The age-herald., 1901-12-11
First Days Session Began in Washington With 300
 Delegates Present
REPRESENT 6OO,OOO PEOPLE
Telegram of congratuIation Is Sent to the Pope and One to Presi- dent Roosevelt, Hedging
 Their Loyalty.

Cincinnati, December 1o.-The American Federation of Catholic Societies Is now permanently established. In his dis course in the morning at St. Peters Ca- thedral Dr. M. J. Lavelle, rector of St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York. elo- quently sounded the keynote in favor of the federation. He was followed by Arch bishop Elder, who discussed the need of unity of action as well as of purpose, and predicted great results in the future by the union of Catholic organizations.
 Prof. Anthony Matre, president of the Cincinnati Federation; Governor Nash, Mayor Fleischman, T. B. Monahan, presi- dent of the Ohio Federation; President Fries, Vice President Fitzgerald and others were all enthusiastic in their speeches at the opening of the convention In the Auditorium. predicting good re- suits for the society and the country, the address of Governor Nash being repeat edy cheered as he referred to the good work of the church for law and order and for the suppression of anarchy.
 Addresses were then made by Bishop Macs of Covington, Ky, Bishop Horst1 man of Cleveland. Bishop McFaul of
 
 Green Bay, Wis. Bishops Horstman and McFaul spoke at: length, the latter to show that the federation proposed to ad- vance benevolent. social and Christian work, and especially to assist the Catho- lie press and disseminate Catholic litera- ture.
 The address of Bishop McFaul was re- garded as an official statement from the clergy and that of T. B. Monahan as an official statement from the laity. Presi- dent Monahan demonstrated that the federation was one for Christians, and hot one for politicians.
 The committees are in session tonight, and hereafter night sessions of the con vention will be held.
 Five Hundred Delegates Present. About five hundred delegates are pres ent, representing an estimated aggregate of about 600,0J, as the membership of the cooperating societies
 The officers of the Federation and of the different societies continued their conferences over the construction of a constitution that would be acceptable to all of the societies.
 At a. m. the parade, consisting of the local societies, acting as an escort of the delegates and visiting prelates, proceeded from the headquarters of the Federation at the Grand Hotel to the cathedral. Nhcic II dlhSi &udlihdH WAS Ol ceremonies and Bishop Horstman of Cleveland celebrated mass the opening sermon being delivered by Dr. Lavalle pastor of the cathedral in New York Archbishop Elder presided on the throne with the visiting bishops in the sanctu- ary. The music of the large choir was a feature of the ceremonies at the cathe- dral.
 Proceed to Cathedral.
 The delegates proceeded direct from the Cathedral to the Auditorium, where Anthony Matre, president of the Cincin- natl Federation, introduced those making the welcoming addresses, as follows: Governor Nash, on the part of Ohio; Mayor Fleischmann, on the part of Gin cinnati, and President T. B. Menahan of Columbus, on the part of the Ohio Fed eration. President Freis and Judge Thomas W. Fitzgerald of New York vice president of the Federation, responded to the addresses of welcome. after which the convention proceeded with its business in executive session.
 At the afternoon session committees were appointed and went to work tonight Just before adjournment motion was adopted directing the secretary to cable expressions of good will to the Pope and request his blessing for the federation and to send a telegram to President Roosevelt pledging him the loyal support of Christian citizens.