The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1886-11-05
The C0nvOcatiOn Of Catholic fro-
latey Favor the Kntghts 0r
Labor Organization.

~
latey Favor the Knights 0r ID
Labor Organization.
BALTIMORE. Nd, Oct. 29.-There wasl
Z con vocation Of Catholic prelates held
Yesterday at the Archiopiscopal resi-
dence on Chartres street. There were
present Cardinal Gibbons, Archbishops
Williams, Of Boston. Corrigan Of New
York. Ryan OF Philadelphia, Fcehan oi!V
Chicago, Salpointe Of Santa Fe. Leroy Of
New Orleans and Kenrick Of St. Louis.
Cardinal Gibbons presi led. The prin-l
lcipsl tonic discussed was the character,s
lof labor organizations aud what the attI-I
Itude OF the church toward these organi-l
zations should be. The deliberations OF
1.-THE BODY were conducted with the ut-Il
most secrecy. After adjournment Oar
ldinal Gibbons would vOuchsafe nothingl
beyond the bare statement that the pre-
lates considered certain matters OF im-l'
portance and their action would be re-l'
ferred TO Rome for approval or dis
approval as his Holiness the Pope may
determine" II
"When the documents are returned
from Rome" added his eminence, "their
contents will be promulR ated."
The following Is only partial report
of the proceedings, but what is stated
here can he relied upon. A. oil Catho.
lie convocatiops are regarded % secret
until the propaganda st Rome has taken
action upon ire result attained the res
sons for keeping the source Of informa-
ton inviolate are obvious. The actionI
Of Cardinal Tsscherrau, Of Canada, con-
DEM ming the knights Of Labor and for
bidding Catholics 10 have anything To-
, do with the order, IL no criterion for the
.. guidance Of tho prelates In the United
Z States. But there has been 20 much dif-
ference Of opinion among the Archbish-
ops Of the United States with regard 10
: the Knights OF Labor. that Cardinal Glib
} bous thought Il advisable to call those
! dignitaries together. The discussion
! : yeste rdsy. both pro and con, was based
! anon that portion Of the pastoral lettep
: Of the last plensry council which reaos
: thus:
!, .There Il one character which is a.
! wsys ! strong presumption against go
: cietv. and that IL secrecy. II any soci'
: ety's obligation is such as to bind 10
: members to secrecy, even when rlgntly
y questioned by competent authority
|. !. then such society puts itself OUTSIDE
tho limits Of approval. and no one car
!, hs \ member Of Il and at the same time
4, be admitted 10 the sacramento OF I'M
4 Catholic Church. When, therefore. -
g sociations veil themselves In secrecy snt
8 darkness. the presumption is agstns
20 them, and Il rests with them to prov
"that there Il nothing evil 10 them. ~
. while the church IL thus careful {
guard her children against whatever
20 contrary 70 Christian duty. she is no les
y careful that no injustice should be don
Ito any association, however unintentiou
~ allv. While. therefore, the church, be
2. - fore prohibiting any society, VIII tax
~ every precaution TO ascertain its true ~
'te ture. we positively forbid any ecclesia'
en- tics Ia pass sentence on any association
lis or 10 impose ecclesiastical penalties
~ disabilities on It's members without n
Oy previous explicit authorization OF %
~ yrighttul authorities"
Copies OF the by-Iaws and constitutio
OF the knights Of Labor were also 9
hand and thoroughly examined and di
cussed. Archhishops Feeban and WI
~ liams. Il IL stated. were strongly oppo
y ~ cd % the order and made spirited q
- dresses against II, taking the gener
~ ground that The church forbade AL seer
80 sorjeties. Cardinal Gibbons aud Arc
~ ~ bishops Kendrick of 81. Louis and Ed
81 ~ cf Cincinuafi spoke in favor Of q
~ knights. They recognized the righ
- - cf workingmen. both by The laws Of Z
81 ,so laud and OF religion, 10 organize and pr
~ tect themselves against oppression A.
~ their enemies. The only thing the o.
w ~ dinal could not reconcile himself to "
~, w the boycott
~. ION Archbishop Kendrick took the eron
W ~. that inss murh as the Knights Of Lar
~ had voluntarily submitted what "
:. ~ termed its "secret work" 10 vario
'''e Catholic clergymen, even 70 It's pa
words and grips. there could be no.
y, ~ Ing in the order that was hurtful to
=. - morality Of is members.
y, 10 ssThe plenary council said the ven
iu'' .,u able preiate, .'calls upon secret societ
nv Nv "a prove that there il nothing evil
uls 's them. The X. OF L. has submitted
ny its workings aud has proven that th
~ =, is nothing evil in II, and that u does
- bind lie members TO secrecy when a.
~ 4. tioned BY competent authority"
~ The result OF the conference IN orie
'ssS ,nsS that the order Of the knights o. IA
lvcu will not be condemned The en- en-
nsss ..sas proceedings Of the conference wall
- ~ sent 10 Rome.