Evening star., 1896-02-17
DEMOCRATS AND THE 4. =. A.
\ Member of the Order Comments on
Some Recent Statements.

To the Editor OF The Evening Star
In your issue Of the 10th instant appear
ed article headed Losing no Sleep in
which are mentioned the precautionary
measures which the managers OF the on
coming democratic election of delegates to
Chicago are taking. l certainly hope that
some means will be devised to prevent such
astounding frauds as were shown to have
been practiced in the republican election,
which was really only roarinl, farce. But
this / am willing to admit, that no one
was aSkod d at the polls whether he was a
republican or a democrat. and it is well
known that thousands of democrats voted.
~ this no one complained. All We ask is
that each citizen should cast but one hon
est vote during that day. The democratic
managers seem to propose to ask every
voter whether ne is a democrat or a re-
publican. Every man has right 10 change
his political party every day in this free
country But the democratic managers
propose to go further, and discriminate
against men who belong to a certain secret
society!
The Star says: "All over the District, ard
particularly in South Washington the or
ganlzation "a. P. Al is being vigorously
prosecuted. and 1t is an open secret that
this activity Is largely due to a desire Of
the society to command the future political
destinics of the District of Columbia, not
only In democratic. but in republican
way as well. The democratic leaders, how
ever, assume an air OF indifference as to
the A. p. A. They dismiss the subject by
declaring that the A. 2. A. principles are
creetly opposed to those Of tho democratic
party. and that a member of the associa-
ton could not be consistently a democrat
Consequently, they declare that no creten-
tials to the local convention would be is
sued to such a person by the primary
judges. even if he received an overwheIui-
ing majority of the votes cast in the assem-
bly, district"
Whether any discrimination is to he naaae
fpo
the A. O. H., the knights of Pythias, or
the Good Templars, I have not vet heard
and the article in question did not say
Now, The Star has a reputation for fair
dealing. and so l am going to ask you TO-
lay before the people of the District of
Columbia statement of the principles Of
the A. p. A, as the most Of them have
probably never read them I inclose them
to you just as they We're adopted by the
last annual convention in Milwaukee last
May.
am democrat of the Jefersonian
stripe, and can indorse every one Of them
and can put my hand on a thousand such
democrats in this District.
CHASE RoYs.
A. p. A. Principles.
The following are the declarations of
principles adopted by the national council
| Of the A. P. A. at Des Moines and in
closed in Mr.. Roys' letter:
Loyalty to true AmericaniSm, which
knows neither birth, place, race creed nor
party, is the first requirement for member
! ship in the American Protective Associa-
| ton.
| 1.-The American Protective Association ia
not a political party, and does not control
| the political affiliations of Its members; but
1t teaches them to be intensely active in
| the discharge of their political duties in or
| out of party lines, because 1t believes tha t
| all problems confronting our people will
! be bound solid by q conscien tious discharge
| vidual.'
While tolerant Of all creeds, 1t holds
that sub1ection and support to any political
power not controlled by American citizens,
alaa winch Claims equal II not greater SOW
ereignty than the government of the United
| States fs irreconcilable with American Gift
! zenship. 1t is, therefore, opposed to the
holding of offices in state or national gov
| eminent by any subject or supporter of
such ecclesiastical power.
| we uphold the Constitution Of the
| United States of America, and no portion
of 1t more than its guarantee of religious
| liberty, but We hold this religious liberty
| to be guaranteed to the individual, and not
to mean that under its protection any un-
| American ecclesiastical power can claim
any absolute control over the education of
children growing up under the stars and
| I'VE consider the non-sectarian free pub
| lie school the bulwark of American insti-
tutions. the best place for the education of
American children. To keep them such, we
| protest against the employment of subjects
| of any un-American ecclesiastical power as
| officers or teachers of our public schools,
| I'VE condemn the support out of the pub
| lie treasury by direct appropriation or by
contract of any sectarian school, reforma-
| tory or other institution not owned and con-
trolled by public authority.
Believing that exemption from taxation
| is equivalent to q 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