The morning call., 1891-06-25
LIQUOR AND LABOR.
Father Montgomery Lectures on
the Dual Question.
a Catholic View Of the License Law-Its Rela-
tion 70 LabOr-Plea for st Mays Total
Abstinence Society.

Az entertainment aud lecture, under sthe
auspices Of ST. Mays Catholic Total Alb
stinence and Benevolent Association, drew
a large attendance 20 Irving Hall last even
Ing. the Rev Father MOngOmery'S address
on 81 LIQUOR ami the Labor Question being
the drawing card
After few Introductory remarks by the
President of the association. who explained
that the meeting had been called in order to
recruit is ranks, few musical selections
we're discoursed and then the reverend
speaker was presented to the audience.
Father Montgomery thereupon briefly in
troiuced his subject and then left it for
while in order to make plea for the assoei-
alton which had called them together. 1t is
one Of the Oldest temperance organizations,
he claimed, in the city, and offered its mem
bers valuable privileges, including medical
attendance, sick benefits and burial eX-
peuses in return for nominal fees and dues.
SUPERVISORS LETTER.
Returning to his subject he explained that
he united the con sideTatlOn Of TWO questions
In his discourse because they lie at the base
of our social system and are questions that
men ought to study and endeayOT TO solve
Taking up the first part OF his subject he
referred to au open letter, which appeared
lately in the public press. from the pen OF
member Of the Board OF Supervisors, on the
question of high license. 1t was written,
he said, for the purpose Of Influencing pub
lie opinion, and for that reason its contents
should be seriously considered, especially
as The letter shows IN its face that the very
people 10 whom the petition for high license
las been addressed do not understand tile
position OF the signeTS. Ii Intlmates that
the Catholic Church is in favor Of creating
whisky monopoly, and turning out 200
poor but industrious families on the streets
to make way for gilded palaces, but if the
writer had watched the actions Of the
bishops OF Australia, Ireland, England and
the United States within the past few years
he would know that they HAD unanimously,
IN solemn council, IN their respective
countries come to the conclusion that uh-
restricted traffic IN liquor IS one Of those
things which threatens social order. and
the late Council of Baltimore, IN cOnse-
Queuce, instructed the pastors throughout
tie country to appeal to those Of their par
lshl0uers who are engaged IN the business TO
abandon 1t and earn their living in some
other way.
PowDEELY's OPINION.
After disclaimIng any intention TO make
Il appear that the laDOTer was any more ad-
dieted 60 drink than his richer brother. the
speaker, 30 show the connection between
tie two questions quoted POwderly as say
ing that " the one thing which most Op-
presses the lab0Tng man is the unrestricted
sale Of liquor" While the rich man, no
doubt drinks more tnsn the poor one he is
taken home in q coupe ana cared fOT-nO-
body knows 1t. But with the labOreT. as soon
as he 0yer>tpps the bounds he is marched to
the City Hall between couple Of police
men and the world points the finger Of
SCOrn at the dTunkaTd.
Yet. while the wealthy citizen may in
du'ge too freely nobody suffers but himself,
while the reverse is true of the laboTer
whose wife and children are dependent upon
him. and il is criminal on his part to lose
even a day in debauCh on that account
Father Montgomery then discussed the
relations Of capital and labor, which lie
said are so nearly allied that antagOniSm be-
tween them is unnatural When capital
Expresses labor, however, the son of toll
Uaay find relief in combination, but such
combination mast at all times be rightly and
fairly used. La that case he can rely upon
the Catholic Church 10 advocate his cause
but to secure the church'S aiu he must prove
himself worthy of II by leading a temperate
lite. He urged the wOrkmen 10 save the
money now spent In liquor to fight the labor
question. for the fight, though an unnatural
one, was surely coming.
After a brief reference TO the Sunday
law the reverend speaker brought his
lecture to q close with another appeal in be-
half OF the Total Abstinence Association.
Several musical selections followed, and the
meeting was at an end