The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-08-11
PERFECTING THE
FINAL DETAILS
Meeting Of the General Committee Of
Arrangements for Convention.
REPORTS OF COMMITTEES HEARD

Are Almost Completed--Brief His
tory ofthe National Union-- Organ-
ized at Baltimore on Washington's
Birthday, Is72--Former Conven-
ton Held in This City in 1880.
The general committee in charge of
the local arrangements for the national
Catholic Total Abstinence union con-
vention which begins in this city next
Wednesday, met last night at the resi-
dence of Rev. E. j. Melley, on Pittston
avenue. The work accomplished was
chiefly in the line of detail reports of
sub-committees, etc. j. G. Gallagher,
chairman of the ways ard means COM
mittee, announced the receipts Of letters
from First Vice President Logue, of the
national union, giving the names of DEL
egates from Philadelphia and the state
of Connecticut The Philadelphia dele
cation will number 100 persons with an
additional contingent Of twenty-five
members of Company b, st. Michaels
Pioneer society, of Philadelphia. Quar-
ters have been secured for the Philadel-
phia delegation at the Terrace hotel.
The Connecticut and Rhode Island
delegates are: Rev. ]. +. Winters,
president of the Catholic Total Absti-
nence Union of Connecticut Rev. Il.
f. Connaught, Fhoenixville, r. l.; Miss
NJ. McKenna, Pawtucket, r. l.; Mrs.
Harriet T.. Gragen, Meridian, Conn.
Miss Mary Stammers, St. Agnes union,
New Haven, Conn; V. E. Lynch, Pro-
vincial organizer of Connecticut; w.
II. Moakley, ST. Aloysius, New Haven
William Drumm, st. Johns Cadets, New
Haven: Thomas B. Rooney, st. Pat
rick's Young Men, Bridgeport Conn;
James F. Breene, New Haven, vice
president of the National union. These
names We're sent to Mr.. Gallagher with
the request for hotel accommodation.
ARRIVAL OF DELEGATES.
Names of the delegates from other
states are now in the hands of the ma
tional secretary. Most of the delegates
will arrive here Tuesday, Aug. II, the
day before the convention opens. 1t
was decided to perfect the organiza-
tion of the reception committee next
Sunday afternoon at o'clock in col
lege hall. This committee will be COM
posed of five members from each of
the local societies. Immediately after
the meeting of the reception commit
tee the general committee will have o
meeting.
Circulars have been issued announc-
ing the excursion to Farview Aug 20,
| and tickets will be distributed this
week to the 200 residents of this city
who will be asked to attend the rally
on the evening of Aug. 10 in the Froth-
| ingham.
A committee on carriages appointed
last night, consists of Mr.. Gallagher,
| w. II. Quinn and James p. Lavelle.
| The visiting delegates will be enter
| tanned Friday night on the West Side
| in st. Leo's Battalion rooms. The Ia
| dies committee will meet Monday night
| in st. Johns church.
MUCH ENTHUSIASM.
There never was a time in the his
| tory of the total abstinence movement
| in this city and even through the val
| ley when the enthusiasm of it's mem
bers might be said to have reached the
| point at which it shows itself today.
| This is owing in part to the local ways
and means committee, which has la
bored zealously for months perfecting
| arrangements for the national conven-
| tion of the Catholic Total Abstinence
union, which will assemble here next
| Wednesday. From this convention the
members expect great results to accrue
to the cause.
| A brief history of the union may be
interesting to many of the readers of
The Tribune, especially so since a
Scrantonian took a prominent part in
it's formation. In 1S49 Rev. Theobold
Mathew commenced preaching temp.
erance in the United States. Wherever
he went he was received with honors
never before shown to Catholic
clergyman, and was invited to speak
for the cause he espoused before the
national congress in Washington. His
labors in this country as well as ir
Ireland bore an abundance of fruit
From his visit sprang the temper
ance movement which has gone OF
steadily ever since. The societies tha
were organized in the state of Con
necticut in the year 1870 organized /;
state union. which was the foundation
stone of the present national union
The good that seemed TO be accom-
plished through that state union wa
the means Of bringing together repre-
sentatives from societies of Penn
sylvania, Rhode Island. New Jersey
Georgia, Illinois, Ohio, Minnesota, Con
necticut, Maryland and the District o
Columbia on Washington's birthday
1872, in Baltimore. From this gather
ing was formed the Catholic Total Alb
stinence union of America.
SCRANTONIAN PRESENT.
Nicholas Martin, then a member o
the Father Mathew society of thi
city, was delegate there too. In tn
National union the parish and Othe
local societies form the State or Dio
sesan unions. These meet annual!
in conventions and send delegates I,
the annual general convention. Blu
these are not the only delegates tina
compose the convention. The spiritua
directors of all local societies are eX
officio members, and local societie
may also be represented when desired
The influence of the Catholic churcl
working for the cause of temperate
has made itself felt in these annua
conventions, as is evidenced from tn