Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1894-09-11
CATHOLIC BISHOPS.
emPHATIcAlLY EXPRESS THEIR oPIN-
IONS ON THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC.
Answers to a Letter Sent by The Voice Con-
cerning the Recent Decision by Mgr. sa-

Answers to a Letter Sent by The Voice Con-
cerning the Recent Decision by Mgr. sa-
toIIi.
From The Voice. New York;
Interest is not transitory in the deci-
sion of Mgr. Satolli sustaining Bishop
Watterson's ruling against Catholic sa-
loon keepers in the diocese of Columbus,
| o. In order to ascertain if possible the
attitude of other bishops toward liquor
| dealers and the temperance movement in
the church, The Voice recently sent out
the following letter:
The great public interest in the attitude of
| the Catholic church toward those engaged in
the liquor traffic. aroused by Mgr. Satolli's re-
| cent ruling, is our reason for writing to you.
We desire to ascertain what, If any, public in
| structions have been issued in your diocese at
any time in the past in reference to the liquor
| traffic or those engaged therein, and whether
the policy of the church within your jurisdic-
| ton has been to make determinations in any
| way against those who manufacture or sell
| liquor.
| We hardly feel entitled to ask for your own
| personal views on the subject Though we
should feel highly gratified to receive anything
|
| it in any way obtrusive for us to ask for infor-
nation regarding any decisions reached or in
structions issued in the past that cast light on
| the relations the church sustains to those en-
gagged in the liquor traffic.
| A number of answers have already
been received, and replies are given be-
low:
The Whole Liquor Traffic Is Bad.
| ,o1, l,ebo,1 nf D,,1,,fl,
writes: mgr. Satolli's ruling as to deal
ers in liquor is worthy of all praise. 1
have always taught that the saloon is a
dangerous place both for the keeper and
his victims. The ideal saloon, where the
conversation is pure, the visitors tenn
perate and religion is held in honor, has
yet to be found.
"THE WHOLE LIQUOR TRAFFIC
Is BAD, RUINOUS TO OUR PEOPLE
AND SUBVERSIVE OF LAW AND
ORDER. THE SALOON KEEPER IN
CATHOLIC ASSOCIATIONS CAN AF-
FORD TO BE GENEROUS, CHARI-
TABLE TO THE POOR-IN SHORT,
"A GOOD FELLOW'-BUT POORLY
CLAD AND IGNORANT CHILDREN,
WRETCHED WIVES AND RUIN
ED HOMES CAN POINT TO THE
SOURCES OF HIS LIBERALITY.
"The miserable outcome of the saloon
has been before me all my life in all its
various phases of sin and sorrow. Ihail
as glad omen of success on the part of
the Catholic total abstinence societies the
letter of Mgr. Satolli. 1t is an outspoken
renewal of the warnings of the council
of Baltimore to all engaged in this nefari-
Gus traffic."
Saloon Keepers Ineligible as Trustees In
Green Bay Diocese.
Bishop S. P. Messemer, Green Bay,
Wis: Last December published dio-
cesan regulation forbidding our church
congregations to elect saloon keepers to
the office of trustee or of secretary or
treasurer of such congregations. This is
the only strictly diocesan rule in regard
to the liquor question.
''In regard to Bishop Watterson's fa-
nous regulation, supported by Mgr.
Satolli, l fully agree with its spirit and
the principles underlying it; also with
its first provision. But l consider it a
serious mistake to put manufacturers OF
and dealers in liquor in the same cate
CORY with what are commonly called sa-
loon keepers. Nor can l see any reason
why in general either the former or the
latter should be excluded from Catholic
societies. There may be special circum-
stances justifying such an extreme meas
ure in the diocese of Columbus.
Using Religion as Saloon Decoy.
The pastoral letter of Richard Scan
nell, bishop of Omaha, Lent of 1894,
after exhorting to personal temperance
and commencing the total abstinence
societies, says:
In every city and large town are found low
drinking houses where rough characters con-
| gregate. The language and conduct of the fire.
| Quenters of such places need not be described.
| The moral atmosphere of these places is reek-
| ing with corruption. They are the plague spots
from which death and desolation are carried
| into the surrounding neighborhood. The man
| who begins to frequent one of these places
may be regarded as lost to his family, to his
country and to his God. Sometimes the pro-
| prietors of these low resorts are nominal Cath
olics, and they always pose as politicians and
men of local influence. But their religion and
their politics are used only as a decoy to at
tract customers, to impoverish families, to
mako widows and orphans and to destroy
souls. / most earnestly exhort all the faithful
to shun these places and to have as little as
possible to do with those who are responsible
| for their existence. Bring healthy public
opinion to bear ON these enemies of God and
man, and it will eventually compel them to
| give up this nefarious business, or it will at
| least drive them out of the neighborhood that
| has been cursed by their presence.
Strong For Prohibition In Vermont.
John S. Michaud, bishop of Vermont,
writes: vermont is a strong prohibi-
ton state-the laws are very stringent,
and as far as we can see are usually en-
forced. The instructions of the council
of Baltimore were read in all our
churches"
| By unanimous vote the trustees of
the sanitary district of Chicago have de-
Il -