Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-04
A FEAST In ADVANCE.
The Columbus Club Commentaries
the Discovery of America.
QUITE AN ENJOYABLE OCCASION.
The Aim of the Club Us to Unite Catholics
in Western Pennsylyania.
PATRIOTIC TALK OF MAYOR GOURLgY


Christopher Columbus. The Columbus
Club, of Pittsburg, observed the event by a
reception and banquet at the Monongahela
House last evening.
For fear there were some present who did
not know the exact date of the year, Presi-
dent A. V. D. Watterson explained that
they had given the banquet at this early
stage because the club was the first in the
country named after the Genoese navigator,
and they didn't want other organizations to
forestall them in paying tribute to his
memory.
AT $50 in the evening large number of
ladies and gentlemen had gathered in the
parlors of the old hotel. They spent about
two hours in social enjoyment, when the
feast proper commenced. A num-
ber of Catholic clergymen and promi-
nent men of the same faith from
abroad had been invited, but the majority
of them could not come. Cardinal Glib
bons sent letter of regret, and said his ap-
pointments would not permit him to be on
hand. Archbishop Ryan, of Philadelphia,
Bishops Miller, of Erie, and Watterson, of
Columbus, are at Little Rock attending the
silver jubilee of Bishop Fitzgerald, AID, of
course, could not be there.
The Affair Well Attended.
When the guests sat down in the spacious
dining room, which had been neatly deco
rated with tropical plants, the hall was COM
fortably filled. After short prayer by
Father Murphy, of the Holy Ghost College,
the banquet proper was begun. Toerge's
Orchestra furnished the music.
After the feast A. V. d. Watterson, the
President of the club, was the first speaker.
His subject was 'The Columbus Club" and
he took the opportunity to explain its aims.
He said the club was organized in 1887, and
its object is to unite the representative
Catholics in Western Pennsylvania.
There. are 1SO members in the
organization. Continuing, he said: "Our
doors are open to any respectable Catholic
We desire to bring our leading Catholics
together and correct falsehood and misrep-
resentation about our religion. Patriotism
comes from the heart and we believe that
the better Catholics we are the better citi-
Zens we will be. Because we refuse to send
our children to schools where the princi-
Piles of our religion are not taught, we are
misunderstood and our motives impugned;
yet we paw our share of the taxes for the
public schools. We support 81, 900 parochial
schools. We claim that the best in the
Government comes from the Catholic
Church. We are lovers of liberty. We are
not in the field to antagonize our nom
Catholic brethren. We have never re-
ceived our liberties in this country except
when we fought for them. We want to
enjoy the privileges we have and secure the
others which are denied us. Modern civili-
zation would have been impossible without
the work of the Catholic Church" p"
Mayor Gourley's Patriotic Talk.
Then Mayor Gourley was introduced
amid great applause. The POSTMASTER said
His Honor had won the respect and COM
pliments of both parties by the fearlessness
with which he did his duty and protected
the interests of the people. His subject
was "The Man, the Land" The Mayor
delivered o very patriotic address, and was
frequently applauded. Among other things
he said
'Grest, strong and persistent men rise up
occasionally to guide the world. While the
bitter wars OF York and Lancaster made
England dark and barren, the mystery of
the Atlantic remained unsolyed. To Column
bus was assigned the task of finding a path
across the sea. The matmaKer of Genoa was
to remove the curtain, and expose to view
the mysteries and glory of this Western
land.
"The nineteenth century has lifted up the
condition of woman, and to-day she is doing
more than man to soften the suferings Of
the human race. Isabella, of Spain, must
ever share in the glory that attaches to the
discovery of the New World. Toward the
West populations have struggled. Persia,
Greece, Spain and Great Britain are the
landmarks of the race in its struggle up
ward. When the world needed him, Co.
lumbus appeared to lead the people of
Europe 200 leagues across the seq. And
what productive land he discovered;
home for the homeless!
Only Americas Morning
ga sublime spectacle we present as
nation to-day. Looking eastward we see
the poor of Europe driven as by the AL
mighty to our shores in search of better
homes Yet tits but the morning with us.
see the happy years roll on. Ours is the
continent of the future. Europe must de-
eide whether she will coniound herself with
Asia, or unite with us in pushing
forward the work of liberty and
public has become the admiration of
Europe and the hope of the world. Its in
fuence is penetrating the remotest corner
of the earth. Wherever you find men toll
ing upward to the light, there you will hear
the expression, God bless the United
States In this and the dust on the work
mans brow is badge of honor"
w. j. Onahan, of Chicago, was the third
and last speaker. He was very proud of
the Windy City, and with apologies for his
local pride he made. frequent illusions to
to the town of his adoption. He compli-
mented Mayor Gourley for his eloquence,
and said he was not surprised that all par
ties are pleased with him.
Columbus Not Properly Honored.
He regretted that another rather than
Columbus had linked his name to the United
States. He added that October II, the an
niyersary of the discovery of America, will
be celebrated in this and other lands with
pomp and ceremony. Plans are now being
formed in Europe for this event.
But to Spain and in North and
South America the world must
look for the most substantial demonstration.
1t was not the greed for gold or the desire
for fame that governed Columbus. His
controlling motive was the love of God and
a desire to propagate the Christian faith.
He was Catholic; so was Queen Isabella.
When Columbus landed here his first act
was to plant the cross, thus taking pos
session of the country in the name of Jesus
Christ. This is Christian land.
Mr.. Onahan then referred to the coming
Worlds Fair, which was intended to COM
memorate the discovery of America and do
honor to Columbus. He praised the plans
for the exhibition, and said it would sur
pass any before held.