Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-08-14
CATHOLICS AND THE KNIGHTS.
Full Text Of Cardinal Taschereau's Let.
ter 10 Bishops Of Canada Announcing
the Decision Of the Holy See.


Full Text Of Cardinal Taschereau's Let.
ter to Bishops Of Canada Announcing
the Decision OF the Holy See.
The following is a translation of Cardinal Tas-
chereaus letter to the Canadian bishops on the
subject of the Knights of Labor:
Your Lordship: On the 18th of May last
represented to his emirence to the cardinal pre-
fect OF the sacred congregation of the propa-
ganda the Emergencies of opinion expressed by
the newspapers of Canada and the United States
on the subject of the society of the Knights OF
Labor, condemned in September, 1884. AS 1t
was pretended the effect of this sentence stood
suspended by an appeal affirmed to have been
carried before the holy see, after notifications
nao Deen made in the constitution of this so
c1ety, begged his eminence to make known
Win certainty the position of the church in re-
gard TO It, A letter from his eminence, Cardi-
nal Slmeonf, dated the 10Th of July, informs me
that on the 9th of June last the sacred office,
after q discrimination Of the question, main
tained its Judgment of 1854 absolutely i'm the
same terms, which are reproduced in his letter,
as follows:
".Considering the principles. organization
and rules of the society of the Knights of Labor
as they are set FORTH this society must be classed
cOrding TO the instructions of this supreme con-
gregatlon on the 10th OF May, 1884. that the
bishops be enjoined to proceed as we'll against
thlS society as against others of the same kind,
and TO employ the remedies ordered or advised
In said Instructions
"Your lordship will recall that in my consul
tatlon OF the 9th OF October, 1883, l made no
representation of my own upon the principles
OF the organization and the rules of the society,
put purely and simply transmitted to the
holy see an authentic printed copy Ot It's ccn-
stlIutlon, with a prayer TO examine IL all the
more carefully, because this society seemed to
embrace all branches of work and workers,
which, moreover, its name clearly indicated.
Ihe printed appeal to the holy has been
long invoked to create the belief that, pending
the nnal decision, persons could continue to
enroll themselves or to remain in the society,
provided always that they were sincerely dis
posed to obey the final sentence upon the APP
peal. Ii that appeal had been really made, il is
Impossible that the sacred office should not
have been apprised of it, because this matter
belongs TO its exclusive resort. Consequently,
the decision of the 27th OF June, communicated
10 me by his eminence, Cardinal SimeOni is in
reply to it. The original sentence has been
confirmed In its form and tenor. Whereas in
this last decsion as in the first, the holy office
recommends the bishops to proceed against the
society in the manner prescribed In its in.
structions OF the 10th OF May, 1884, cannot
70 the rule to be followed by Catholics of the
whole world over whom the jurisdiction OF that
sacred congregation extends.
Having discharged my duty in conveying to
your lordship this decision Of the holy see,
peg you 10 accept assurances oil my devotion.
(SlSned) +. A. CAR. TASCHEREAU,
Archbishop of Quebec"
Does This Apply to the United States9
Cardinal Gibbons was seen at Cape May last
night by correspondent of the Baltimore Sun.
He had received no letter from Rome in refer
ence to the Knights of Labor.
The Baltimore american of to-day says: Cardi-
nal Gibbons is now at Cape May. Father Lee
was shown the above dispatch last evening and
sald that he did not think it was intended as a
ban upon the Knights of Labor rs the order ex-
list here. Cardinal Gibbons mas on several
occasions stated that the Knights Of Labor, ,as he
understood the order, after a careful study of
us aims. was not anLagonStic to the church.
lie looked upon 1t as all organization intended
TO elevate the condition OF the laboring man.
and to advance his interests by arbitration and
other peaceful methods. He said that as long
have the encouragement OF the Catholic church
and his best wishes for its success. On several
different occasions he has spoken In this strain
notably at the laying OF the corner stone OF a
church In South Baltimore lew months ago.
the conditions under which the Canadian APP
peal were made to Rome was peculiar. There
The order had rebeiled against denunciation
aGal4t1&@&0atG3e hitter from Rome, the vati.
can endorses the position taken by the cardi.
nal, but 1t is on purely q local issue, and in no
way applies to the order OF the KING hts OF abor
in the United States. The position taken by
Cardinal Gibbons has also been taken by a
all parts of the country. Grand Master Work.
man Powderly OF the knights of Labor is q
Catholic.
Archbishop Heiss, OF Wisconsin, in an inter.
view with regard TO the edict of the pope against
the knights OF Labor, announced by Cardinal
Iaschereau at Quebec, says he has not heard
anything in regard to ii. In case a similar edict
be made public by Cardinal Gibbons at Balti-
more,