, 1896-04-24
FRIDAY, APRIL -, 1896.
MCKINLEY AND THE A. P. A.

At last the many rumors concerning
the hostility of the American Protec-
tive association toward Mckinley have
c~rystalized into concrete form. 1t re-
minds one Of the parable of the noun
tain in labor. The accusations formu-
lated against Mckinley are so trivial
that they will produce a revulsion in
the minds Of most members OF the
American Protective association in his
favor. The accusations summed up
amount to this: That Mckinley when
governor of Ohio refused to appoint
one ]. X. Printer, a Mason and A. P.
A., to an Office held by one Cavanagh,
a Roman Catholic Irishman: that Nc
ktnley when governor refused to ap-
point n w. w. Lanning as district
oil inspector. although Lanning was a
prominent A. P. A: that Mckinley
once stated that he was not a member
Of the American Protective ~associa-
ton: and lastly, that Mckinley has
never. by word or act, shown any SYM
patty with the American Protective
association. These charges are all
formulated in a circular coming from
the Ohio branch OF the American Pro-
tective association. and 1t is apparent
ly fostered by the executive committee
of the national advisory board of the
American Protective association. The
circular of the Ohio state president
closes with the remark that NC
kinley's sins are those of omission
rather than commission"
That Is very evident. 1t is possible
that this Is all the case the American
Protective association has against Nc
Kinley. If so, it had better never have
made the accusations, or, II made,
should never have 1Eiea- them
UP. Whether a man belongs to the
American Protective association or
not, he cannot but be struck with the
puerility of these accusations. There
is nothing in them that could make
any sensible member Of the order vote
against Mckinley. and the evidence of
hostility which impregnates it would
be calculated to drive a good many
democratic and Roman Catholic votes
into the republican camp.
The Ohio branch of the American
Protective association may as well IN
derstand that the rest Of the associa-
ton throughout the United States does
not intend to allow their petty faction
lights for local patronage to affect the
interests and aims of the order
throughout the union. Ohio is a big
state but 1t does not run the United
States. Neither can the Ohio branch
of the American Protective association
run the entire order. 1t would be rs
fitting for a ward club in Cincinnati to
attempt to say to the republican party
Of the United States how it should act
in a given juncture, as for a branch OF
the American Protective association in
Ohio to tell the entire order whether it
should or should not oppose a presi-
Dental candidate.
Other charges made against McKin-
ley are that his business and political
friend. Mark Hanna, and his private
secretary. Boyle. are Roman Catholics.
Both Of these charges are false. Both
Of these gentlemen are Methodists.
Since we have given publication to
all these dark and damaging accusa-
lions against Mckinley made by the
American Protective association, it is
only fair to say, on the other hand, that
McKinley's Americanism is beyond
cAvil. He Is a member Of the Metho-
dist Episcopal church. and his ances-
tors on both sides have been Protes-
tant for generations. He is one of the
trustees of the First Methodist Episco-
pal church of Canton, Ohio. He is a
Free Mason, q comrade Of the Grand
Army of the Republic. a member Of the
Veteran Union Of the Sons Of the
American Revolution, and a member
Of the Loyal Legion. That sounds like
. pretty straight record. II Mckinley
IL not a good enough American for the
members Of the American Protective
association of Ohio. we think he is a
good enough American for the rest of
the order throughout the union.-Ar-
gonaut.