Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-07-30
THE TEMPERANCE UNION.
The Origin of the Work-A Historical
Sketch Meeting of the National Con-
vention Next Week.

The Origin of the Work-A HIS orlcai
Sketch Meeting of the National Con-
vention Next Week.
The temperance conventions TO be held in
this city next week are receiving large share
of public attention. Our Catholic citizens
especially are fully alive to The importance OF
the occasion, and doing their utmost to give
the friends of sparkling water hospitsble
welcome. The work Of the Catholic Total
Abstinence societies OF st. Paul is too we'll
known to need explanation, but the GLOBE
takes advantage of the coming convention to
give its readers some idea OF the union, OF
which the st. Paul societies are but factors.
In 1916 Father Theobald Mathew visited the
United States for the purpose Of preaching a
total abstinence crusade among the Irish in
America. His tour through the states re-
suited in the reformation of thousands, many
of whom still live to bless his memory and
to perpetuate the untold good derived from
the new teaching. Father Mathew societies
were organized IN the larger cities with no
other bond of union save the promise TO alb
stain from intoxicating drinks. From
1876 to 1871 the Catholic total absti-
hence movement went on in this way.
1t was found necessary 10 lnfuse new
life into the movement, and to that end a
number of representative men met in Baiti-
more to devise ways and means of effec tually
counteracting the evils of drink. The result of
the Baltimore meeting was the National Cath
Ollie Total Abstinence union of America,
whose twelfth annual convention will be held
in Sherman hall next Wednesday.
The National union is composed of several
state unions of America, which are in turn
made up OF the various Catholic temperance
societies within the state. The state
union of Minnesota, for instance, consists Of
some sixty temperance societies Of Minnesota,
banded together under the same officers and
observing the same constitution and bylaws.
Delegates from all the state unions meet an
nuaIly in q national convention, legislate in
the interests of the Catholic total abstinence
movement, elect officers and transact all other
business brought before them. By specisl
proviso of the constitution, ANY measure SAVIOR
ing of poltics-prohibitOry laws and the like,
is excluded from the convention.
Each state union is entitled 20 three dele
gates in the national convention Moreover,
each Catholic temperance society IS entitled
to one delegate. Minnesota will thus number
about sixty delegates in the convention. The
other states to be represented have also decid-
ed to send full delegations. Philadelphia
alone has already bespOken eighteen rooms at
the Metropolitan. From New York,
aud California ard Florida and all
the states they are coming 10 do
honor to st. Paul. The delegates to this
convention represent nearly $4,000 Catholic
total abstainers. In the cities in which these
conventions have been held, New York, Cleve-
land, Philadelphia, Chicago, Buffalo, Indian
apolis and 6oston, no effort has been spared
on the part of the citizens to make the dele
gates feel at home. In Boston last August
the residences and public buildings were il
Illuminated and decorated with flags. An ex-
cursion down the bay was rendered them by
the city II would be a gyacioUs act on the
part of st. Paul 10 put on It's
holiday attire for the coming occasion and
show our guests that not even The "Hub' can
Guido us in hospitality.
The temperance societies Of st. Paul have
determined to make use OF the convention to
arouse the peoples enthusiasm on the subject.
A monster torchlight procession has been
arranged for Wednesday evening, in which the
temperance societies from Minneapolis, Still
water, and other adjoining places Will pArtici-
pat.
The procession viii wind up at Market
hall, where Gov Hubbard on the part of the
state, and Mayor Race In the name of the city
will welcome the guests. Music and speeches
will conclude Wednesdays programme,
Thursday evening reception viii be rendered
to the delegates at the Metropolitan by the
temperance men of Minnesota.