influence from
its headquarters ia Philzdelphia; and il
i, not without great show Of pFobabil-
Hy, claimed that its enrolment to-day,
faeludez q million Of men, chiefly 10
Gated east q the Mississippi and north
Of Mason and DixOo's line. An Of
shoot Of the order u Orsngsnen Of
Great Britain il fOrn1eriy declared Itself
a. The American Protestant Assoc alton
and 90 it was designated by SIS weekly
and monthly organs In PhisdeIphis
zod New YOrk: b1t, lstterIy, il appean
under the tjtIe Of the American Pro
tecliye Association. To some extent
tbis later appellatiou is misleading for
il Suggests TO the uuinilla,ed q combiDe
against free trade; though 10 reality It
L interpreted in the spirit Of Old-tiDe
K0OE Notbingism. and is beld to iDdi-
cate simply its pure American teodsn
cy.
The A. P. A. is, however, first. last,
sod al the tune al an;i-ROmanist in
sIituiiOD, and, naturally enough, il hss
become mOst vigorously prOmiDeBt iD
Lbzi ancient home Of Puritauism, Mzs-
>schusetts, where it bag grown to te
already az important factor in state
politics, and, next year, is expected Go
carry the local elections eyeFyEheEe
outside Of SJutb BostOn. Its sudden
and startling force and publicity, jusi
how, il attributed 20 the official recep-
ton in Washington Of the Pspal Alb
iegste, S4tOlli. diplomatic condition
hitherto unknown in the L United Statss.
Not alone this, but the attitude as
s1med by the Roman c tholic ii r
arehy on the school question, and the
dietstiOn Of the church in political mat
ters have alarmed and armed the de-
seendaBts Of the men who landed al
Plymouth Rock and the diverse Glasses,
who "sympathize" with the remon-
strants against ecclesiastical interfer-
ence in state matters. The association
declares itself as not arrsyed against
theology but against theocracy; not
against Roman Catholics, but against
clerical dominance aud dIctation. IG
members are not Protestants per Sc, for
thousands Of them profess no religious
affiliations whatever; and the tenets Of
the society would apply equally to Epis-
Methodism, Presbyterian
ism, or any other "ism" which might
seek TO put the church ahead Of the
state in purely mundane affairs. Its
aDtagonism ia especially invoked
against interference with the commOD
school system. entirely unsectarisD aud
sought to be made compulsory IN the
interest Of the public veal alone; aud
against the hiersrchisl control Of vast
sums Of money, whose colossal proper
tions are yearly swelling, and which |
may 50 easily be made an engine for the |
subYersiOn Of popular liberty.
II il sought to spread as silently and !
as swiftly as possible, the tenets Of the |
society and to make 1t the bas is Of |
political party. which shall dominate |
federal as well as state politics; aud, iD !
the near future, control Congress and
an occupant for the white |
house.
1t is undeniable thst church and !
state party has made great progress IN |
our country, and this political party 10
It's highest manifestation so far. We
shall observe its movements with great
Interest.