Evening journal., 1894-08-23
LETTERS From TIE people.
A Protest From Shields Library Asso-
citation.

citation.
To the Editor Of the Evening Journal.
SIR: In your issue Of Wednesday,
August 10, in the column devoted par
ticularly to the candidates Of the Demo-
cratic party, TO be voted for at the com
ing state convention OF said party,
there appearei the following: In the
Fifth ward the Shields Library Assocla-
tlon members are understood to be
opposing Mr.. Samuel Bancroft for his
anti Catholic attitude and utterances
And on the following day the matter
was again referred to, and the same
article repeated, with the addition that
the information was given by member
OF said association, and a prominent
Democrat We presume that the second
article WAS published IN explanation Of
he first one, but Ia our opinion the ey-
PLANTATION was of no benefiI to us. as the
name Of the association was again
coupled with politics Now, Mr. Editor,
we desire to say TO the people OF this
city that the Shields Library Association
is not political organization, nor Ia
any way connected with politics. II
was organized thirty one years ago for
q purpose other than politics and we
believe that that purpose has been &C
complished and the good people OF this
city, seeing this fact, have given ax-
precision to it In their generosity In
our behalf upon more than one
occasion, and particularly Within
the last two years, in which time
the association appea led 60 a generous
public 10 assist in the erection and
completio Of comfortable home now
occupied by IL, where the good work
already done by the association might be
continued aud further advanced This
assistance was not extended to us BY
any particular denomination. or from the
membership OF any political party, but
from our friends and people, regardless
Of religious beliefs or party affiliations
Mr.. Editor. II you viii reflect for one
moment. you cannot but agree with
Us that this article IN question is, to say
the least, unfair to our organization.
Were we to permit it to pass unnoticed
IL would do considerable injury Jus. as
IL would be tslen for granted BY many
ofour friends that what was stated In
your paper WAS true, aud that our as
soclation had become political one, aud
therefore not worthy Of their friendship,
We cannot permit, in justics to
ourselves, thisi impression 20 pre-
vail. Our membership Is taken frora
the two great political parties, as well as
the smaller ones, and therefore the
members Of the Shields Library Asso-
citation cannot be understood" as
favoring or opposing any OF the candi
dates, Of any party, be they Republl
cans, Democrats or Mugwumps. The
rules Of the association never did or
never will permit It. We are part of
this fair city aud thanks to onr fellow
citizens, regardless Of party, we are now
fully prepared to continue the good
work in which our association has been
engaged since It's inception. We there
fore deem II our duty to enter our pro
test against the article in question Nh d
request that IN the future the name
OF the Shields Library Assocls-
tion be not connected with politics in
any way In your paper
Kindly give this as prominent posi-
tion In your paper as you did the article
causing 1t, and greatly obige,
THE SHIELDS LIBRARY ASSOCIATION.
Per FRANK P. PRALEN.
JOHN A JORDAN, Committee.
EDWARD n KANE,
Wilmington, August %, 1894
We entertain the highest respect for
the Shields Library Association and are
IN hearty accord with the motives which
prompted its organization aud which
have served to advance it to such use
full place among the social and literary
organizations Of this city. While the
organization, as an organization. knows
no politics, it has upon its roll Of mem
bership men who are active in political
work and who hold high place in the ooun.
ellis OF the local Democracy That these
men are taking part in the present Con-
gressional contest cannot be successfully
contrOverted by the protesting committee
or anybody else The EVENING JOURNAL,
never intended to convey TO its readers
the impression that the organization had
gone into politics. II the article referred
to led to such an impression we regret
1t. We have no desire to in
jure the usefulness Of the Shields
Library Association We have invariably
endesysred to promote Its welfare, and