The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1896-05-15
THE AMERICAN PROTECIIVES
President TraynOr gives an Idea as to
the ORDERS objects.
A MENACE TO CORRUPT PARTIES.
The Power of the American Protective AS
sociation, Says Its President, Lies
in the Fact That it is Allied
with no Political Party.

WASHINGTON, May 15.--The most note
worthy feature of yesterdays session of
the American Protective association was
the innovation made by giving to the pub
lie the annual address of President w. j.
ii. Traynor. While some parts of the
document were erased by a special com
mlttee the body of it gives more authen-
tic information upon the purposes of the
order than has ever before been made pub.
lie upon authority
President Traynor deals at great length
with the political phases of the A. P. A
He says
1.-The American Protective association is
today a recognized factor in American pol
itics, whose favor Is openly cour5ed by po-
litical leaders, organizers and postulants
for public office, who year or two ago ig-
nored or denounced it."
He warns the order against eleventh
hour converts, and says:
THE A. p. A. is standing menace to
the perpetuity of every party, being com
posed, as 1t is, of the members of every
party. So long as it remains unmoved by
the threats, unyielding TO the pressure of
party machines, it will be hated but re-
spected by every party which dares not in
corporate the platform of the order in its
own. The great majority of our order
have waited patiently during the past
year for some sign from one or the other
of the political parties that it has received
a change of heart that it is honest enough
to publicly express.
"There are a few Republicans, such as
Linton of Michigan, Gear of Iowa. Bradley
of Kentucky and Stone of Missouri, who
have been fearless in their endorsement of
our principles, and while it may be fortu-
nate that they are Republicans, it is more
than unfortunate that they are not either
the Republican party or representatives of
that body, and the question should be
asked and answered here and now that
while the A. p. A ism of these men is toll
Grated by the party for the A z. A. votes
which each of them carries behind him,
what assurance have we that this tolera
tion will not cease the moment the votes
have been delivered?'
The president expresses regret that the
A. p. A. has in some states been used by
party machines. He discourages any at
tempt to secure the nomination of mem
Der of the order for the presidency by either
party.
Referring tos the advisory board, which
created u sensation by its attack upon Nc
Kinley, he says
"a source of prospective danger is the
national advisory board as it is at present
constructed. In its present form it is in
danger at any time of coming into violent
collision with the supreme executive board,
which is the supreme council out of ses-
sion, and undoubtedly the superior of all
other boards, At present it recognizes no
superior but the supreme conncil in se'-
sion, and may pursue one policy, while
the supreme president and his cabinet
pursue one entirely opposed to it," Presi-
dent Traynor suggests that the powers of
the board be specifically named.
"a well meaning, and by no means un-
important section of the order has arisen,
which advocates peace with the priest and
his subjects and harmony between them
and the members of the order. Some
would even go so far as to negotiate with
them politically, than which nothing G
could be more dangerous to the perpe-
tuity of the association. Others go so far
as to take the position that member of
the order possesses the right to determine
for himself the question OF the loyalty or
disloyalty of any papist postulant for of
fee and reserves to himself the right TO
persuade others to vote for said papist.
Such a contention is not only absolutely
untenable, but highly dangerous. The
candidate voluntarily renounces the right
of private judgment in this essential when
he becomes member of the order"