The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-14
CAUSE OF TEMPERANCE
A MASS MEETING, AT WHICH GOV
MOUNT PRESIDED.
Addresses by Father COOney and 9th
conscientious of the Catholic To-
tai Abstinence Union.

Governor Mount. The meeting was held
under the auspices of the Catholic Total
Abstinence Union, now holding it's state
convention in this city. The audience was
largely composed of women, and their vari-
colored millinery and bright faces made the
bunting with which the hall was decorated
look sombre by contrast The hall, how
ever, was tastefully decorated and upon
either side. of the stage were draped pic
lures of Father Mathew and Father Bes-
sonies. Upon the stage We're Governor
Mount Monsignor Bessonies, Capt. Eli F.
Ritter, Rev. p. p. Cooney, c. S. c., of the
University of Notre Dame, officers of the
union and some of the distinguished dele
gates
The meeting began at $50 o'clock, when
Governor Mount was introduced by Presi-
dent Mahoney, and received with hearty
applause He began with a story of the
minister who was invited by the farmer,
who desired a blessing. to lest fetch her
of" He was there just to touch off, the
meeting. He had been unable to deny a
request from Father Bessonies, whose life
and work had done so much to lift the
character of this community He expressed
himself as in the heartiest sympathy with
the movement. He believed there was room
and field in it for a great work He
spoke of the demand for sober, earnest,
temperate men on the railroads and all de-
partment of business. Temperance tended to
happiness and health, while intemperance
tended to shut out the sunlight of prosper
ity, to drag men down and bring poverty
and disgrace. Speaking to the smaller boys
of the audience, he told them of the prom
Use he had made to his mother that he
would or. l.
regarded this promise as one of the strong
est and best elements of his life. And
chief among the things it had taught him
was to say No" To have the moral cour-
age to say no was one Of the essentials
OF success. The future of this country, he
declared, lay in the homes of it's people.
More powerful than legislative enactment
or force of arms was the influence of the
home No nation could rise above It's homes
nor could a nation fall far below it's homes
The example of the father and the train
future citizenship of tho country. He
begged that all would join in this and every
other movement tending to lift the race.
AN OLD SOLDIER PRIEST.
AS the applause greeting his brief talk
died away the Governor introduced Father
Cooney, man who was a brave soldier in
war and just as brave in assuming the re-
sponsibiities that came with peace. Father
Cooney was chaplain of mat great Irish
regiment, the Thirty-fifth Indiana, and it
was common report that the soldiers of the
regiment obeyed him with much greater
alacrity than their colonel for, as one Of
them expressed it, 1.-The colonel can only
swear at US, but Father Cooney can send
us to hell"
Father Cooney congratulated the union
upon this suspicious celebration of it's TWEEN
ty-ffth anniversary. He read some Stats
ties upon the destructiYeness of the drink
habit and aroused mirth by telling of the
advertised n
drink habit for a dollar. A man sent him a
dollar and in reply was instructed to take
the pledge and keep it. And this was the
only sure cure. The speaker then proceeded
with an address that held the close interest
Of the audience His description of man
in his strength, made in the image Of his
God, was sublime in it's simplicity. You"
says man TO the sea, to the land, to the
elements, belong to time; l belong to eter-
nifty You are subject to destruction; L
am immortal" He enlarged upon the high
attributes of man and spoke of the demon
pull down and destroy this godlilIe image.
In the course Of his address he declared
that legislation could not help much in
the fight further than to clear out the low
doggeries with high license. Prohibition"
said he, does not prohibit. And, in my
opinion, it never Will, so long as human ma
ture remains what it is. The experience of
Iowa, Kansas, Maine and South Carolina
is sufficient to demonstrate that" He
closed his address by pleading earnestly
with the young women of the audience
never to marry a drunkard Better" he
cried, ode a thousand deaths than live one
year the wife of q. drunkard.'
After a defamation, we'll rendered, by
Miss Johnson, of ConnerSVille, upon the
origin of the American flag, Governor
Mount introduced captain Ritter as the
best-advertised temperance man Of Indi-
ana and man able to condense a great
speech into a few words.
CAPTAIN RITTER'S ADDRESS.
Captain Ritter said he had been accused
of being crazy on this subject, but he as
sured them that it was de,nentia that had
never harmed a single man or woman.
He spoke in high terms Of Father Cooney,
whom he knew as the handsome young
chaplain of the Thirty-ffth. He compl-
mented the union, but begged them to
hurry up" for when they should get all
the Catholics converted they would need
their help among the Protestants His talk
was of rambling nature, full of good
anecdotes and telling points. In the course
Of his talk he gave strong testimony of the
good work of the Catholic temperance So
cieties and invoked upon them the blessing
of God
Captain Ritters talk was followed by an
excellent quartet, composed of Misses Anna
Geraghty. Mayme O'Leary Sadie McCau-
ley and Regenia Grernin, accompanied by
Miss Mona O'Leary. Joseph Taggart, presi-
dent of the Murphy League, spoke briefly Of
it's work and congratulated the union on
the progress it has made in the work of
uplifting humanity. He expressed the be-
lief that the great work to be accomplished
was not so much in retaining drunkards
as in saving the young who had not yet
gone astraY and Strengthening the temper
ance sentiment that would tend to discoun-
tenance inebriety. Mr.. Heferman, of
Washington, spoke briefly, paying a high
compliment to Indianapolis as a law-and
order city, but pointing out plenty of room
for Improvement He was followed by J.
Frances Carr. of Notre Dame, in a recita-
ton. Then burlesque band performance,
which excited amusement, was given by
troop of small boys. A vote of thanks was
extended to Governor Mount by a rising
vote and the meeting adjourned with
benedicton by Father Bessonies.