The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1896-05-16
MAJOR M'KINLEy AND THE A. p. A.
Supreme Council Has Work OF a
Delicate Nature.

Washington, May y - The supreme
council of the American Protective Asso-
citation held an informal meeting this
morning. No business wSs transacted eX-
cept the appointment of a committee on
credentials. The morning was spent oy
,he delegates listening to "fraternal
speeches." There are about 200 delegates.
Every state and territory except three are
represented. The consensus of opinion
among eastern delegates is that attempts
to bring the financial question TO the from.
will be checked.
The meeting marks n crisis in the history
of the organization, from the fact that
many prominent members, and at whose
instance the special session has been
called, are outspoken in their denuncla-
ton of the OPPOSITION that has been offered
by some of the officials to Major McKin
leys campaign for the presidency. All
sorts of stories have been floating abou,
concerning the origin and motive of this
opposition. Among other things, it has
been stated that certain members of the
organization were Influenced in promoting
this opposition by purse variously stated
al $4,000 to $4,000. Not much stock is
taken in this particular rumOr, but at the
same time many of the leading member
believe that there should be an investiga
ton, and that the association should thus
be relieved from an odium that might i'm
moreover, that this investigation is due
both to Governor Morton and Governor
BRADLEY. whose presidential interests are
said to,have been championed by the anti
Nick nleyites. Some of the latter, how
ever emphaticall deny that their ati
tude against the Ohio man has been due
to preference for any of HIS competitors
and Judge Stevens, chairman Of the su
preme judiciary board of the association
has summarized the objections entertain
ed by himself and his associates against
the ex-governor as follows:
MIR. Mckinley has stated in the pres
ence of several witnesses that the Cath
Ollie church is the strongest and most per-
feet organization in the world
"Second-He has shirked the silver ques-
ton.
"Thrd-Mark Hanna, the manager Of
his canvass, is a capitalist and monopolis5.
and his sympathies are not with the poor
and working classes.
"FOurth-McKinley has promised more
offices than there are under the govern
ment, and if elected could not carry out
these pledges to the one-hundredth part.
Therefore, his election would be followed
by a scandal and a clamor that will be
disgraceful and without parallel in the
history of this country"
Some of the deegates are emphatic in
their declaration that the issuance of the
Reed manifesto by the Boston members If
the advisory committee has involved the
very life of the A. p. A., and there is talk
about breaking away from all present en-
tanglements and forming an alliance with
the pOpulists or slverites. Just how many
protests from state councils against the
action of the advisory council are to be
submitted is not known. The Illinois del
egates, however. have a resolution which
reads substantially as follows: I've here
by declare it to be our firm conviction Indt
our state president has. in this virulent
attack upon Major Mckinley, assaiied
with baseless accusations the good name
and untarnished character of one of the
foremost statesmen of the day. who mas
endeared himself to all classes, and espe-
cially to the toiling millions, by his un-
selfish devotion to American principles on
the field of battle, and in every civic posi-
ton In which he has served during his
long and honorable public career.
I'VE hereby denOunce the efforts to dis
credit the candidacy of William Mckinley
and bring him into disrepute with our or
der as a most unworthy and disreputable
proceeding, and call upon the American
Protective Association the land over tc
stamp it with their disapproval and the
seal of a righteous Indignation"