The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-04-26
RELIGIOUS IETo1ERANCE-poLITIcAL FOLLY

months may be expected to disappear.
RELIGIOUS IETOLERANCE-POLITICAL FOLLY
1t Is averred by those who claim to
know that the secret society called the
American Protective Association has
obtained a strong foothold in this State
and is growing rapidly. 1t is also said
priest Rudolph in the city of Lafayette,
in January last. Rnve a decided impulse
to the growth of the order, and that it
has grown much more rapidly since that
occurrence than it did before. If this
is true it affords another illustra-
ton of the exceeding folly of such dem
OnstratiOns, and of the uselessness as
well as the c~Siminality of trying TO sup
press free speech by violence. In him.
self the ex-priest Rudolph is a very in
consequential person, and if he had not
been attacked he would probably never
number who might have been drawn by
curiosity to hear him. The attempt
on his life made him at Once
conspicuous and started a train
of consequences the end of which is
not yet in sight. The attack itself was
n surprise. not only to the people of
Lafayette, but to the entire State, in
that it showed there were people in that
town ready to do violence and even
commit murder in order TO prevent the
public utterance of criticisms on the
Catholic Church. The Journal has no
about the country attacking any form
of religion or appealing to the religious
prejudices of any class. 1t deprecates
such attacks ON the Catholic Church as
we'll as on the Protestant, but it recog-
nizes the fact that under our system of
government and laws it is infinitely bet
ter to tolerate such attacks than tn try
and suppress them, even by legal
methods, much less by violence. In
fact. they canno be suppressed by legal
methods, and an attempt to do SO by
violence cannot be tolerated. The way
Rudolph harmlessis to let them severely
alone. Attempted violence only gives
them Importance and makes for them
new friends and followers.
The attack on Rudolph has already re-
suited in serious consequences. 1t has
city where it occurred, heavy expense
on the county and unmerited csnsure
on thelocal authorities of the Catholic
Church, who have been charged, no
doubt unjustly, with having counte-
nanced or been privy to the attack. For
all this the short-sighted fools who
planned and carried out the attack are
to blame. Two of them have been tried,
convicted and sentenced to the States
prison. eight more are still to be tried for
assault with intent to kill, and about
thirty are under Indictment for riot. In
view of the results already developed
the leaders Of the mob that tried to kill
Rudolph must feel that they did a a
nights work.
We hope it is not true that this dis
graceful affair has given an impetus to
the growth of the American Protective
AcSOCidtOu III luuiuidp VI tiu IL Has III
ready obtained or is likely to obtain any
considerable -f0othold in the State.
This association. as we understand it.
is q secret anti Catholic organization,
which proposes to operate in politics by
the usual methods of secret societies.
Nothing can be said in defense of such
an organization. It is as much opposed
tn the genius of our institutions
as are attempts to suppress free
speech by violence. All secret political
societies are TO be condemned, but most
of ell one based on religious intoler-
ance. This is the most despicable form
of the d%espicable boycott. 1t is pos
sible, as some OF It's leaders allege, that
the A. p. A. may be growing very rap
idly in this and other Western States,
and that it is destined to have its day
and its run. History repeats itself, and
there are always people who believe
that the failures and follies of the past
can be galvanized into life and success.
Any one acquainted with the rise, de-
cline and fall of the Know-nothing
movement will easily forecast the fate
of the A. p. A. 1t will be but a little
while before those who are now eagerly
taking its secret oaths will be- anxious
to swear that they never belonged to ii
and ready To fight the man who AYERS
the contrary.