The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1886-08-13
THE c. 7. A. U. OF AMERICA.
From The South Bend 1faaes.)

THE C. 7. A. u. OF AMERICA.
From the South Bend Times.
MORNING SESSION.
The convention of the G. 7. A. u. Q
America assembled at Notre Dame i
Music Hall on Wednesday forenoon
August 4.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The G. I. A. U. and others interested
IN the cause assembled in goodly mum
bers at Music Hall, at 2 p. NJ, and, afte
| the opening prayer, the worthy Presi
dent, Rev. Father James NJ Cleary, o
Kenosha, Wis, made his annual report
which contained valuable statistics
words of cheer, and good suggestions al
to the future progress of the work. HI
reported as follows:
GENTLEMEN As required by our con
stitution, ! herewith briefly present my
report of the present condition and re.
qulrements of our Union. Tt is encour.
aging to know that the condition of oul
organization, in all its history, was never
more healthy or hopeful than it is to-day.
At our New Haven convention we had
63S societies, with a membership of A.
968; our secretary viii report at this
convention 651 societies and member
snip of 1895, a gain of thirteen socie-
ties and 1866 members. Our financial
condition is also very gratifying. We ARE
no longer in debt. Our painstaking sec
rotary has received his salary in full and
a surplus remains in the treasury. The
dlscouraging experience of the past few
years is no longer repeated of our Union
being reported III debt at each conven-
ton. Our constitution is generally 10y
ally obeyed. Our members, as a rule,
are active, earnest and Jealous. Our eff
ticient secretary's untiring energy has
borne fruit, for to him we largely owe
these happy results. Since our last con-
vention the DEGREES of the third Plenary
Council of Baltimore have been publish
ed, and all friends of our work have re-
ceived with exultant joy the approval so
generously given to our cause. The
fathers Of the third Plenary Council have
placed our Union on firm foundation.
Rome has sanctioned their approval,
and it can no longer be a question for
dispute among Catholics whether liquor
selling is becoming way of making
living.
The emphatic endorsement by the
Council of Baltimore has given the G. T.
A. U. of America character before the
public that efectually determines its
beneficent influence, insures for it re-
spect and reverence, and inspires it,
friends with buoyaut hope of its perma-
nent stability. Every wholesome in
fiuence in society combines to strength
EN- our position, and help us to accom-
plish our aim. Religion condemns the
evils intemperance produces, and warns
men against their deplorable conse-
qaences. She invokes Gods blessing on
our Union, sanctions our methods and
appeals to her ministers to render it
guiding and helping hand. The testi-
mony Of medical science is against al
cohol as a beverage, teaches that con-
slant use of intoxicants is Away an
abuse, that children often inherit tne
appetites of Incorporate pa
rents, that those who use Intoxicating
liquor freely more readily fall victims
to disease than the abstainer, and that
very many of poor humanity's infrmi-
ties are caused and increased by intem-
perate habits. Right reason clearly I'm.
derstands the folly of drink, and plainly
perceives the sophistry INDUCED in by
those who pretend that intoxicating liq-
uor in any form or in any quantity what
soever is necessary for the healthy in
dividual. The lessons of experience
demonstrate the truths that religion,
reason and science inculcate, and show
indisputably that excessive indulgence
in intoxicants brings greater misery on
physically and morally, than
any one other evil influence known to
our modern civilization. Experience
further shows, that. on account. of the
many and manifold abuses that surround
the manufacture and sale of spirituous
liquors, the man who entirely abstains
is the only man who is perfectly safe
from their deleterious influences, and
that it requires greater courage and
strength ofwill to be a moderate drinker,
never INDUCING to excess, than to be q
total abstainer, entirely free from the
danger of ever being enslayed in alcohols
bondage. But something more is need
ed than simply to bring conviction to
mems minds we must also persuade
mems hearts. 1t is not sufficient that
men should know they must also be
led to wise and prudent action. And it
seems to me that we should not longer
delay practical work in this direction.
The eminent success attending Father
Cotter's jealous labors during the past
year, the enthusiasm everywhere
awakened by his presence, solves the
question, in my mind, of what the ma
ture ofthis practical work should be. /
must not be understood as insinuating
that praiseworthy and practical work
has not been done heretofore. Our
Union has been eminently practical in
its purposes and work at all times. It's
practical and successful work has won
for it the vigorous life that animates it
to-day. We are novices no longer in the
work of organization. Our Union is
formed, fixed and permanent. Its
branches are widely extended over this
vast country. Admirable harmony and
a Christian spirit pervade the entire or
ganization. Certainly, the time is pro-
pitious for earnest and effective work
that will influence mems hearts and
arouse their consciences to follow out
the convictions which religion, right
reason and experience have brought
home to their minds. We should adopt
some method of providing means to
keep lecturers constantly in the field, to
arouse our people to a sense of the dan
ger that confronts them through the de-
basing influence of the political dema-
gogue, aided and abetted by his crafty
and often constituencies servant, the sa-
,loon-keeper. We should not rest salts
fed until we have succeeded in guiding
the people to the courage of their con-
victions, and in freeing them from the
'dishonorable servitude to which the sa-
loon politician would heartlessly consign
them. We 1--we in time of pulling dis
cussion and bewildering excitement
over the rights of the laboring man.
Our sympathies are all directed towards