The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-07-28
THIRD in FIFTY DAYS.
Catholic Union OF America to Meet
In st. Louis.
The Organization Has Grown ia
Seventy Thousand Members.


bigauditorium In St Louis will be filed
with national convention. This time ii
will not be n political gathering, and yet
men and women of all political parties will
participate In its proceedings, either as
delegates or onlookers. This third great
convention will be national In Its scope and
worldwide In its influence. There will
come to assist In It's deliberations men OF
morals, Of intellect, OF achievement n all
the ranks of mental and ethical work from
all parts Of the United States and from the
cities and towns Of the Dominion % Can
ada. The assem- blese will be convened on
the 9Th day of August. The occasion will
be the twenty-sixth ANIMAL convention Of
the Catholic Total Abstinence Union of
America.
Fully $4,000 strangers will be drawn to
the city by this conclave Of abstainers.
More than 40, 900 members OF the union
will be represented by 200 delegates on
the floor OF the convention. Representa-
tives from S64 societies will be present.
Among them will be found earnest men
and brave women inspired by common
incentive-the desire TO make men tenn
perate I'm order that they may be strong In
all the other virtues.
- The proceedings Of the convention will
DO begun by pontifical high mass. 1t
viii be celebrated In St. Johns church, ut
the corner Of Sixteenth and Chestnut
streets Archbishop Kain will In all prob
ability ofiiciate.
. At the conclusion OF the mass a grand
parade will take place 1t Is expected that
at least 10, 900 persons will take part In the
procession, which will travers6 the princi-
pal streets Of the city. In addition TO the
members OF the local and visiting societies,
there will be from 1000 to $1,000 knights
of Father Mathew In fuil regalia In the
line of march. This pageant win be under
the direction of Grand Marshal Joseph p.
Harnett, who for SO many years was the
supreme chief sir knight OF the knights OF
Father Mathew
At the conclusion Of the march the con-
vention will be formally opened. Its ses-
sions are expected to last several days
Speakers OF national reputation, without
reference TO religious or political atfilia-
tions, have been invited to speak during
the convention. Among the list Of orators
arc prelates OF distinction, judges, con-
gressmen, authors, lawyers and distin-
guished women.
A subcommittee composed Of leading
citizens of ST. Louis has been selected to
look after the visitors during their stay in
the city. A ono and third fare from
all points In the United States and Canada
will bc secured by tho committee over all
the railroads, and special excursion rates
viii be made by the various steamboat
lines TO all parties desiring TO make the
trip by water.
The committee on decorations will elab-
orately ornament the Interior of the audi
torium. Life size pictures of oil the great
temperance workers in the world will look
down upon spectators from the gallery
railing, and the flags of all nations will
gracefully intwino with those of the stars
and stripes
The last convention Of the Total Absti.
nenee union was held in New York. Car
i.gic hall which was the scene OF the gath.
ering. although one Of tho largest I'm the
city, was packed from stage to ceiling.
Thousands who failed TO get inside were
compelled TO form an overflow meeting in
an adjacent hail. whore they were ad-
dressed Ivy temperance speakers. The gath
eriug at st. Louis this year Is confidently
expected by the managers of tho affair To
exceed the big meeting In New York both
IN numbers and enthusiasm.
To tho Knights Of Father Mathew has
been intruspd the charge of carrying the
convention to the point Of complete success.
This organization was formed into its
present share in 1881, when It was organ
lied into councils each oillcered by a chief
sir knight, deputy sir knight, recorder,
financial ryrorder and banker. II started
that year with nine councils. Now it has
90. During the intervening years its mem
bership has grown from $500 TO 1000, Its
efficiency. popularity and growth arc large
ly due 10 the unsclflsh and splendid serv-
iccs given At by the several sir knights who
bavo at various times had supreme control
of ITS dcstinics. .
Twenty six years ago n small band OF
earnest workers I'm the city OF Baltimore,
I Numbering less than 100, got together aud
Started tho movement which has now
grown into nm organization numbering
nearly 10000 men and women. "A feature
OF tho union that should not bc overlooked
Is the fact that u contains 100 societies,
with n membership Of nearly 1000 made
mp exclusively OF women.-Philadelphi
Press.