The Opelousas courier., 1894-08-11
Correspondence.
OPE1oUsAs, Aug. II, 1894

Correspondence.
orEx3UsAs, Aug. II, 1894.
EDITORS COURIER: -
# it meet with your approval, ant
paper to insert this, I would be pleaset
to have you give it to your readers.
A day or two after the late election
on the liquor licenes question, I I'm
a%voidably heard one or two remark
made by two gentlemen on the subiec
of prohibition, which excited in me
some surprise. One of them was 6
strong advocate of prohibition. The
other a liquor vendor and of course
was as stubbornly opposed to prohibi
ton. The n remarked that the cleo.
ton had gone this time against it, bu1
the question would again be brought
up and that it would continue to be
agitated until the license system would
be done away with. To this the liquor
dealer replied that prohibition is
the Priest had said Sc. Both the gen
tlemen were communicates in the
Roman Catholic church. | heard no
more OF the conversation, as | passed
on. | fell to rejecting on this, to me
remarkable assertion.
Against the Catholic religion, thought
ly Can it be possible that that church
which has stood up through so many
eventful centuries faithfully carrying
the cross of Christ into almost every
nook and corner Of this globe bravely
proclaiming and a~ssiduously teaching
the glad tidings of his salvation-and
always enjoining morality, ~circumspec-
ton and %brotherly love upon men has
at this late day begun to teach its
members that the prohibition OF liquor
trines, principles and teachings ?
/, of course kneW better and could not
believe it. l went to work investigat-
ing the matter, for [ would not think
it a question.
Fortunately for me, and for the truth
| fell upon the following pastoral COM
munication of Bishop Watterson, of
Columbus, Ohio:
II hereby withdraw my appreciation
from any and every Catholic society or
branch or division thereof in this do
cese that has a liquor-dealer or saloon
keeper at its head OF anywhere among
it's officers, and l suspend every such
society itself from the rank and privi-
leges as a Catholic society until it ceases
to be 81 differed. | again publish the
condition without which for some years
[ have declined to approve of new So
cieties or new branches of old o1ganiza-
tions in this diocese-namely, That no
one who is engaged either as principal
or agent in the manufacture or sale of
intoxicating liquors can be admitted to
membership. You will make this rule
known to the organizations in your par
ish and have it faithfully observed. It
is sure, however, to commend itself to
every right spirited and healthy asso-
citation Of Catholic gentlemen.
IF there are saloon keepers in your
parish who call themselves Catholics,
and yet carry on their business in a for
hidden and disedifying way, or sell on
Sundays, either openly or under any
sort Of guise or diguise, in violation Of
civil law, and to the hurt OF order and
religion and the scandal Of any part of
absolution, should they perchance come
to receive the sacraments, unless they
promise to cease offending in these or
other ways, and to conduct their BUSH
ness blamelessly if they can, or get out
of it and keep out of it altogether"
These matters having been brought
to the attention of the Apostolic Dele
gate, Mgr. Satolli, the immediate
representative of the Pope himself, he
fully sustained Bishop W~atterson. The
question was then carried to Rome,
where q committee of Cardinals duly
appointed to consider it, gave it their
careful attention, arriving at the con-
clusion that Bishop Watterson and
Mgr. Satolli we're right.
In view Of all this, thought /, the
street corner and curb stone exposition
of Catholic teachings on this subject,
in dufu h0un1 potira froo, kLo
discussion and become a wiser and
religiously speaking, a better man.
In addition to these timely iDjunc-
lions of the Roman Catholic church.
let me offer one more idea from a civI
source, which L respectfully ask our
local and state Legislators to ponder
and act on.
The Supreme Court of the United
States in the case of Crowley VS..
q. s.. Repts. Vol. 1877 o.. 80,
Nov. 10th, 1890. said by the general
concurrence of opinion of every civil
lied and christian community there are
few sources of crime and misery to
equal to the dramshop," and
this concurrence The Court further
held, that There is no inherent right
in a citizen to sell intoxicating liquors
by retail it is not a privilege of
Of a state, or a citizen Of the
States.D The Court held that it
q matter of Legislative will only"
That, ono Legislature can bargain
away the public health or the public
morals. The people themselves can
not do it, much less their servants.
is organized with a view ,
to their protection, and cannot divest
itself of the power to provide for
them." These being admitted facts it
that the license system is the
offspring of legislation, both Federal
and State /; an offspring which can by
40 experience or, system Of reasoning ]
be shown to harmonic with the legiti- .
nate and proper aims and purposes Of ,
good government. 1t follows that our
should set about abolishing j
t, and should direct their efforts to the j
of the general welfare in J
his, as well as in other important !
matters. E. NORTH CULLOM. i
Resolutions. Z
The following resolutions of the St.
landry Parish Farmers Alliance were y
at it's quarterly meeting at c
arrow Duonnb u1fl TIL, 10 aonI h