This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Harvey, McClure, Adams Classification: Lookup Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/ok.2ADE/4144 Message Board Post: "THE PATRIOTS OF AMERICA": Sometime ago when this board had postings regarding the "Patriots", and their amphitheater at Riverton, the names of men from Fremont county involved with that organization were given -- and -- the question was asked to what the organization stood for. The following appeared in the FREMONT COUNTY SUN of January 2, 1896: A new political order, to be known as "The Patriots of America," has been organized by W.H.Harvey, assisted by many welll known men, in the interest of free coinage of silver. Mr.Harvey, in speaking of the new organization says: "The cause of free silver is to be enlarged through the agency of a new political organization." With the parent society in Chicago and thousands of others in every state and territory in the union, it is Mr. Harvey's intention to make free silver a reality and a vital issue in the next national campaign. "The free silver question," Mr.Harvey continues, "is not the only one of the order. Back of this is the spirit of humanity which looks to the accomplishment of better government by eliminating personal selfishness from the acts of private citizens and public officials. The new order assumes the existence of evil influences, which is consciously exerted by wealthy corporations and individuals upon government legislatures and courts. To successfully combat this influence the society will endeavor to arouse in the public breast the latent fire of patriotism and love for humanity. "The order of the Patriots of America, with the national headquarters in the Fort Dearborn building, Chicago, has issued a prospectus in book form, giving the objects of the order and the reasons which have caused the organization of such a movement. Its national officers are a first national patriot, a national recorder and a national treasurer. It also provides for a first state patriot in each state, who consitute a congress of patriots. There is also to be a first patriot for each county. The plans provide for opening lodges throughout the United States and all power is derived from the people voting in their lodges. "It is a non-partisan organization and will put no candidates in the field. Each four years its members by ballot will decide by a majority vote what political chief is demanded and will then proceed to select by a majority vote the candidate of their choice for president and congress in each district from the candidates nominated by the existing political parties. "Its objects and aims are given the widest publicity, but the lodge meetings will exclude all who are not members. The promoters of the order say its policy as to secret session is modeled after the executive sessions of the United States senate and like it they must exclude the public from their private deliberations. In this way, as in the case of the United States senate, the welfare of the public can be best promoted." William H.Harvey, author of "Coin's Financial School," is named as temporary first national patriot; Charles H. McClure of Michigan, national recorder, and James F. Adams of Chicago, national treasurer. The constitution provides that there shall be no salary for the national officers, except the national recorder, and Mr. McClure, who will fill the office until the first regular election, declines to receive a salary. Mr.Harvey says he will in addition to charging no salary put his income behind the order. There is no membership fee in the order except in the way of a voluntary offering. The monthly dues are classified at 10 cents to $1.00 per month. There is a coordinte branch of the order known as the "Daughters of the Republic," a charitable organization to look after the poor in the "Patriots of America." The first national patriot, first state patriot and first county patriot take an oath renouncing political office by election or appointment. They also renounce for life the ownership of property in excess of $100,000. These officers, one in the nation, one in each state and one in the county, are the censors of the order and are given power not conferred on others. The reununciation of office and wealth does not apply to others in the order. The plan of organization is directed against individual selfishness being carried into the laws of the government and treats political questions as questions of civilization and proposes to settle these questions in rotation as they are likely to arise. Mr. Harvey in an interview today said: "There is no money behind the order to put organizers into the field. Its success must come from the people. It must be spontaneous. It is based on the theory that the leaders do not reflect the opinions of the people generally and this organization is to give expression to the will of the people and carry that will into the laws of the government. The success of the order depends upon the people having an appreciative comprehension of the evils afflicting the country and a necessity for the judgment of the plain people being felt in its affairs. Wherever selfish interests have furnished money to run political campaigns value received has been demanded in exchange. We are going to have a compaign based on the voluntary and patriotic action of the people free from the interference of all selfish interests. On the one hand are the foreign money dealers and their allies in this country, with greed and vanity as their incentive to action. On the other hand, we are organizing the! people with a love of country and a love of humanity as the motives that inspire them. Foreign influences, financial and otherwise, are Europeanizing this country. We propose to free the country from European dictation." In reply to whether the silver bullion owners were assisting in this movement, Mr.Harvey said: "Not one dollar. Neither are they in our councils. The people don't seem to understand that the silver miners are all bankrupted, except the bankers in the silver states who own the only paying mines and the smelters; and they are at heart against us and sympathize with Wall Street. Money is not a local question, but concerns all the people. It is as much of a necessity as bread or meat. If it were an argument against the free coinage of silver that it was in the interest of silver miners then it would be a good argument against the free coinage of gold (that now exists), is in the interest of gold miners. Money is made by law for the benefit of commerce and society. The money dealers who deal in money as a crop are trying to limit the supply and thus give it an enhanced value; it means fow prices for all commodities."