The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-08-24


to allay pre5udices against his order, His
manner also Is open and engaging, and
he talks freely and frankly upon topics
connected with the order.
He studied law in the office of the IA
mons Georgian, Robert Toombs, the man
who was going to call the roll of his
slaves fgom Bunker Hill monument,
but who died in 1886 without having
done 1t. be is now senior member of the
Atlanta law firm of Echols & Case. His
wife is a daug liter Of Joseph H. Echols,
who was a member Of the Confederate
congress.
Col. Eohols is member of the Scotch
Irish society of America, and in it is an
associate of Governor Mckinley, for whom
he has high regard. He also knows
Tom Watson, and while liking him well
enough personally, believes him to be er-
ratio and unsafe rs a leader.
Col Eohols is sound money Demo
GRAFT, but does not think that sound
money has any show in Georgia. The
bankers, business men, railway men in
Guiding employees, and most of the me-
chanios are all right but the great mass
of rural Democrats, Populists and >
NEGROES WANT FREE SILVER.
He says the word ''fFee" attached to
silver has completely captured the Ne
groes, who think it means that all can
have all the silver they want.
Colonel Echols says that his order will
take no part in the national election as
an organization. The members are too
much divided on the money question
In the North and East they are for gold,
in the South and West quite largely for
silver.
He is at present on tour of visitation
among the lodges of his order. He says
that over 400 new councils have been
added stree last May, the growth being
largely in the West and South. s ss: From
here Col. Echols will return to New York.
He is an optimist in his views OF the
future Of his order. He says:
IL believe that in time, on the principle
of the greatest good to the greatest num-
her, we shall gain control OF all our nat
ionei institutions, certainly believe that
when another campaign comes We shall
IN point Of numbers and moral and poll
teal 10goe be so in the majority that we
can control the government. This will
be dons by union with either one or the
Dther of the two great parties, but if We
ban not DO it that 'way We shall do it
tlone.
@ For the present, however, We shall
devote ourselves to securing local and
stare officers.
eve have positive assurance that we
shall
CONTROL THE NEXT CONGRESS S
along the leading lines of our principles,
and shall, we hope, have legislation re-
strioting immigration for eectarian pur-
poses.
"Ne are strong and growing in all Sec
tions and believe the entire South and
West and good portions of the North and
East are with US. The only portions1 of
the country which we can not control at
present are those in which are the great
cities that sre dominated by the political
scot opposed to US.
"When it hos come to pass that pap
al legate. surrounded by powerful lob
by, is present constantly in our legisla-
tive halls ct the seat of the national gov
eminent en gagged not in tending to the
spiritual wants of the people of his
church but to putting members of his
political sect into Office and protestants
out Of office, We think it time to organize.
We are fighting this political power to
ths papal hierarchy and nothing else.
By careful census made a year ago
we found that although this sect has bu
one-tenth of the voting population of the
country, it controls over Go PER cent of ali
municipal officers in the 200 leading
cities of our land. In Washington, D.
c., il has a majority of the government
4l4icers, in some departments -fourths
.Ad IN one over 80 per cent.