Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-09-25
By FREDERIC J. HAsKIN

Washington. Sept. 21.-Agitation
for a new political party and the va
rious attempts that are being made to
inject religious differences into poll
tics make it interesting to look back
ward some 70 years and review the
events of a similar movement IN this
country A new party fiared up
rocket-like then, and rocket-hke II
came down. 1t was the Know-Noth-
ing party, and the days OF its brief
existence witnessed the most intense
political ~conflagration the United
States has ever known.
Know-Nothingism was the direct
product of the immigration problem
During the 20 years from 1873 to lo4o
more than a million foreigners came to
this country. That does not seem a
startling number when it is recalled
that we have since added considerably
more than that number of aliens 10
our population in a single year, but 1t
was sufficient in those days to arouse
an America for Americans senu-
ment.
This feeling was particularly strong
in New York, where most OF the for
eigners took up their residence. An
organization of native Americans for
| political purposes was formed n ID
| 1914 it succeeded in electlng James
| Harper mayor of New York City on q
native American ticket. 1855,
Then came the great influx of Irish
as a result of the famine In ireland
and in the five years from lo45 tc
| 1850 the immigration equalled that OF
the preceding 20 years. Most of the
Irish immigrants were Roman Cath
olics. Native Americanism famed Ut
hotter than ever, and the fires were
famed by religious prdjudices. In
Philadelphia two Catholic churches
were destroyed in riots between ma
tives and Irish, and in Boston a con-
vent was burned.
immigration continued to increase,
almost doubling during the flve-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 1915 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 Sc
cret order than a political party, as
its members took a solemn oath mol
to divulge its purposes or even It's
name To all questions on these points
they always made the same answer
II don't know" Their rallying cry
was Americans must rule America:
Relentless hostility to the Cannon
church and what was characterized a.
the church's ~encroaching power IN poll!
tics and a demand that 81 years resi-.
1-.s H. .on,HunI hafnra alipnQ pOllit
acquire citizenship through naturaliza
ton were disclosed as the main pur
poses of the new movement as it gath
cred Roadway.
. In 1854 the know-nothings carried
the state elections in Delaware ant
Massachusetts and polled a heavy vot'
in New York. The following year tn
principles of the new party were EN-
bodied in the following proposition
|, in New York: "1) The American
shall rule America; 90 The perpetual
ton of the union of these states
(3)No North. no South, no East, ~
r West: a. The United States of Amer
ica-as they are-one and lnseparapie
90 No sectarian interference IN gu
: LEGISLATION or in the administration 0
American law: 80 Hostility TO the as
: sumption of the pope. through the bisn
OBS. ct cetera, in a republic sanctltlet
= by Protestant blood; % Thorough re
!. form in the naturalization laws; %
] Free and liberal educational institu
tons for all sects and classes, with tn
Bible, Gods holy word, as a universe
textbook"
That year there was also formed a
opposition society, which was know
: as the Know-somethings, but 1t dl
not attain the proportions of a dis
: tinct political party.
Governors and legislatures wer
| elected by the Know-nothings in Ne'
: York and four New England states
-. 1SJ5. and in the west and south the
u were successful or were defeated onl
c bv the narrowest of margins in min
states. In 1856 eight of the then 3
states had native American governor
e but in the presidential election of tina
wear the new party did not do S
well. polling only about one-fifth {
y the popular vote and carrying only
single state, Maryland, which gave
but eight electoral votes.
In the Thirty-fourth congress, 165'
the know-nothing party had fly
United States senator's and 43 men
hers of the house who were out-ant
a out know-nothings. Ia addition thel
v were 40 members of the house VII