The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-08-06
CATHOLIC ABSTAlNERS.

WASHINGTON. August 5.-Tbe twenty
) first convention of the Catholic Total Alb
stinence Union of America was formally
opened at $50 O'Clock this morning at the
Academy of Music. Right Rev. Bishop
Cotter, of Winona, Mimi, president OF the
union, called the convention to order and
opened the proceedings with prayer.
After attending mass at ST. Patrlck's
church the convention reassembled In the
Academy Of Music After prayer by Blsh-
OF Keane, Bishop Cotter introduced Oar
dinal Gibbons, who welcomed the dele
gates to the archdiocese of Baltimore.
After disclaiming any intention TO make
speech and saying that his mission was to
extend a welcome he said:
Your effort and your mission Is to de-
clare that intemperaDce, like treason,
should be made odious in the land lap
plausel, and there is a very close similar
ity between the two. y reasonable man
endeavors to dethrone his rghtful SOW
ereign and to place in his stead some
usuTping man. and intemperauce de
thrones reason from her throne. for reason
is the presiding spirit of our soul and is
the ruler of our soul Intemperance comes
TO destroy that peace and harmony in the
kingdom of God within us, and to create
and leave behind 1t nothing but anarchy
and confusion. ~
At the conclusion OF the cardinals ad-
district government, welcomed the con-
vention TO Washington.
Bishop Cotter, president, read his re-
port on the state of the union, which
showed that during the year gratifying
progress had been made ia the temperance
cause.
After recess the report Of the committee
on credentials was read, which showed
that there were present l7S delegates. The
total membership of the union Is over 3D.
600, exclusive OF a large number OF de-
Jdched societies.
Rev. Father Egan. of New York, spoke
of the situation in New York City and the
opposition that the priests had encoun-
tered in the New York excise board, and
said that the principal opposition came
from the one Catholic member OF the
board.
Father Cleary then read communion
tion from the Woman's Christian Tenn
perance Union, appointing delegates to
the convention, which was received with
prolonged applause, and the delegates
Miss Frances Willard and Mrs. ). ID.
LaFetra-were invited to seats in the con-
vention as its fraternal guests.
In response TO repeated calls, Miss VIII
lard stepped 10 the platform and made
short address. during which she was tre-
qUently interrupted by enthusiastic ap-
plause. Miss Willard invited the con-
NenJlOn 10 Sena TO the W oman ) Christian
Temperance Union convention In Boston,
In November a delegation of fTaternal
delegates; while she would be very glad
that they should send priest, she want
ed the priest to be accompanied as a dele
gate TO that convention by a woman.
The reading of the secretary report in
cluded a short but vigorous speech from
DelegateCampbell,o of Philadelphia. He pro-
tested against the further employment of
national organizers. Year after year he
had attended these national conventions,
and had heard the reports of the represen-
tatiyes of subordinate societies. 1t was
always the same old story: we are doing
only moderately well, but we expect to do
great things during the coming year
And what had the coming year,
shown2 1t has shown that there was an
actual loss in membership all along the
line. This had been repeated year after
year. Many of the larger cities, including
New York and Chicago, did not have a
single vote In the national convention. He
had become thoroughly convinced of the
useleSSneSs of the national organizers
method. and asked the convention to go
into a committee Of the whole to discuss
this and other matters of vital interest to
the welfare OF the union. This was done
The discussion was then proceeded with
for two hours or more, and some feeling
was developed during the discussion.
Finally, at 8 o'clock the whole matter was
referred to a committee of five consisting
of Fathers Egan, of New York: Clark of
Columbus; Judge, of Pennsylvania: Man
ming, of Ohio. and MahOnev of Boston.
The convention then adjourned until to-
morrow.