The San Francisco call., 1896-10-30

nate the strongest candidate on whom all
could unite irrespective of personal preference
or political belief.
We have, both in our own proper person ana
n the columns of this paper, again and again
declared thatwe had no preferences. We have
tried to steer an even Keel. When the cam
palgn liar declared that we were IN favor OF
one candidate or OF another. we clearly ana
unmlstakably defined our position We woulu
rather see an A. P. A. in every office IN San
Francisco, from Mayor down TO Poundmaster,
than lift finger 10 dictate vote:
By that declaration we stand. we have not
one voice in public and another in private.
We have the right to be considered sincere
until we have been proved 1nslncere, ano we
feel justly hurt that the friends OF any candl-
date should have considered 1t necessary 10
the success of their cause 10 cast out unworthy
hints about men dressed in clerical garD
standing at the ballot-box.
1t is our earnest determination not to allow
ourselves 10 be used by one faction or another
When any faction or candidate tries to use US
or the fight we have made or the latin we pro-
fess or the race to which we belong we believe
1t TO be our solemn duty to protest against such
use with all our heart and all our strength
The methods of A. P A-iSm are damnaDle,
whether they are employed by Catholic or
Protestant
authority we have earned and with all the
earnestness we can command all Cathol1c or
irish societies not TO permit themselves 10 pc
deluded by little cliques of professional
Catholics and professional Irish men who have
taken it upon themselves 10 lndorse eandl-
dates. Our warning is especially directed to
the members of the Ancient Order OF Ill
bernians A little sheet which processes to be
their official organ has Endorsed D1mond Tor
Mayor. A eoterie of politicians pretending to
represent the order has done the same.
Instructions are being sent TO the members
and to members of other societies that this IS
the strongest candidate on whom all are TO
unite, and our name,'-o our fight against the
charter, our crusade against the A. 2. A. are
al w
place and Irishmen for revenue as the author-
ity for such instructions. We declare now
that all this is done without our sancti tion. No
man has right to use our name to further
such q scheme. The characterless scoundrels
OF the bottom of it are the same who, not SO
long ago, made revenue by peddling our pic
ture from door to door under the plea that it
was for our financial benefit and who now
would make revenue by peddling our name
in q scheme which we denounce and abhor.
We know that the name of the A. o. II. is
used without the consent OF its members, even
as our name is used against our WILL We ap-
peal, therefore, from the clique which is engi-
neering this proposition to the great BODY
OF the members. We think we know what is
for their benefit and we believe that they have
confidence in US. We have no personal objects
TO gain, no personal ends to serve. We say
unheSi Ia tingly that the professional Irishmen
who are be hind this scheme are behindlt for
Doodle and that their only purpose is to split
the anita. P A. vote wide open and to keep
it split in order that the bosses may succeed.
is that our name and our influence shall not
be used in this nefarious scheme. We here by
depounce it with all the strength we possess,
and we shall continue to denounee it as long
and as often we shall have the opportunity.
1t is just such movements led by such painted
shams as have given excuse to the A. z. a. We
hate a. P. A.-ism among Catholics as much as
among non-Catholics, and we believe every
true Catholic hates it likewise. 1t is only the
professional Catholic and the professional
1rishman who indulge in such 'chicanery, and
we are determined that their rascality shall
not rebound TO the dishonor of decent men.
1t gives US no pleasure to say these things.
We say them because we believe that we
would be false to our people and to ourselves
if we kept silent Our good name is very dear
to US and we do not intend to allow tito be
made source of profit TO the pfoprietors of
miserable advertising sheets or to the hench-
men OF bosses. We believe the people VIII
have been with US in this fight from the be-
ginning will not suffer this indignity to be
put upon US. For nothing lower. than struth
and r1ght and justice have we striven, fearing
neither traitors within nor foes without We
ask all who think with US thus to hold up ouI
hands even unto the end.
PETER C. YoRKE.