Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1895-03-31
A. F A.
Platform and Oath of the American Pro-
 tective Association.

 of principles was made made at the annual meeting at Des Moines, in May, 1894:
 Loyalty to true Amerieanism, which knows neither birthplace, race, creed, nor party, is the first requisite for membership in the American Pro- tective Association.
 l The American Protective Associa- ton is not apolitical party and does not control the political affiliations 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 believes that all problems confronting our people will be best solved by aconscientious discharge of the duties of citizenship by every individual.
 While tolerant of all creeds, it holds that subjection to and support of any ecclesiastical power not created and controlled by American citizens and which claims equal if not greater sovereignty than the Government of the U. $. of America is irrecon cilable with American citizenship. It is, therefore, opposed to the holding of offices in National, State or muni- cipal government by any subject or supporter of such ecclesiastical power
 We uphold the Constitution of the l United States of America, and no portion of it more than it's guaranty of religious liberty, but we hold this religious liberfy to be guaranteed to the individual and not to mean that under it's protection any un-Ameri- can ecclesiastical power can claim absolute control over the education of children growing up under the Stars and Stripes. We consider the non-sectarian public school the bull wark of American institutions, the best place for the education of American children. To keep them such we protest against the employ ment of subjects of any un-American ecclesiastical power as officers or teachers of our public school.
 We condemn the support out of the public Treasury by direct appro- priation, or by contract, of any sectarian school, refWmatery or other institution not owned an3 controlled by public authority.
 
 ation is equal to grant of public funds, we demand that no real or personal property be exempt from taxation, the title to which is not vested in the National or State gov ernments or in any of their subdivis- ions
 We protest against the en- listment in the United States army. navy, or the militia Of any State of any person not an actual citizen of the United States.
 We demand for the protection of our citizen laborers the prohibition of the importation of pauper labor and the restriction of all immigra- tion to persons who can show their ability and honest intention to be come self-supporting American citi- zens
 We demand a change of naturali- zation laws by repeal of the act authorizing the naturalization of minors without a previous declara- tion of intention, and by providing that no alien shall be naturalized or permitted to vote in any State in the Union who can not speak the lan- guage of the land, and who can not prove seven years continuous resi- dence in this country from the date of his declaration of intention.
 We protest against the gross negli- genee 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 candidates and committees as the most prolific cause of the present prostitution of American citizenship to the basest use.
 We demand that all hospitals, reformatories or other institutions in which people are under restraint be at all times subject to public in- spection, whether they are. main tained by the public or by private corporations or individuals.
 We demand that all National or State legislation affecting financial, commercial or industrial interests be general in character and in no in- stance in favor of any section of the country or of any one class of people.
 OATH TAKEN BY 4 NEW MEMBER.
 The following has been published as the oath taken by member upon being admitted to the association: