The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-05-06

Des Moines, Ia, May 5.-The supreme
council of the A. P. A completed its
lahors here tonight, after a four days
session. The most important work
was the preparation of the declaration
of principles for the order, which was
drawn up during the two days confer
enee and is an important document in
every way.
The statement that Supreme Presi-
dent Traynor had recommended
twenty-one years residence for natur-
alization was IN error. His recon-
mendation was ten years and the SUI
prsme council finally decided that
seven years should elapse between an
Aliens declaration of intention and
naturalization.
The council passed a resolution ask
ing this correction be made by the
press. The declaration of principles is
as follows:
Fi1,st-Loyal to true Americanism,
which knows neither birthplace, race,
creed or party, is the first requisite
for membership in the A. P. A.
Not "a Political Party.
Second-The A. P. A. is not a politi-
cal party, and does not control the po-
litieal utilization of it's members, but it
teaches them to be intensely active in
the discharge of their political duties
in or out of party lines, because it be-
lieves that all problems confronting our
people will be best solved by con-
scienIious discharge of the duties of
citizenship by every individual.
9hird-While tolerant of all creeds, it
holds that subsection to and support of
any ecclesiastical power, not created
and controlled by American citizens,
and which claims equal, if not greater,
sovereignty that the government of the
United States of America, is irreconcil-
able with citizenship. 1t is, therefore,
opposed to the holding of offices in ma
,tf1ral, state or municipal government
by any subject or supporter of such
ecclesiastical power.
Fourth-We uphold the constitution
Of the United States of America, and
no portion more than it's guarantee of
religious liberty to be guaranteed to
the individual, and not to mean that
under its protection any un-American
ecclesiastical power can claim absolute
control over the education of children
growing up under the stars and stripes.
NOn-Sectarian Schools.
Fifth-We consider the non-sectarian
free public school the bulwark of Amer
lean institutions; the best place for the
education of American children. To
keep them such we protest against the
employment of subjects of any I'M
American ecclesiastical power, as Of
fcers or teachers of public schools.
SiXth-We condemn the support out of
the public treasury by deficit appropria-
nf NJ o~ia IN
school, reformatory or ether institution
not owned and controlled by public au-
thority.
Seventh-Beleving that exemption
from taxation is equal to a grant of
public funds, we demand that no real
or personal property be exempted from
taxation, the title to which is not vested
in the national or state governments or
in any of their subdivisions.
Eighth-We protest against the en-
listment in the United States army, navy
or the militia of any state, of any per-
son not an actual citizen of the United
States.
Ninth-We demand for the protection
of our citizen laborers the prohibition
OF the importation of pauper labor and
the restriction of all immigration to
persons VINO can show their ability and
honest intention to become self-support-
ing American citizens.
Reform in Standardization.
Tenth-We demand the change of nat
urahzation laws by repeal of the act
authorizing the naturalization of for
eigners without a previous declara ton
OF intention and by providing that no
aliens shall be naturalized or permitted
to vote in any state in the Union who
cannot speak the language of the land
and who cannot prove seven Years con-
IN
the date OF his declaration of inten
ton.
Eleventh-We protest against the
gross negligence and laxity with which
the Judiciary of our land administer
the present naturalization laws, and
against the practice of naturalizing
aliens at the expense of committees or
candidates as the most prolific source
OF the present prostitution of American
citizenship to the basest uses.
Twelfth-We demand that all hos
pltals, asylums, reformatories or other
institutions in which people are under
restraint be at all times subject to
public Inspection, whether they are
maintained by the public or by pri-
waite corporations or individuals
Thirteenth-We demand that all ma
tional or state legislation affecting
financial, commercial or industrial in
terests, be general in character and
in no instance in favor of any one sec
ton OF the country or any class of
people.
Inspection of Converts.
The council tabled every motion at
tempting to commit the order to any
distinct line of policy on the money.
labor, suffrage, temperance or other
partisan questions, and also adopted a
resolution declaring that no committee
or other authority could bind the
members to any political action be-
yond their negative obligation. The
council approved of the draft of a bill
for the suppression of immigration,
which will be sent to Congress. and
also adopted resolutions for legisla-
ton, subjecting converts and similar
institutions to public inspection
1t was resolved that Washington, D.
c.. be the permanent meeting place
after 1896, and that all meetings be
held with open doors, the public to be
invited to witness and listen to all
resolutions.
MORE DISASTERS LOOKED FOR.