The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-01-29
IT IS A MONGREL ASSOCIATION
Father Hickey Uses Some Very
Strong Language
About the American Protective
Association.
An Association which Father Hickey
Says Was Formed in Order to
Boycott All Good Ro-
man Catholics.

The American Protective association
received severe clstigation last night
by Father Hickey, who, in his lecture
at the Main-street Cathedral, denounced
the organization in the most unmeas-
ured terms.
The reverend gentleman said:
In this magnificent country OF ours
the widest possible liberty lie allowed.
This may be regarded as the most valn-
able and important characteristic OF the
government under which we live. Like
everything else, this privilege is liable to
abuse; hence it is not astonishing that
excrescences should arise from time to
time on the body polite, ehort-lived if
you will, but at the same time cacu-
lated to give considerable annoyance
during the brief period OF their exist
ence. 1t takes all kinds OF people to
make the world, we are told, and no.
where is this truer than in the United
States OF America. Orr population is a
conglomerate OF all nations, differing In
ideas, political views and religious be-
| liefs; and quite naturally among all
|
occasionally to occur. The most famil-
| lar product of these conditions is what
ia termed the crank. We are all &C.
quainted with the gentleman. He ia
Ubiquitous and irrepressibe. In poll
tics he plays not infreouen ly prom.
inent part; in society he ie equally con-
spicuous, while in religion he is simply
an intolerable nuisance.
| M thaca va rioua 1aUraar 0f
we have been treated within the last
few years to specimens calculated to
make us very weary indeed and to ex-
cite our deepest disgust, but when it
comes to the pranks and capers of the
religious phase of the madness we have
spectacle which may we'll make angels
weep.
| said religious phase, but to qualify
it properly l should have said irreligious
and irrational. Religion, lift be religion,
is kind and gentle, tolerant and merci-
full and cannot, save at the expense OF
truth, be the real motive in the so called
religious crankism to which | have re-
ferred.
Lam here tonight to pay my respects
to so-called politico-religious organiza-
ton which, under the thin cloak of re.
ligion and patriotism lie engaged in the
deviish work of stirring up strife among
the citizens of this fair country. The
organization in question dubs itself the
American Protective association. Each
term in the definition is catchword.
American forsooth, love of fair
play has gone into proverb
to indicate something distinctively
American. This society or organization,
or secret order, as it terms itself, or con.
spiracy against the moral rights and
privileges of a portion OF our fellow
citizens, as it really is, ignores the very
idea OF fair play. Working ia darkness
and by methods that an honest man
and consequently every genuine Ameri
can must despise, this cowardly aseocia
ton has for its avowed object the pur
pose of ostracizing very considerable
class of the citizens of this republic
known az Roman Catholics.
The true American idea ia fair field
and fair fight, and no favor to either
party. The A. z. A. conspiracy shuts
out both field and contest, and adjudges
its adversary beaten. simply and solely
because he is an adversary, and conse-
quently has no rights that the con-
spiracy is bound to recognize. Physi.
cally, morally and intellectually he NAV
be the peer of any in tie land; he is Q
man and citizen: and yet, because be
is a Catholic, he is to be
treated not only as an alien, but
as savage-in fact, as a beast
quite unworthy to mingle with
the rest of men, an object of righteous
adherence and contempt. In his case
the whole question 10 already Judged
He ia Catholic; that settles 1T. He
is absolutely unfit to hold any office OF
post of public trust. Nay more, even il
his position be that OF u common laborer
or other employee in the humblest ca
pacity, he would be discharged at once
without means OF livelihood the poor
fellow will starve and 80 will his family
No matter, let him starve, and his
family with him, and when he dies lei
his carrion rot: there are no men but
the A. P. A's. The less this highly
magnanimous society pirates about fail
play and honor and common humanity
the better; and the sooner too, they
recognize the absurdity of adjoining
their mongrel association with
the title American. The badge Of
Americanism is something too noble to
be trailed in the mire or used to cover
purposes 30 infamous as are these OF a
| bOCl6ty 6sb6ublhily uu-An6rlcau. line
socalled American Protective aasocia-
ton would do we'll therefore to drop the
first handle of its high sounding title
and sneak from under the folds OF FLAG
that refuses to cover such infamy, Or
If they insist upon retaining it, let vi
read asinine instead of American, and
all that the term implies. Another and
highly important feature of this COW
ardly association is the oath which itt
members are required to subscribe. II
reads to this effect
''Iwill not employ a Roman Catholic
in any capacity; will not countensnce
the nomination N any caucus or con-
vention of a Roman Catholic, but will
only vote for Protestant"
All this is highly edifying, particularly
in the face OF the express assertion o.
the declaration of independence that
"all men are endowed with certain in
alienable rights, among which are life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness, u
and that governments are Instituted
among men to secure these rights. Ar
ticle of the amendments, moreover
prohibits congress from establishing o
church or interfering with the free ex.