Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-03-11
Gen. Miles Active in
Society Which ReviveS
Principles Of A. P. A.
Liberty Guardians Oppose
Roman Catholics as Holders
of Any Public Office.

WASHINGTON, March 11.-Lieuten-
Rnt-General Nelson A. Miles, u. 8. A.,
retired, Is one of the leading lights OF
an organization called Guardians OF
Liberty" recently sprung into being,
Associated with him In Its formation
are former Congressman Charles d,
Haines, a wealthy railroad builder and
former Democratic leader of Columbia
county, N. Y. Charles r. Skinner, for
merly State superintendent of public
instruction in New York, and after
ward assistant appraiser for the Port
Of New York, and former Congress-
man Thomas e. Watson, of Georgia,
the Populist candidate for President
when Roosevelt beat Parker.
They assert that the objects and aim
of the Guardians OF Liberty are simply
and solely to preserve, defend and
forever hold sacred the blood-bought
legacy of liberty inherited from our
fathers as the first article In the
declaration of principles of the ordor
has it.
.It is purely a patriotic order" said
General Miles. And SO far ss ! know
1t Is not the purpose Of the order to
take part in any religious controversy
What brought the order into being,
or who first conceived the idea OF
originating 1t, Is wrapped in mystery.
but Thomas E.. Watson a quickly
availed himself of its existence to pro-
mulgate throughout the country his
bitter Remuneration OF the Roman Cath
Ollie Church.
The national court or headquarters
of the Guardians of Liberty has been
established in New York. on the top
floor of the Masonic Temple, at 90
West Twenty fourth street, and local
courts have already been established
In washington, st. Louis. New York.
Kansas City, Tacoma, Cincinnati n
other cities.
Watson asks In his announcement
.eNhat Ia to become of this country,
where Romanists are so aggressive ana
Protestants SO cowardlyY'
When the attention Of General Mice
vas drawn to this statement OF wat
sons he exhibited much surprise ais
only comment for publication on the
Watson article was:
at suppose every member Of the or
der has the right to call the attention
of the other members to anything IN
which he is personally interested"
One of the declarations OF principles
is:
I'VE maintain it to be Inconsistent
with and destructive of free govern
ment to appoint or elect to political or
military office any person who openly
or secretly comedies superior authority
to any foreign political or ecclesias-
teal power whatsoever
When it was pointed out to General
Miles that in six of the eight princt-
pies there is a direct reference to the
religious objects of the Guardians OF
Liberty. and that the eighth principle
is apparently aimed at adherents OF
the Roman Catholic Church VIII seek
public office, he said:
81 admit that there seems to be a
great deal of reference to religious
matters in these principles. AS a mat
ter of fact, / had not read them very
carefully before, and ths5 is the first
time my attention has been called to
the religious aspect of the order. /
suppose the wording Of the principles
could very well stand some alteration
in this respect"
Before seeing General Miles the re-
porter called at the residence OF Car