The Irish standard., 1894-08-11
the Liberal Uniopists, upon whom they
con depend Tor some things ct lest. 81 q
CATHOLIC TEMPERANCE WORK.

ant convention SOf the Catnoilc EOs0l
Abstinence Union Of America ever held
in this country was that which convened
in st. Paul last week. Every section OF
the Union was represented and the dole
gates were lavish in their praises OF the
generous treatment received during their
stay in the sanity city.
It is we'll known that the object OF the
above organization is the destruction OF
the liquor traffic, or rather the destruc-
tion of the drink habit. While we, in
common with the great mass OF people,
do not believe that total abstinence is
essential in general t., temperance, We
nevertheless commend and admire the
work that is being done by the society.
Total abstinence is an extreme but an
extreme UNNECESSARILY preferable to the
other Observation-Disclosures. From our
standpoint the society is most to be COM
mended because it shows that it has no
confidence in the spasmodic outbreaks
that are from time to time being made
against the saloon. The work being
done by thesociety shows also that Cath
'olics are doing effective work in the in
terest of temperance.
1t has been standing charge against
the Catholic Church that it is the ally of
the rum power. No charge could be
more unreasonable and further from the
truth, yet in this country circumstances
have lent coloring of truth to the
charge. The Catholic Church in this
country numbers among it's adherents
thousands of Europeans who have
brought with them to this land their
European customs and habits. They
were brought up to regard the liquor
traffic as perfectly legitimate and in
keeping with good citizenship and moral.
ity. In most parts OF Europe where peo'
pie are conservative in their habits Of
life as we'll as in their habits of thought,
that is undoubtedly true. It is not
wonderful then that We are able to find
SO many Catholics in the liquor business
On this question as on all others the
Church has acted in conservative, dig
nified manner. To unqualifedly con.
denim the business because it has caused
some trouble to weak, unfortunate lndl
viduals without first exhausting all rea-
sonable means of keeping it within
bounds would be rash and Intellectual.
Archbishop Ireland has done more in
the interest of temperance than all the
municipal espionage, temperance
speeches, and temperance parties in the
state. He has urged Catholics to quit
the liquor business and engage in occu
pations more creditable, and his efforts
in this line have been very successful.
Bishop Watterson, Of Cleveland haf
taken more radical steps; he has forbid.
den any Catholic society in his diocese
to be officered by a liquor dealer and in
this he u.s. supported by Archbishop
Satolli. A radical step has been taken
and we venture to say the effect will
be more marked than all the crusades
that have be n made OF late years. Let
non Catholics who have charged us with
being the ally of rum look to themselves
In an investigation of a few days list
of $4,000 Professionals was found in the
city OF New York connected with the
liquor traffic. What can the Protestant
church do along that line? The Catholic
Total Abstinence Union of America is
engaged in q noble work and it's future
prospects for good in the cause Of tenn.
perance were never brighter.