The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-10-08

ana James :. Judge
The fourth quarterly convention OF
the First district of the Scranton Dio-
cesar union at st. James hall, Jessup,
yesterday afternoon, will 20 down in
history as one Of the most radical gath.
erings on record. The two gentlemen
of the convention who figured as rabi
extremists were Charles Lavsu, Of
Wilkes Barre, vice president of the
Catholic Total Abstinence union, and
Mayor John Kelly, Of Carbondale.
The stage of the proceedinga at
which the air became blue with de-
nuneiatory eloquenee against the rum
shops was when the following question
came mp under the head of new busi-
ness: IT'S 1t violation of the pledge
for member to buy strong drink for a
Der; and does the signing Of
mans bond for - liquor license con.
stitute violationP'
| VIOLATION OF PRINCIPLE.
After the question was parried about
for minute or two. without any incl
dent worthy of mention, NJ. T. Burke,
of Carbondale, arose to state his con-
ception Of the case. He said that other
temperance conventions have handled
the same subject before, many have
treated the subject conservatively
while just as many have taken radical
steps.
In his view il temperance man
frequented saloons and treated nom
members that was not violation Of
the pledge, but of the principle; and If
o man signed bond for hotel license,
that, too, was but violation of prin-
ciple and not an actual violation Of the
pledge. and no court OF justice in the
United States would rule otherwise.
INFRINGEMENT OF LIBERTY.
Mr.. Neary. of Carbondals, said that
the adoption Of the question appeared
10 him to infringe on personal liberty
laws. A man ought to be allowed to
exercise his will at the dictates of his
conscience. The same question was
brought up in the Philadelphia union
Of 18, 500 members and Father Ellicot,
the spiritual director. ruled that treat.
ing to liquor and signing bonds for
licenses were direct violations.
Mr.. Neary thought the question was
settled by Rev. N. j. McManus seven
years ago at the Plymouth convention.
Father McManus was then spiritual
director Of the union and in that
capacity decided it was a violation of
the pledge.
LAvAN ATTENDS LICENSE CoURH
It remained for President Lavan
to stir up the hornets nest. The ques.
tion, to his mind, was not settled. He
always attends license court at Wilkes.
Barre and has wat"t5d some young
men of the st. Aloysius society cit In
court for days pay TO give good
character to an applicant for license.
This went on to his disgust, until he
brought the case before the society
and two members were expelled, and
now there is not temperance man in
the city Of Wilkes Barre who can be
found as character witness in license
court.
Answering the part Of the question
whether it was violation of the
pledge to treat non.member to liquor
Mr. Lsvan rose TO the height of fervid
eloquence. He said that he believed
the man who sells whisky is no less
than direct agent Of hell, and II he
could there is not man from the At
lantic seaboard to the western coast
who would quicker than he abolish
every saloon in the land and dump the
cursed stuff into the bottom of the sea.
BURKE's LOGIC ATTACHED.
In answer to Mr. Burks's logic he
said that il it is only violation of
principle to set another man drunk,
then perish principle, for principle is
the underlying basis Of the pledge and
when a man violates that he violates
all.
Ex.Msyor Kelly spoke in the same
vein as Mr.. Lavan and read the pledge
to show that the meaning and intent OF
1t was that man should abstain from
liquor and further more discountenance
it by every means in his power. He
moved that 1t be declared the sense OF
the convention that treating and help.
ing to procure licenses be regarded as
a violation of the pledge. Mr.. Burke
tried to thwart the motion by moving
to indefinitely postpone and it was
voted down. Mr.. Kellys motion was
put and enthusiastically carried.
ARE PARApEs BENEFICIAL
The question, Are Diocesan parades
beneficial or hurtful to the cause of
Temperance, was introduced, and Mr..
Neary thought. that the advent Of a
temperance parade in any town was
synonomous with harvest of shekels
for the saloon keepers. Mr.. Lavan
said that the night Of the last parade
at Wilkes-Barre the city lookup was
empty. Mr.. Birs thought that the
money spent on parades would be OF
more good If devoted to purchasing
libraries. J. H. Devine. president Of
the G. F. A. u, branched off to anoth-
er phase. He spoke in unmeasured
terms Of the rspscity Of railroad COM
panies. and thought that it would do
good to abandon parades altogether, or
hold individual parades to teach the
companies lesson. Ga motion Of Mr..
Kelley. who enthusiastically favored
parades, the question was accepted
affirmatively.
Other questions were read. but the
lateness of the hour shut off any debate
on them.
ENTERTAINMENT IN EVENING.
The place of holding the next con-
vention was left to the board of direc
tors. After supper. which was fur.
nished at Reddington's hotel. an enter
tainment attended bv a packed hall,
was carried out A fine musical and
literary programme was carried out.
Ringing addresses on temperance were
delivered by Attorney I. v. Powderly
and james F. Judge.
Before adjourning the following