Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-07-28
AS YOU LIKE IT.
stray Leaves From a Reporters Note
 Hook.

THE letter of Monsignor Satolh approy- | ing the action of Bishop Watterson of Ohio in withdrawing his appreciation from, Catholic societies in his diocese that num- Der liquor dealeis among their officers and suspending every such society from its privileges as a Catholic body until it ceases to be so officered seems to have been mis- understood by a good many people. The question is a purely local matter and has no bearing whatever. as far as we know. outside the diocese of Bishop watterson. But we have no doubt that the same state
 of things will eventually obtain in our own diocese should the exigiencies of the
 time require 1t. Asked what he thought
 about it the other day. n we'll known liquor
 dealer said: ''It cannot affect me in any
 way. have never been q candidate for
 office or an applicant for appointment to
 office in any society. l suppose until it | does become operative here we have right | to express an opinion for or against It. and | am free to state that do not consider 1t | just to men who have engaged Tn this busi- | ness and who are endeavoring to conduct 1t | in m honorable manner. It it is ltgiti | mate business why legislate against man | who engages in it? Because some people | abuse the license law is no reason why the
 man who observes it should be placed ou the same level. There is a municipal law | governing the sale of liquor wherever 1t is l sold; there is also a rigid law in the Catho- lie church which renders il imperative on
 members of that church engaged in this
 business to conduct it in a proper manner.
 If man is not doing what is right then
 let those two great powers deal with the individual man. l close my saloon at
 seasonable hour; l never open 1t on Sun
 day. Some of my neighbors loSk forward
 to Sunday as their best day. Must I ard
 others who conduct our business in legal
 manner be set down on the same list with
 men who have no scruples about these
 matters, and don't care a snap about the
 municipal or ecclesiastical law. so long as
 they can make dollar? If the business
 was condemned and the edict sent forth
 that no liquor dealer would be admitted to
 the sacraments. then a consistent Catholic
 would begin to feel that he was engaged in
 an unlawful enterprise and would at once
 look around for something else. But if q man engaged in the liquor traffic can at
 tend divine service on Sunday. partake of the sacraments and be a member of the greatest society in the world. the Catholic 3 church. surely that man should not be I considered unworthy to wield the l gavel in an organization infinitely inferior f to the church. where he is looked upon as a f prominent member" Are you aware. " g said the reporter. ''of the great evils that 8 result to society from the abuse of . intoxicating drinks?" Il am." he said. Hut much of this is due to the fact that - there is too much talk about the men who s sell it and not quite enough about those s who abuse it. l am aware, too. that there l. are many men engaged in the traffic who
 ought not receive license to sell liquor
 | What is true of the liquor business" he 6 added, ''is also true of every other legiti l mate business in the world. Do you be C lieve you are engaged in an honorable avo J. cation" Being answered in the affirma e tive, he continued. Granted. but yoJ l. must be aware that the church has repeat
 edly called attention 10 the abuse of tn,
 press and deplored ;he spread of immora
 literature as one of the most dangerou
 evils that beset society. It is handed int f the homes of the people every day in th,
 week and is doing its deadly work just a II, sure, but much more silently, than the us, . of liquor. What would you say if a lav :, was put in force in the church to tn a effect that you could not act chairman , of one of the societics to which you be ,t long. because it had been decided that tn .a editors and reporters of some magazine 1T .H the diocese had become So corrupt tha they were undermining the moral status O . the country: No one would think of maE V ing such blunder. Their charges shoul Y be specific. not general. in matter of thi : nature. Tho church has never con a demned the liquor traffic and until it does .s l. as Il CatholIc. feel that no one has "a right to prejudice my fellowmen agains
 me for engaging in it. So long as l sho, , due regard for the authority from whor ,!. l received a right to sell. and Keep bcfOr Y, my mind the timely admonitions of III I1 pastor and my own conscience as to ho' ., and in what manner 1t should be COT "a ducted l shall not blush on account of Tn = business. It is honorable and legit q mate as yours. It can be made as dis "a honorable and as detrimental to the we being of society yours can be mad' h Attack those men who are constant ,e bringing disgrace on society on account c in their utter disregard of the law and yo
 will accomplish more for society than yo ,i. will by ostrAcising men from society fC ,. engaging Tn a business which the law n. the land and the law of the church are fire :; to admit is legitimate.