Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-05-28
GERMAN CATHOLICS
BISHOP KATZER BITTERLY ATTACKS THE
BENNETT LAW.
A Large Gathering of the Societies in Milwaukee
The Bishop Says That the Attempt 70
Interfere With Personal or Parental
Rights IS Dangerous

MILWAUKEE, May 27.-The Convel-
tion of German Catholic Societies was
tardy in asse milling this mOrhing, ow
| ing to the fact that most of the dele
gates were being entertained at st.
Marys Church with Il sermon from Rev.
Father Euehlcr, of ST. Francis Sem
mary.
High mass was celebrated at the same
church at an early hour by Bishop
Flasch. Father Buehler said the Cath
Ollie faith IN this country must be
taught by church schools, and 10 inter-
ference with the schools should be al
! lowed.
The convention did not come to order
until about IL o'clock, when speeches
were made by Wm. Casper, of Milwau-
kee; II. j. Spannhorst, of st. Louis;
Rev. Father Fedmann, of Chicago, and
Others. Mr.. SpannhorSt said that the
Bennett law presented
A POLITICAL QUESTION
that Catholics could not ignore, because
it directly affected the welfare of their
institutions.
While Rev. Feldmann was speaking
committee escorted Bishops Flasch
and KatZer and Administrator /eininger
to the stage. The audience arose as the
Bishops came in, and remained stand
| ing till the digntareS were seated.
After nearly all members of the com
mittee on the stage had saluted each OF
the Bishops by bending their knee and
kissing the extended hand, Chairman
F.f. .n1l.I RielAt, E'faash a
make an address.
Bishop Flasch referred to the Bennett
law in his address, and upheld the right
OF the Church to go into politics when
its interests were attacked. He was
followed by Bishop Katzer, of Green
Bay, who took off his coat as il TO en-
phaSize his carneStneSS, and proceeded
to attack the Bennett law in the bitter
est manner He said the law practically
denied the
RIGHT OF THE CHILD
to obey its parents by putting its claims
before those Of the parents.
"The friends of the law" said he,
tell us the child has rights which the
State must see are accorded it; but the
parents have more interest in it than
the State, The Governor and his little
German boys will be well taken care of
if the parents of the State will let him
alone"
As the Bishop proceeded he warmed
TO his subject and fairly brought his
hearers to their feet by the intensity of
his manner. He became angry pathetic
and sarcastic by turns. The manner
of teaching English, they tell MS, is what
we are fighting" he exclaimed, but
this is not SO. English is now taught in
our schools. But if the State has right
to tell us We must teach English, it
shall
SOON BE TELLING
us what We shall eat and what shall go
on the table for the family dinner. They
are all Of class, these laws, whether in
Wisconsin, Illinois or Massachusetts.
They attempt to interfere with personal
and parental rights, and. carried out TO
their logical conclusion, would be very
dangerous to the church and society.
This Bennett law, the Bishop con-
tinucd. was conceived in the minds of
the free thinkers and those opposed to
Ailf \ AdAlOllA NllhiAll anu ll'l NNAVblHs
He was told recently, he said, by a
Mason, that the Bennett law was first
suggested by the MaSOnS. The man
said "Hc could prove, if did not put so
high value on my head, that the Ben
nett law was first agitatcd in the Graud
Lodge of MasonS of the State of Wis
cousin" The applause which followed
this statement was deafenng and the
Bishop had to stand fully half a minute
before he could continue.
In closing he urged his hearers to
OPPOSE ALL MEASURES
like the Bennett law to the best OF their
ability, and to stand firmly by the
Church.
Rev Zeinnger the Administrator of
the Milwaukee Diocese, spoke briefly.
and the convention adjourned until 2:30.
The work OF the convention and speeches
were all conducted in the Gcrman-ian-
guage.
The Committee on Resolutions made
its report and after brief preamble de-
nouncing the Bennett law, claiming for
parents the right to select such schools
for the education Of their children
which they are convinced will best pro-
mote their welfare, a number of reSolu-
tions were adopted, among those are the
following:
As we make no claim on the support
Of the State for our charity and private
schools, we deny the State right to cX-
crciSe any control over our schools; we
only then grant it the right OF inter
ference with the managcmentOf private
schools if they collide with public order
or the laws of moral,
Because the So-callcd Bennett law
violates the above mentioned principles
and unnecessarily and unjuStly curtailS
our religious liberty, We hei cby declare
ourSelv, for the unconditional repeal of
the law.
We, therefore, also declare that, with
ont regard to former party connections,
we will only vote for such candidates
who pledge themselves to work for the
rpneal of the law