The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1897-08-07
A BENEFACTOR TO HIS RACE
Such Was Father Mathew Of nlc.sc,,
Memory,

Memory.
rather Theobald Mathew was born in
Ireland in 1890. He was educated at
the celebrated college at Maynooth.
His heroic work in Cork during the
cholera epidemic of 1882 first attracted
attention. He was then appointed ono
OF the governors Of The Cork House of
Industry. 1t was there that he met
William Martin, another governor, an
old Quaker locally famed as the
"teetctal man" of that city. IT was
thfough the influence of the Quaker
\ that the priest undertook his temper-
ance work. One evening early in April,
1898, Father Mathew sent for Martin
and asked his assistance in forming a
temperance society," a meeting was
held for that purpose in Father Mat
news chapel on April 10, and the Cork
Total Abstinence Society was formed.
Rather Mathew signed the pledge, and
was followed by sixty others.
The pledge signed that night differs
but slightly from the form afterward
adopted and which is found on the
medal. The pledge reads:
II promise to abstain from all intoxi-
| eating drink, ETC., except used medir!n-
ally and by order Of Il medical man.
and to dscountenancc the cause and
practice of intemperancc'
Thus was born one of the greatest
temperance movements that the world
has ever seen. by the close of the
year 10000 had signed the pledge. The
| next year the crusade became an epi-
demic On Dec. 1, 1888, Father Mathew
was advertised to preach a charity SER
mon in Limerick. tremendous crowd
filled the city. All day long, all night,
! anu most of the next day did Father
| Mathew stand administering the pledge;
| $4,000 names were recorded, though it is
estimated that more than 100000 signed
the pledge at that time. In two days
at Waterford $4,000 sgncrs were Sc
cured. In one day at Clonmcl, 10000
signed.
During the first year of the crusade
| the government excise returns showed Il
falling off in the consumption of spirits
| of 1,4S0,G33 gallons. AT the beginning
Of 1912 about 100000 persons in Ire
| land, more than half the entire popu-
lation, mad signed the pledge, and the
consumption of liquors had fallen off
nearly one half The crusade was then
wonderful results.
In 1S49 Father Mathew visited this
country. His tour was IL continuous
/ ovation. He was hanqucted at tho
White House by President Taylor, the
/ United States senate voted to admit
him to the bar OF the senate chambc:,
a distinction which no foreigner had
ever received except General Lafayette
About 100000 persons signed the pledge
in this country as result Of Father
Mathews efforts. He returned to Irc-
| land in 1851, SO completely exhausted
that he lived but five years longer
Cn the same day that he Dinslcy a";ff
bill went into operation several Of the
New England cotton mills were closed
for one month and 10000 operatives were
thrown out Of employment They were
told last fall that if Mckinley was
elected and a tariff bill was passed, good
m IS and good wages won ID Immediate. y
follow They have discovered that all
pu1r.s ses. The Chicago Herald, which
is l1'alding prosperity all over the land,
does not seem to have heard of the clos
ing of the New England mills up to the
time of our going to press.