The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-07-27
GROWTH OF THE HlBERNIANS.
NATIONAL PRESIDENT O'C0NNOR
BACK FROM DETROIT.

Reelected for Another Two Years
without opDOsitiOn-The order in
FIOurlShfng Condition - The
Presidents Report shows an In
crease OF $4,000 Members During
His Term-Over 100000 Expended
in Charity During the same Time
and s5O.OOO Raised for the Chair
of Gaelic at WnshingtOn-The La
dies Auxiliary Growing Rapidly.
Ladies' at the Banquet Table at
DetrOft-The Majority of the Dele
gates Bryan and SeraII Men.
=. J. O'Connor, national president Of
the Ancient order Of Hlbernians. ie>
turned yesterday morning from Detroit,
via New York, on the City Of Augusta,
having been absent two weeks in attend
ance upon the Biennial convention Of the
order and In visiting the cities Of the north
and west. He was accompanied by Mr..
John 1. Morrissey Of Savannah and Sheriff
p. J. OConnOr and Mr.. P. N. Mulherih
Of Augusta.
Mr.. O'Connor was seen at his home on
Second street by a Morning News re-
porter AS has already been stated. Mr..
O'Connor was reelected president of the
order for another term of two years. The
election was without opposition. Mr.. j.
7. keatag of Chicago was placed in NOM
ination by friends, but there was such
demonstration in favor Of President
O'CO1nOr that Mr. keating's name was
withdrawn, and Mr.. OConnor was re-
elected without opposition.
A very gratifying feature Of the cleo
ton 70 Mr.. O'COnnOr was the fact thar
the delegates from the eastern states who
opposed him almost unanimously two
years ago at Omaha were equally as
unanimous Ia his favor this time at De
| troit. Judge Wilhere, his old opponent,
| headed the Pennsylvania delegation.
| which was solid for O'COnnor. The ma
| tlOnal presidency of the Ancient Order or
| Hibernians is quite an honor for young
| man, when IL is considered that the or
| der numbers over 10000 members, and
| the honor is more pronounced when it Is
| considered that the president Is chosen
from the south, where the order is at its
| weakest.
Mr.. O'Connor did not appear eIated over
| the homer which had been conferred upon
| MIN. He stated before he left Savannah
| for Detroit that ne was not a capdidate
| for reelection. Il shall certainly decline
| a re-election two years hence" he said,
even should the convention desire to re-
! elect me, which I do not regard as proba-
| bic. -Four years is long enough for one
man TO hold this office. 1 would not have
accepted reelection this time but my
! friends urged that II was due me and due
| the order that the customary endorsement
/ should be given my administration bV q
reelection. The convention was harmo-
| nious and thoroughly satisfactory in ev-
| cry respect. The order is IN good condi-
ton financially and numerically My re-
| port showed that there had been a gain
| OF 1900 members during the term of two
| years. The strength of the order in the
| United States and Canada IS now some
thing over 10000 The increase is grad
nal, but satisfactory. The convention met
| tuesday July IA. and adjourned the fol-
! lowing Friday, being fourteen hours shor-
! ter than any previous convention. There
was no hurrying through with the BUSH
| ness either. Everybody was allowed free
| speech and there was considera BILE ora
! tory ON various subjects. There were over
! lVO delegates in attendance besides about
| LOCO visitors, including a number of ladies'
! members of the ladies auxiliary, The or
! ganization of this auxiliary was author
! lleu at the convention at Omaha two
| years ago. 1t now has about 20 O0O mem
! Ders and Is growing rapidly in the north
! ana west. The convention authorized A
| constitution for the auxiliary, it having
oeen a rather loosely bound body hereto
THE convention was treated with the
| most magnificent hospitality by the eth
zens OF Detroit without regard to creed {"
said Mr. O'Connor. There was a tremen-
| dous parade of the Hibernian societies
| wednesday. Wednesday night there was
| a banquet at the auditorium. rendered us
| Dy the citizens of Detroit bout Rl0 pao-
pie were seated at the banquet table and
| as many more occupied seats in the gall
| leres. The members of the ladies' ANIL
| larry occupied seats at the table and on
! account Of their presence there was no
! drinking. This is quite an innovation in
| the banquet line. but one that l heartily
] approve. The presence of the ladses does
! away with the tendency to excessive drink
ing even when the usual drinkables are
! PROVIDED. There were number of speeches
| of course, including a very elOouent al
| dress by Bishop Foley of Detroit The pa
| tTlotSm of the members of the order and
| thelr devotion to the institutions of this
country was fervenuy asserted and these
| sentiments were loudly applauded ResoIu-
| lions were also adopted in the convention
| protesting against the spirit of proscrip-
| ton which has spread bros dca Ct = rot,sb
! the land and asserting the read ness Of
| 4IIshmen and their sons to sacrifice life
ana property in defense Of the liberties Of
/ this country"
| The financial report showed that the ar
| der had expended over 100000 in charity
! during the term just closed The presi-
| cent report also showed that the $40 O00
/ SSnich was authorized to be raised by the
! Ohaha convention for the esta blishment
| OF a chair OF Gaelic at the Catholic Trni-
Nerslty at Washington had been secured
and was ready to be turned over. which
| matter was placed in the hands Of Bishop
| foley the chaplain of the order. No deae-
| gate was selected to the Irish race CON
| Nenuon, which has been called Ia Mot
IN Dupin Sept. !, the sentiment of the
! Ati5 Alltt the people OF Ire
! lana should first get together themseIves
before calling to their aid their kindred
| on this side of the water
The democratic convention at Chiearo
| completed its work shortly before the
| gathering of the convention at Detroit Qua
many OF the delegates TO the Detroit CON
| Ventlon had also attended the Chicago CON
Vention in the same capacity
| The silver sentiment predornina+ea
| among the majority of the delegates NJ
! Detroit" said Mr.. O'Connor "thouEh
there We're number of gold men on hand
also some OF whom had been delegates to
We're not pleased with the work of the
convention, but stated their intention Of
| abiding by its action and remaining in the
| pdItg TanAs. ! met some prominent M,chi-
| gan democrats who were very enthusia =
| TIC and who declared that Bryan and S.
wall would sweep Michigan in November :"