The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-10-04

Afion tor . new political party and
the various attempts that are being
made to inject religious differences
into politics make it interesting to
look backward some seSenty-fve
years and review the events Of .
similar movement in this country.
A new party fiared mp rocket like
then, and rocket-like It came down.
1t was the KnoW-nothing party. and
the days Of it, brief existence wit
messed the most intense political
connagration the United States has
ever known.
Know-nothingism was the direct
product of the immigration prob
lem. During the 20 years from
1925 to 1S45 more than a million
foreigners came to this country.
That does not seem a startling
number when it IL recalled that we
have since added considerably more
than that number of aliens to our
population in a single year. but it
was sufficient in those days to
arouse an America for Americans
sentiment.
This feeling was particularly
strong in New York, where most of
the foreigners took up their resi-
dence. An organization Of native
Americans for political purposes
was formed and i'm 1874 it succeed
ed in electing James Harper mayor
of New York city on a native
American ticket.
Then came the great influx of
Irish as a result of the famine in
Ireland and in the five years from
1845 to 1850 the immigration equal
ed that Of the preceding 20 years.
Most of the Irish immigrants were
Roman Catholics. Native Ameri-
canism famed up hotter than ever
and the fires were famed by relig-
ious prejudices. In Philadelphia
two Catholic churches were de-
stroyed in riots between natives and
Irish, and in Boston a convent was
burned.
+ immigration continued to in
crease, almost doubling during the
5-year period from 1850 to 1855,
but long before that the Know
nothing party broke into national
politics, although it was not then
known by that name. In 1S45 six
native Americans were elected to
congress on that issue, four from
New York state and two from
Pennsylvania. Seven years later
the Know-nothing organization, as
such, made its appearance.
Origin of Name.
II was at first rather more of a
secret order than a political party.
as its members took a solemn oath
not to divulge its purpose or even
its name. To ali questions on
these points they always made the
same answer-"I don't know.
Their rallying cry was Americans
must rule America" Relentless
hostility to the Catholic church and
what was characterized as the
church's encroaching power in poll
tics and a demand that 81 years
residence be required before aliens
could acquire citizenship through
naturalization were disclosed as
the main purposes of the new
movement as it gathered Roadway.
In 1854 the Know-nothings car
!! ried the state elections in Della
ware and Massachusetts, and polled
a heavy vote in New York. The
following year the principles Of the
new party were embodied in the
following propositions in New
| York: I'D The Americans shall
rule America; (2) The perpetuation
of the union of these states; go
No north, no south, no east, nc
west; "a The United States OF
Americans they are-one and in
separable; (5) No sectarian inter
ference in our legislation or in the
administration Of American law;
90 Hostility to the assumption OF
the pope. through the bishops, e'
cetera, in a republic sanctified b,
protestant blood: ca Thorough re
form in the naturalization laws
49, Free and liberal educational in
stitutions for all sects and classes
with the bible. Gods holy word, al
a universal text book"
That year there was also formed
an opposition society which wa
known as the knowsomethings
but it did not attain the proportion
OF distinct political party.
Governors and legislatures wer
elected by the know-nothings il
New York and four New Englan'
states in 1855. and in the west an
south they we're successful or wer