Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-09-25
NEW PARTY HAS
FORERUNNER IN
KNOW-NOTHINGS
BY FREDERIC j. HlsKIN.

Washington, Sept. 2i.-Agitation
for new political party and the
various attempts that are being
made to inject religious differences
into politics make it interesting to
look backward some seventy five
years and review the events of a
similar movement in this country.
A new party flared up rocket-like
then. and rocket-like it came down,
It was the accommodating party, and
the days of its brief existence wit
messed the most intense political
conflagration the United states has
ever known.
know-nothingism was the direct
product of the immigration prob
lem. During the twenty years
from 1925 to 1915 more than a
million foreigners came to this
country. That does not seem a
startling number when it is recall
ed that we have since added con-
sjderably 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
residence. An organization of ma
tive Americans for political pur-
poses was formed and in 1874 it
succeeded In electing James Harper
mayor of New York city on a ma
two American ticket.
Then came the great influx of
Irish as a result of the famine in
Ireland and in the five years from
1915 to 1850 the immigration
equalled that of the preceding
twenty years. Most OF the Irish
immigrants were Roman Catholics
Native Americanism famed up
hotter than ever. and the fires
were famed by religious preju.
dices. In Philadelphia two Catho.
lie churches We're destroyed in
riots between natives and irish
and in Boston convent was
burned.
immigration continued to in.
crease, almost doubling during the
tive-year period from 1850 to 1855
but long before that the know.
nothing party broke into nationa
politics, although it was not ther
known by that name. In 1S45 sil
native Americans were elected Il
congress on that issue. four from
New York state and two from
Pennsylvania. Seven years late
the know nothing organization, al
such, made its appearance.
Origin of Name.
1t was at first rather more of ;
secret order than a political party
as its members took a solemn oatl
not TO divulge its purpose or evel
a its name, II all questions on thes
t points they always made the SAM
: answer, II don't, know" Thei
, rallying cry was "Americans mus
r rule America Relentless hostil
ity to tho Catholic church and wha
was characterized as the church
enCroaching power in politics AM
= a demand that twenty-one years
residence be required before alien
could acquire citizenship through
naturalization were disclosed as tn,
main purposes OF the new move
ment as 1t gathered Roadway.
In 1854 the know-nOthings car
ried the state elections in Delawar,
and Massachusetts and polled ;
heavy vote in New York. The fol
, lowing year the principles Of tn,
new party were embodied in thu
following propositions in New
York: "G The Americans shall
rule America; 90 the perpetua
ton Of the union Of these states
go no north, no south, no east, III
9 west; ca the United States o
. Americans they are-one and in