Democratic Sentinel, Volume 18, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 March 1894 — MANIFESTATIONS OF THE A. P. A. [ARTICLE]

MANIFESTATIONS OF THE A. P. A.

The Indianapolis News says: “The past week has been fruitful in anti-Oatholio demonstrations at the West and Northwest. Within a few days there have been some curious manifestations of the A. P. A. spirit. At Neenah. Wis., Tuesday night, a lecturer of the order addressed an audience on “The Pope in American Politics. ” He averred that it was the whole aim of the Catholic church to se.. cure political control of this country. He expected that in a few more years the Roman Catholics would overthrow the Government. At Cleveland, 0., the Catholics made a retaliatory movement. The roster of a local A. P. A. lodge fell into the hands of Catholics and some lively boycotting may folio v. A milkman, whose name was on the roll of members of this lodge, was at once notified by 140 Catholic easterners that they wo'd discontinue their patror age unless he withdrew from tne order. At Rockford, 111., it was asserted that the sheriff had denied a priest access to & condemned murderer who was a Roman Catholic, but this story was quickly pronounced false

At Milwaukee an interesting in* cident occurred at a Republican caucus held Thursday night.There were about three hundred voters present, and most of these we re employes of the rolling-mills operated by the Illinois Steel Company. he presiding officer was a member of the American Protect* ive Association. Resolutions were offered denouncing the A. P. A. movement at length, and pledging those present to purge the Republican party of “this vdest outgrowth of ignorance, intolerance and bigotrv.” The resolutions were laid on the table. The., about one huud.ed men left the hall and h Id an independent caucus in another place, the rejected resolutions being adopted there with great enthusiasm. From Morris, 111., comes the story that the proprietor of an opera-house was so oersecuted by members of the A. F. A that he became demented, was stricken with apoplexy and died. Ho had formerly belonged to the order.— The Republican caucuses at To ledo, 0., held Thursday night, were captured by the A. P. A. in five of nine wards. These inci dents we gather from the daily Sress reports. So far away as lassAchusitts a proposition was made in the Legislature a few days ago that a law should be passed preventing the street .ailway com panics of the Sta e fr m empb/ ing persons oyer the age of twenty one who have not been for the pre vi >us twelve months bona fide residents of Massachusetts. Thia is more direct knownothingism than is behind the A. P. A., but both are of a piece If within a few days there can be so many and so varied manifes tations of the spirit cf this organ ization, i seems likely that the movement will soon reach its lim it The politicians are viewing it with alarm. At Minneapolis the other day Ignatius Donnelly de livered an address in which he de nounced the A, P. A. because, he charged, it was established to d vide up the Populace. If the Populace were to wield an influ ence, the membership mu t not be considered from a religious point of view. As has been pointed out by Dr. Gladden, the anti Catholic movement has for its impetus sic titious terrors. There is a’’ unr?as onable, unwholesome and unnatu ral fear behind it. The propaga tion of its principles is canied on by deceit. The record given above indicates how great its ca pacify for mischief.”