The record-union., 1894-05-23
Weather Forecast.
Northern California-Fair weather.
THE LEAGUE AND AMERICAN IN
STITUTIONS.

The National League for the Protection
of American Institutions. referred to in
the dispatches to-day, is again vigor-
ously opposing Congressional appropria-
tions to religious bodies for use in Indian
schools. The League is not a secret or
ganization. 1t has no secret lodges or
councils It embraces in its membership
a large proportion of the best minds and
most patriotic citizens of the Union of all
politics and faiths.
It grew out of the suggestion made by
President Grant to Congress in special
message to submit q constitutional
amendment, to be known as the six
teenth, forbidding any State from passing
laws respecting the establishment of re-
lgions, or prohibiting the free exercise
thereof. and from using its money or
credit to found, or maintain, or aid in
any way, any church or religious society,
or any organization or institution, wholly
or in part under sectarian or ecclesiastical
control.
The League has since 1889 repeatedly
appeared by its committees before Com
gress in opposition to appropriations to
church Indian schools. It has so far
succeeded that every church except the
Catholic has withdrawn applications of
that kind and abandoned Government
aid. The dispatches to-day announce
that the League is renewing its opposi-
ton before Congress against appropria-
tons to sectarian Indian schools.
This League, which has recently been
so often mentioned, has for its President
William II. Parsons of New York, DIR.
James NJ. King Secretary, William Eel
loves Morgan Treasurer. Its support
has always come from voluntary contri-
buttons by its several hundred thousand
members 1t is to be saiG for the League
that 1t makes no war on any church or
any man because OF religious belief; does
not enter into political contests and de-
votes its energies wholly to securing the
adoption of the sixteenth amendment, to
opposing use of public funds in aid of
every sectarisn institutional work, and to
labors in defense of the common schools.
There is probably no organization in
the land that has such splendid mem-
bership roster of distinguished educators,
scientists, business men, statesmen, pa
triots and leaders in industry and the
best walks of civilization generally.
The Presidents of nearly all the great
universities belong to it. as also the heads
of most of the churches, scores of ex-
Governors. diplomats, Congressman,
Senator'S, leaders in mechanics, the arts
and sciences, and labor and reform lead
ers. 1t has also secured Endorsement of
its proposed Sixteenth Amendment from
the great National Conventions, and has
had hearing twice before Senate and
duction of sectarian appropriations for
Indian instruction from S3,000,0O0 since
1889 TO less than S40O,0 coo in 1895. Twenty
one States have adopted the Sixteenth
Amendment into their Constitutions, and
several of these did so after the work of
the League began. and in degree
through its educational influence.
All its procedure is public, all its mis-
sionary work is done by printed matter.
by magazine and newspaper articles and
lectures by its Secretaries, some 200 in
number.
One branch of its work has been de-
fense of the common-schooI system and
opposition at all points to efforts to di-
vide the school funds. and it is recog-
nized as the leader in the assault that
broke down the saltwater and Faribault
system of compromise between church
and School Boards. It especially opposes
policies that introduce religious contro-
versy into political questions and issues,
contends for the perpetuation of COM
plete separation of church and state, and
the preservation of the school system
free from ecclesiasticism.
Its strength, dignity and commanding
influence is due to the fact that it is never
vituperative, makes no assault upon re-
ligions, has no secrecy, works wholly IN
the open, makes no concealments, exacts
no pledges except acquieseenee In its