The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-02-02

We understand that an organizer" Of
lea. society known as the A. +. A. has re-
Gently visited Portland. Or, and IL soon to
visit this city. Secre. political societies.
even in countries that are not entirely
free, work more political and social evil
than they do good, and there is not the
this country, whatever may be said in ex-
tenustion of them In Ireland. Russia or
Italy fifty years ago.
The murder of DIR. Cronin in Chicago
was a death blow TO the Clan-na-Gaei.
The intelligent friends of Ireland never
believed in the wisdom Of this society. nor
in the necessity for its existence; IL was
not favored by psrnell. nor by the Irish
Land League in Ireland or America. The
Clan-na-Gael was not responsible for the
death OF Cronin, but the action of . few
fanatics belonging to the order gave IL q
fatal wound. Its formal tcnets were not
criminal, but it's secrecy attracted the
more turbulent and nihilistic element of
the Irish race: IL Was . modern survival
of the spirit which organized the white
Boys" of the last century; the Ribbon
Men" during this century aud the molly
Maguires" in America. The crimes of the
molly Maguires" drew down upon the
Ancient Order of Hibernians, of which
these miscreanis pretended 20 be part.
the denunciations of the Catholic clergy.
who are justly distrustfui of all political
secret orders in a free country like the
United States.
The evil influence of secret political So
cieties is sttested by the crimes Of the
Copperhead Knights of the Golden Circle
during the civil war and OF the Kuklux
and White League at the South after the
war. No good citizens ought TO Join any
secret society organized for political pur-
poses in America Under q despotism,
as Italy was iifty years ago. as Russia is
today. organizations like the ''Carbonari"
and the "Nihilists" may have some ex-
cuse for life. but they are nothing but evil
in their influence In America. The ballot
is tree and almost universal under
our form OF government; the laws are
equal In their protection of life, liberty
and property to the individual, high or
low; under our Federal constitution and
state constitutions there Is total separa-
ton of church and state and absolute re-
ligious tolerance. There is therefore no
excuse for secret political societies; their
very secrecy implies purpose at variance
with the fundamental spirit of our free
institutions. and their practical result is TO
breed lawlessness; TO cultivate political or
religious incendiarism beneath a mask.
Such societies have always worked mis-
chief in this country: for they organize
ignorance. bigotry and passionate. un-
reasoning pFejudiees of race, class or
religion IN opposition to tho spirit Of our
fundamental law IN both state and nation.
The "knownothing" order that some
forty years ago sought to politically pro-
scribe persons of foreign birth and wage
political warfare of race and religion was
shoft-liyed party. but it did infinite mis-
chief by leaving bitter memory Of at
tempted political injustice in the minds of
our foreign-born population; II bred terri
bic riots in Baltimore aud elsewhere and
altogether its influence was bitterly de-
piored by the leading American statesmen
of both the great political parties. The
attempt to organize this new secret polit-
ical order of the A. L. A. in this country
will prove a wre,ehed failure; il may take
feeble root in few spots among ignorant
people. but its purpose, which is 10 polit-
icaily boycott all Roman Catholics, is so
utterly revolving 70 all intelligent men in
both the great political parties that it only
needs 80 be exposed and subjected TO dis
cussion TO he brought into general con-
tempt.
The oath administered by the 4. r. A.
binds the members mot to employ a
Roman Catholic in any capacity. If the
services of Protestant can I've procured. 4"
We further quote as follows:
Il Furthermore promise and swear. that
! viii not countenancs tho nomination
IN any caucus or convention, of a Roman
Catholic, for any office in the gift of the
American people, and that / will not vote
tor ncF counsel Others 20 vote for. any
Roman Catholic. bat viii vote only for q
Protestant. 50 far as NAV lie in my power /;
should there he two Roman Catholics. on
opposite tickets. | will erase the name off
the ticket | vote; that | will endeavor AT
al times 20 place the political positions of
THIS government Ia the hands at Protest
ants, % the eatgFe exclusion OF the Roman
Catholic church ~ the mem bers thereof,
and fae mandate % the pope.
Il hereby denounee Roman Catholicism.
! hereby deacuBce the pope. sitting 8;
Rome or e,ses here. ! aanounce his priests
sad eEnissaries and the diabolical work of
tae Roman Casbclie church and its rope.
Amen. amen. amen"
The ritual Is full Of idiosic charge.
against the Catholic church as eon.riring
IN Amenca 'for the possession of the
government IN order to control The state
bv the power CT the Roman church" No
intellsgeag man can read this ritual
through without wondering whether
soTae e!Eo'ad. stupid. ignorant person
Sho has learned nothing and forgotten
nothing since s. Bartholomew, the Span.
ssh insalsiisoa and tas battle ofthe Royne.
hAd not written up thu red headed and
red-moathsd rhetoric eg this ritual. which
IS as veniose as PETER. as nAaiaesl as
'.8ioeay Brides" Waite sna as nsnaa.
csoas as ~taaAss e. NAwstta