Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-08-09

WatterSon gives some interesting in
side history of his recent euactments
and the causes which led to them
A week before thanksgiving day, last
year, a member Of one of the Column
bus societies belonging to the knights
Of st. John union told the bishop that
the military branch of the division.
to which the informant belonged, had
during the preceding year given three
entertainments, two Of them under the
assumed name OF the Evening Star
club, at which beer was sold and
other things were done contrary to
the statutes of this diocese and the
provincial council of Cincinnati. and
the third plenary council of Baltimore;
and that this same branch intended
to give under the disguise of a prize
drill a similar entertainment the night
before thanksgiving day, with beer
selling and beer drinking and promis-
cuous dancing.
The bishop went Immediately to the
hall, where the society was then hold
ing preparatory meeting, and told
the members what he had heard, all
After reproying them for their persist
ent violations of the laws binding
them in these matters, he received d
promise from them not to hold their
Thanksgiving entertainment in the in
tended manner; but within a couple of
days thereafter two delegations from
this cOmmandery waited on him, and
as about $50 of expenses had been in
CURED in preparing for the entertain
ment, they solemnly proposed to him
to allow them to hold their prize drill,
which would occupy about fifteen min
utes, and then turn over the affair
to others, who should conduct it &c
cording to the prearranged program,
the society itself to be the beneficiary
of the proceeds.
He expressed his establishment at
such proposition coming from men
who called themselves Catholic
knights, and told them he could not
conniye at such a beating of the
devil round the stump" They had
walked into the difficulty with their
eyes open and they should walk out
Of it as honorable men and dutiful
Catholics. AS they were WOrkingmen
the bishop offered to contribute gen
erously to their expenses, if they
would do right. They, however, held
the entertainment as they had origin
ally arranged, and many of the mem
bers of the general division and of
other societies assisted at it.
The bishop hearing of it few days
afterWard, sent word that he would
no longer recognize them as a Catholic
organiZa ton. In December an cleo
ton was held for president OF the
general division and also for captain
Of the military branch. Saloon-keepers,
regardless of the bishops well-known
wishes, were chosen for both OF these
offices, Thereupon he informed the
officers of the division that if they
should install the newly elected presi-
dent he would deprive their whole
division OF its rank and privilege as a
Catholic society, as he had already
done in the case Of the military
branch, and that they must either re-
spect his injunctions or appeal to
higher authority, and ii the decision
went against him lie would set them
an example of ecclesiastical obedience.
They reported this decision TO Their
society, which thereupon resolved %
aonc1JIt Tho SJ1puoTl1o 1l-oSiGn7l+ nf 1bAjf.
union, whose residence is i'll CleyC~
land. The supreme president, SO far
as the bishop kEOWS, was not alp
priSed OF the facts and circumstances
of the case, nor did he ask the bishop
for information, but gave the society
some good advice. telling them it was
not polite to get into a contest with
episcopal authority and counseling the
newly elected president to resign and
thus save a disagreeable complication.
All this, however, the bishop knew
only after the appeal was made; nor
was he Informed by the society of its
intention to appeal. He heard a vague
rumor that such was its purpose, and
during a visit to Mgr. Satolli on other
business in the beginning of February
he asked if such an appeal had been
received. 1t had, however, not yet
been made. The bishop then related
to the delegate what has been stated
above, together with several other
things concerning this and similar
cases, and waited yet another month.
Some years ago, wishing to promote
the honor and usefulness of societies
prove of new societies, or new
branches of old ones, save on cOndi-
ton that manufacturers and vendors
of Intoxicating liquors would not be
admitted to membership. He saw,
what many others have seen, how men
in the business Of Intoxicating liquors
have tried to dominate these societies,
and in too many cases succeeded in US
ing the membership for their own sci
fish ends, and often to the injury Of
other members and their families, and
the dishonor of the societies them
selves and religion. He knew the com
mon disregard of state and municipal
and ecclesiastical laws by men in this
traffic. He believed that more could
be done to diminish the evils of in
temperance if the societies which Ell
joyed special privileges as Catholic
societies would be made to conduce in
some way to this end He knew that
by their very name of Catholic they
were bound to conduce to the in
crease of religion and not to its in