The record-union., 1896-05-17
Decision Reached by the Supreme
Council of the Order.
The Action of the Executive COM
mittee Sustained by the Evidence
Presented Before 1t at the Time,
But Subsequent Statements Show
That the Witnesses Who Testified
Were Unreliable.

WASHINGTON, May 16.-To-day's
session of the American Protective AS
sociation's Supreme Council was the
most interesting of the convention be-
cause the action of the Executive Com
mittee of the Advisory Board in black
listing Major Mckinley as Presiden-
tlal candidate was, to be reviewed
The report of the Advisory Board
upon the action of it's committee was
made to the Council late in the session.
1t was technically an Endorsement OF
the Executive Committee. 1t asserted
iE substance that the Executive Com
mittee was warranted, in view of the
evidence presented, in placing a ban
upon Mckinley.
But, in addition, it states that a fur
ther examination of this testimony by
the full board has convinced the men,
bers that the witnesses were unreliable
and their statements incorrect.
Therefore the board concludes that
Mckinley should be placed upon the
same footing, SO far as the members of
the A. P. A. are concerned, with other
candidates for Presidential nominations
and not be Disseminated against.
Appended to the report was a state
ment in writing by Delegate Huddleson
of California, who asserts that the
committee of which he was Chairman
interviewed Mckinley at Canton, O.,
on the 14th inst, and the interview was
satisfactory.
The other members of the committee
are stated to have been Delegate Van
Fossen Of Washington and G. E. Zypt,
State Chairman of Kentucky.
The Supreme Council tonight unan-
imously adopted the report of the Ad.
visory Board. This report, in full is as
follows:
Your board finds after investigation
that there is no reason why any one of
the following named candidates for the
Republican nomination of President of
the United States N the campaign of
1896 may not be supported by the
members of the order: William b. Alli-
son of Iowa, Thomas B. Reed of Maine,
Matthew S. Quay of Pennsylvania,
Shelby NJ. Cullom of Illinois, Governor
Bradley of Kentucky, Benjamin Harri-
son of Indiana, Levi P. Morton of New
York and William Mckinley of Ohio.
Regarding the matter heretofore ap-
pearing in the public press relative to
Governor Mckinley, we find that it was
sustained by the evidence in the pos
session of the Executive Committee of
this board at the time of publication,
but subsequent statements received by
this board from the special committee
sent by the authority of this board to
interview Mr.. Mckinley show that he
denies and explains the greater part of
the matter contained in said evidence,
and which statements are accepted by
this board. Said committee also re-
ported that in said interview with Gov
ernor Mckinley he fully and un-
equivocaaly indorsed the principles of
this order, and i'm order that no injustice
be done him, we recommend that SO
much of this action as may be deemed
wise be given to the public press for
publication.
No candidates of any other political
party have been Investigated, for the
reason that none have yet come before
the public sufficiently prominent to de-
mand investigation by this order.
I'VE also recommend that provision
be made to ascertain the attitude to-
ward the principles of this order of any
anu d1 CdllQludttS OH dll UdIlOHdI LICK
cts. to the end that the members of this
order may be enabled to act and vote
tntelligently.'
The report is signed by B. F. Huddle-
son, Chairman pro tenn. and Thomas S.
King, Secretary.
A resolution relative to the promotion
of Colonel Coppinger, U. S. A, to be
Brigadier-General,i introduced by Dele
gate Jacob Burke of this city, was also
adopted as follows:
Whereas, The Senate of the United
States has for more than quarter of a
century committed great injustice by
promoting successfully through many
grades of rank in the regular army one
Coppinger, a foreign mercenary, who
has denied allegiance to the United
STATES while living upon its bounty and
enjoying its emolumentS and benefits;
and,
whereas, The promotion of the said
Coppinger was done at the expense of
gallant and meritorious officers of the
army of American birth and allegiance
by jumping the rank of his senior Off
GERS while he still refused to take the
oath of allegiance to its Government.
Resolved, That we hereby protest
against the recent promotion of Colo
rel Coppinger as an injustice to the
brave and efficient officers of the army
who were born upon our soil and edu-
Gated at our National Military Acad-
envy and under the influence of republi-
can institutions as being subversive of
the good of the military service and
the laws under which it is established;
Resolved, That the recent oath of
allegiance to the Government taken
upon himself by said Coppinger is not
proof of his allegiance to it, but death
bed repentance which circumstances
forced upon him as a necessity to the
accomplishment of a purpose and by
the assent of others to whom he owed
superior allegiance;
Resolved, That we hereby pledge
ourselves to secure the passage and OBJ
servance of such laws that the rights
In promotions and the spirit of pure
American patriotism be thereby en-
forced and encouraged.
The committee on the Armenian
uuestion submitted a resolution which
was also adopted, denouncing the pros
tit1,tion of the Armenians, expressing
indignation at the apathy of the Euro
rean Powers, "and especially at the
infamous connivance of the Roman in
stitrtions with the foul savagery Of
che Mohammedan fanatics in the work
of extermination.'
,.atto,, of af35carS u-a G prrsceaded