The record-union., 1894-02-22
AMERICAN PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATION
Declaration Of Principles by the lIIi-
nois State Convention.
Information in Regard to an Organfza-
tion That is Attracting a Great
Deal of Attention.

At the present time the organization
known as the American Protective Asso-
citation is attracting great deal of atten-
ton throughout the world. Much has
been said and written about it. Its MEM
bership runs into the hundred thousands
and it is growing in power and strength
every day. That the readers of the REC
oRD-UNIoN may have an idea OF the
character of the society we publish the
declaration of principles adopted by the
Illinois State Convention:
First-Nationality is not bar to MEM
bership in the order. No man is asked
where he was born.
Second-We interfere with no mans
partisan politics.
Third-We attack no mans religion, SO
long as he does not attempt to make his
religion an element OF political power.
Fourth-We unite to protect our coun-
try and its Tree Institutions against the
secret, intOlerant ana aggressive efforts
that are pesistently being set forth by
certain religio-political organization to
control the Government OF the United
States and destroy our blood-bought civil
and religious liberty.
Fitth-Ne are in favor of preserving
constitutional liberty and maintaining
the Government of the United States.
Slxth-We regard all religiO-politlcal
organizations as the enemies Of clvlllZa-
ton.
Seventh-It is in our opinion unwise
and unsafe to appoint or elect to civil,
political or military office in this country
men who owe supreme allegiance to any
foreign king or ecclesiastical power.
Eighth-We are in favor or maintaining
the principle OF one general unsectarian
free school organization, and will oppose
all attempts 10 supplant it by any secta-
rian institution.
Ninth-We are opposed to all attempts,
local or national, to use public funds for
any sectarian purpose.
Tenth-We are in favor of laws taxing
church property.
Eleventh-The opening of private and
parochial schools, converts and monas-
teries to public official inspection and
placed on the same plane of morality and
law as Protestant institutions are.
Twelfth-We are in favor of changing
our immigration laws in such manner
that they will protect our citizen laborers
from the evil influences of cheap, pauper
and criminal labor, which through the
instrumentality of European propagan-
dian societies and in the country by the
aid of strikes and the subtle influences of
priests, are rapidly supplanting our free
y
line of industry.
Thirteenth-We believe there should be
an educational qualification to the elect
i've franchise that will require every
American citizen to be Americanized.
Fourteenth-We are in favor of putting
into office honest and true patriots, who
are best qualified to fill the positions re-
gardess of political parties.
Fifteenth-We are willing to be gov
ad nv tbaSa T1rinpjnlaS in Onr f1t1ra
political action.
SiXteenth-Our mission is to awaken
the people of America from their
lethargy, Indifference and over-confi-
dence. Eternal vigilance is the price of
liberty. yet the Protestants of the repub
lie have ceased to be vigilant, and in con-
sclous strength are intently chasing the
almighty dollar, or quietly doing while
we swiftly drift toward more tremend-
Gus and terrible crisis than this country
has yet known.
The following paragraph is appended
to the avowal: Birthplace is not the
sole test of American loyalty. We have
men born in several countries remote
from this that are as loyal as any native.
But they are not Romanists. American
loyalty consists IN devotion to our Con-
stitution, laws, institutions, and, above all,
to our public schools, for without intell-
gence this representative republic will
go to pieces. We oppose teaching of
perverted history in our schools and the
mutiIation Of reference books to cover
the infamies of so-called church, which
is more political than religious. We are
opposed to priests and prelates as such
taking part in elections and voting their
laity as a unit in the interest Of foreign
corporation with intent to injure this ma
ton and it's institution.