Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-03-26
LOOKING OVER CANDIDATES
What the A. P. A. COMMITTEES is Said to
Be Doing.
stevens Talk With a Star
RepOrter-Claims Made ms to Pc.
litical Power of the Order.

The executive committee of the advisory
board of the American Protective Associa-
ton did not finish it's work at last nights
meeting at the National Hotel. An adj
journment was taken until Monday, when
the business of the board will be concluded
in New York city.
The chief business of the committee was
the discussion of candidates for the pres
idency. The public record of every man
whose name has been mentioned by any of
the parties was taken under advisement.
Every vote he has cast on public questions
and the sentiments of almost every speech
he has ma lie were taken into consideration.
This work was not finished last night, but
will be finished at the meeting in New
York. Something like complete history of
each aspirant for the presidential nominal
ton will be prepared. 1t Will then be sent,
Star reporter was informed to the men,
bers of the order throughout the United
States for the purpose of guiding them in
casting their votes.
The reporter asked a member what effect
this history would have on the candidates
at the national conventions. and his answer
was: "Oh, there Will be plenty of delegates
at the national conventions who are mem
bers of the A. P. A. They will know the
public record of every man whose name Is
put before the conventions and will vote
against those men whose histories nave
been opposed to the principles Of their or
de-. They will vote for the man or men
who are with them
The committee received reports from all
state councils, and these reports it is said.
expressed an eagernesS to enter actively
into state and national campaigns this
year. The strength of the order in every
congressional district was ascertained, ard
the claim was made by members that every
A. p. A. would stand to whatever political
action was decided on by the committee
A Star reporter this morning had talk
with Judge ]. H. D. Stevens of Missouri,
chairman of the executive committee, and
probably the most prominent member of
the A. P. A. in the city. He will be one
Of the Leading lights at the meeting Of the
Supreme Council, to be held here in May.
"Why has everything been conducted so
secretly?' the reporter asked Judge Ste
vens.
WELL he answered, II was not a men,
Der of the press committee, and have no
right to give any further information than
was given the press, but 1 wish to say as
an individual that l am in favor of hold
ing all the supreme sessions of the order
with open doors. reserving the right Of
executive session for strictly private at
fairs. These questions which the order is
advocating are public ones and the public
should know, and wants to know, what we
are doing about them. We We're not here
continued Judge Stevens, ''for the purpose
of making or uDmakiNg candidates for Of
flee, but it IS the duty of the executive
committee to convey to the members of
the order the exact position of prospective
car didates for President of the United
States, together with their attitude in the
past toward the principles advocated by
u.s."
'How do you expect to arrive a a mans
position, and give it 10 the members in a
fair Manner inquired The Star reporter.
by his public record, and / will say here
I
mand. that any man who will not indorse
the principles of our order. and who is
toadying to foreignisnl. cannot be elected
President in the coming campaign. That is
settled beyond any question. and the can
didate who has any doubt about it might
as well prepare TO stay at home
Political Power.
How many states are there in which the
order claims to hold the balance of power?"
My dear SIR Judge Stevens replied. "wc
hold the balance of power in nearly every
state in the Union, and We are constantly
growing. The demands for organization are
such that they cannot be supplied. We can
not organize all the councils that are ready.
There will be 1000 900 members of the order
before the November elections"
The Marquette Statue.
When asked about the fight of the order
on the Marquette statue, Judge Stevens
said: THE people have a mistaken idea
about our position on the placing of the
Marquette statue In statUary hall. We
recognize the services rendered the coun-
try by Father Marquette as an explorer and
as citizen. We are willing that history
shall give him the credit he is entitled to,
but what We do object to is the placing be-
side the statue of the immortal Lincoln the
statue of man attired in the garb of
Jesuit, with the beads and the cross at
tached. If he had been attired in the garb
of citizen, like Lincoln, there would have
been no objection. We are willing to admit
all that the donors of the statue have said
about Father Marquettes services, but 1t
must be for his services as citizen, and
not as Jesuit. that his memory Is hon
ored. No higher honor must be conferred
upon Marquette than upon Lincoln. He is
there in plain clothes. 1t is step in the
wrong direction for Congress in any form
to attempt to recognize any religion The
Constitution forbids this by letter and