The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-12-21
IS CATHOLIC FEDERATION.
A Summary Of the Proceedings Of
g Cincinnati Convention.

@ Cincinnati Convention.
A convention Of the American Fed
GRAFTON of Catholic Societies was held
last week in Cincinnati, Ohio. Ii
opened on Tuesday with about SOC
delegates present and adjourned on
Thursday to meet in Chicago on July
Is, 1902. The societies represented at
the convention have a membership of
about 100000. The following officers
were elected:
President, T. B. Minahan, Column
bus, o.; ce-presidents, n. J. Kauff-
man, New York; T. H. Cannon, Chi
cago, and Daniel H. Duffy, Pottsville,
Pa; secretary, Anthony Matre, Gin
cinnati; treasurer, III. J. Fries, Erie,
Pa; marshal, Christopher O'Brien,
Chicago; executive board, Nicholas
Conner, Iowa; Gabriel Francher, ILL
nois; E. o. Reardon, Indiana; George
w. Gibbons, Pennsylvania; P. H. Nc
CURE, Pennsylvania, and Mr.. F. A.
Bachelor, Kentucky.
Governor Nash, of Ohio, and Mayor
Fleischmann, of Cincinnati, welcomed
the delegates, and T. b. Minahan, II.
]. Fries and Judge Fitzgerald respond
ed. Pontificial high mass was cele-
brated at the cathedral by Bishop
Hortsman, of Cleveland, and the SER
mon was delivered by DR.. Lavelle, of
the New York cathedral.
A constitution was adopted, from
which the following sections are TAX
en-:
'"The objects of the American Fed
Grafton of Catholic societies are the
cementing of the bonds of fraternal
union among the Catholic laity and
Catholic societies of the United States;
the fostering and protecting of Catho-
lie interests and the works OF religion,
piety, education and charity; the study
of conditions in our social life and the
dissemination of the truth.
partisan politics shall not be dis
cussed in any meetings of this FEEDER.
alton or of it's subordinate bodies, nor
shall this body or any of it's subordi-
nate bodies indorse any candidate for
Office"
Bishop McFaul, of Trenton, N. j.,
made an address, saying in part:
cit may not be out of place to state
that before acting as an adviser to the
organizers of this movement, l was
careful to seek advice. The approba,
ton Of the federation by the hier.
archy was not requested because such
appreciation would have given to fed.
Grafton tile character of Il church
movement, whereas it has originated
with the laity. ana must live or die
by their interest i'm it.
The mistaken notion has gone
abroad that the idea of federation is
of recent origin. 1t has occupied the
attention of laymen for over ten years
What has helped to keep it alive is
the excellent result to be expected
from a large body. engaged in work
which individual organizations owing
to limited territory and resources
could not presume to undertake. much
less accomplish. The leaders are lay.
men. They arc the organizers; by
their efforts alone can it succeed, and
be introduced into the different states
and, then only, rs in the case of other
societies, with the consent of the
bishop Of the diocese
ut could easily happen that lay
men, filed with enthusiasm in what
they considered Il worthy undertaking
may so beyond the bounds of pru
dence where religious interests arc
concerned, and it is for this reason
that Bishop Messmcr and myself have
acted as your advisers. We feared
that the Federation might assume tho
character of a religious movement
instead of a union of American citi
Zens seeking the promotion of social
fraternal and benevolent interests.
at is hardly necessary to say tina
as Catholic bishops and loyal Ameri
cans we are adverse to whatever
might cause dissension or cause preju
dice. 1t is difficult to understand why
the promotion Of the social, fraterna
and the other interests of Catholics, n
American citizens. should excite ami
mostly, except in the minds of bigots
and they are in the minority and no
likely to be appeased by any action o
ours. Non-Catholic Americans arc
as rule, intelligent, liberal-mindet
and anxious that the welfare of til,
citizen should be promoted by ever,
legitimate means.
1T is apparent to anyone acquaint
ed with the political conditions exist
ing III the United States that our PEG
pie are dividing between the two grea
political parties and that an attemp
to subject even individual societie.
to the sway of craftsmanship would bt
suicidal to any organization. The op
position has therefore sounded nj
alarm which is quite unnecessary. as
we are in perfect agreement rs to the
necessity of avoiding the domain OF
partisan politics.
President Minahan delivered an elo
quent address from which the follow
ing passages are taken:
'sMeddlesome mischiefmakers as
Silma th0t Onr nroSanoo horo hos cow