The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-04-24

nounced Stand and He Does So IN w oroi
that Cannot be Mistaken-Thinks There
are Good Men in the A. p A. But TheJ
are Controlled and Manipulated by Mer
Who are Not Good and Who Sell Out
the Order Whenever There is a Bidder
for Them.
Topeka. Kan, April 23.-While the
politicians have been singulsrly and
discreetly silent in their public utter
ances in regard to the new element in
Kansas politics, the A. p. A, they have
! talked much about it in private.
But the Kansas newspapers have
avoided the subject up until now. The
veteran editor, Sol Miller Of Troy, has
broken the ice. He is against the A.
2. A
There are those here who read his
long attack on the order today in the
Troy Chief, who say that it reflects in
a way the sentiments Of Cy Leland. LIE
land and Sol Miller are townsmen and
close friends. 1t is claimed that Sol
Miller is more than any other man re-
spons2ble for Leland's advocacy of Nc
kinley.
ttcle by Sol Miller was written without
consultation of any kind, even chance
conversation, with Cy Leland.
Sol Miller's article is as follows and
1t will probably lead 10 general ex-
preston on the A. P. A. by the Kansas
papers Hitherto they have kept quiet:
The country has not yet recovered
from the evil effects Of that secret po-
litical organiZati ton, the Farmers ALI
ance, which was got up ostensibly to
unite the farmers for the protection of
their own interests, but which first
bound them by an oath, and on the
strength of that, gradually led them
under the control and subject to the
will Of as unconscionable set Of DEM
Rgogues as ever cursed the country,
and finally organized them into a po-
Htical party that for a time had some
strength, the aims Of which were de-
structicn to the social, business, and
political interests of the country. 1t
is always the case with secret political
societies, that they go into the con-
troll Of the worst and most unsafe ele-
ments. Men who could not gain re-
Spectacle recognition in an open con-
test before the people, become the
most ADEPT in the signs, grips, and
mysteries of a secret order. II they
ere tOnguey, cheeky, and plausible,
they soon rise TO high authority IN the
order and make good use of their ad-
Nantages. II is they who formulate the
official orders, direct the polical action,
and lead the poor, gullfble masses of the
members by the nose. Their lead is al
ways nischievous and hurtful; and the
worst of it is, that presuming upon their
Influence in the organization, they sell
out the support of the members for a
good sum of cash to some political party
or faction, pocketing the money, and
making their followers believe they are
battling for great principle. And thus
a few Din-heads, without the first prin-
cipIes OF honor in their composition,
seek to control the destinies of a great
nation
another Of these secret political so
cieties has sprung UP, while the I'M
sayory memories of the Alliance are
still fresh In the public mind. 1t is
called the a. p. A, for short the let
ters standing for American Protec-
leading principle is patriotism; but We
venture 10 say that two-thirds of the
rabbIe that compose it have not the
most distant conception Of the meaning
of patriotism. 1t fourishes chiefly in
the large cities, where the rabble is
gregarious. Its characteristics are big
otry, intolerance, and prescription be
cause of religious belief. We have read
its published declaration of principles,
and must say that they are generally
good, and should be carried out. We al
so have no doubt that many good and
well-meaning men belong TO the society.
But the whole force and energy of the
association is directed against men pro- |
i
tiers not how good citizens these Catho- |
lies have always been Thousands OF |
them are American born, descended |
from American ancestors who fought 10
secure the independence of the United |
States Thousands of others fought TO /
nut down the rebellion and preserve the |
Union Yet this secret organization, |
thOuSa nds of the members OF which |
were born since the close of the rebel |
lion say that none OF these men must |
be elected to office-why? Because, |
they assert, they hold allegiance to a !
foreign potentate. This foreign poten- :
tate IS simply the head Of a church, and |
has no more temporal power in the |
country where he lives than Debs has |
in America. How many followers of Debs |
are there in this A P. A. who tremble |
at the designs of the pope upon Amer |
for constable, lest he Smuggle the pope |
into America, and set him upon a throne |
in the shadow of the national capitol |
They will not vote for a Catholic for |
coroner, lest he seize the public school |
money, and use Ii 10 support Catholic |
schools We have before US a paper !
called the American Eagle. published |
at Wyandotte, which appears TO be the |
organ OF the A P. A. in the state. 1t |
carries this legend at its head: We do /
not oppose Romanism as a Religion. /
We oppose Romish corruption as an ele-
ment Of political power. Are there no |
honest men who are Catholics2 This !
A. 2. A. opposes all men for office who |
are Catholics. Why do they oppose
them. except on account of their relig- |
Ion? Recently, in city convention al /
Kansas City. there were over a dozen /
delegates with such jaw-breaking |
names that even German could not |
pronounce them without dislocating his |
Jaw. They were no doubt but lately /
from Europe. and were no doubt OF the
class that do not believe in a God. Had |
the very same men been believers in /
Christ, ana members of the Catholic |
church. this same A P A would have
howled like coyotes against the inter-
ference Of foreigners in our politics.
Of members Of the A P. A
body proclaim themselves 10 be fol-
lowers Of a King that only does not live
IN America. but does not dwell upon the
earth; yet they are Mortified that others
yield religious obedience 10 a man that
lives in Rome.
1t was only a few weeks ago, that
this same American Eagle made VI
ctouS attack upon q genuement Who
was a candidate for delegate 20 the ma