Washington sentinel., 1901-05-25
CATHOLICS

Engaged In Liquor Business Barre,
from knights Of Columbus.
In the early part of last week tn
following despatch was given pub
licity;
Saloon keepers or any persons dealing
in any manner with the manufa cture o
sale Of Intoxicating liquors are to b,
expelled from the Knights of Columbu.
through the enforcement of a rule tha
has long been allowed TO remain a deaC
letter.
Daniel Colwell, national secretary o.
the Knights, said IN an interview that
three wears ago the Order voted "a
exclude liquor dealers, but as subordin
ate lodges recently have paid little heed
to the law the matter is to be taken up
by the national board OF directors,
which will meet at New Haven in July,
If it is found that liquor dealers are still
members of the order, all such will be
expelled and the offending councils
disciplined.
Later on the following appeared
in the Boston REPNblc:
Regarding the dispatch from Water
bury, Connecticut, which stated that
liquor dealers cannot remain in the
order OF the Knights of Columbus,
Supreme Knight Edward l.. Iearn said
that there was no truth in the story.
don't know how it happened that
such a statement originated from Water
bury. Siuce reading 1t l have been
trying to think ofsOme prominent knight
who resides there, but have been unable
to do So
"No, it is not true that every liquor
dealer must get out OF the order
Neither is 1t true that the district depu -
ties have been instructed to forward the
lists OF liquor dealers who have Joined
since June , 1898. II any such instruc-
tions had been issued | think I'd know
about it.
1--WE have been regulating the admis-
sion OF liquor dealers into the order and
they have been promulgated. have no
reason to think that these laws are net
being lived up to
"Our restrictions applied to those
liquor dealers whose applications tor
membership came after June, 1893, and
we have no official knowledge of any
liquor dealer applying for membership
since that date.
81 do not think tlat a. officer of the
Knights Of COlumb IS is authorized to
make any such staten 1T u is attributed
TO Secretary Colwell."
From Supreme Knight Hearn's
communication, then, it appears
that saloon keepers who joined
previous to June I, '0s, will not be
expelled, and that since that date
they have been debarred from ap-
plying.
When the above items appeared
in print curiosity was aroused to
know how far this action Of the
Knights Of Columbus (Which is a
Catholic organization) reflected
the attitude OF the Church towards
those engaged in the liquor busi-
ness.
Among those familiar with the
policy OF the Church on this ques-
tion considerable surprise was ex.
pressed. That Church has always
commended to its membership the
practice OF temperance in all
things-Prudence, Justice, Forti.
tude and Temperance are ITS Car
dinal Virtues. Total abstinence
has been advocated by some Of its
clergymen. Only last week an
entire congregation in Wilkes.
barre, Pa, was pledged to abstain
entirely from the use Of intoxicat-
ing liquors, but no one who took
this pledge believed. and certainly
the clergyman whose work for
year had been directed towards
this end did not proclaim, observ-
ance OF it to be an article OF faith
in the Church.
1t was known too that the Plen-
arY Council of Baltimore had
recommended its communicates
so employed to withdraw there
from as early as possible. So far
as known, however, that council
has never threatened with expul.
sion from the Church those who
refused to obey, or determined to
refuse admission to its pale there
after to liquor sellers. And to this
day the recommendation has re-
mained simply suggestion with
never an attempt to 60 farther or
to give it any other significance.
Regarding the sale OF liquor, as
we understand it, the policy OF the
Catholic Church has always been
to re ;oguize and uphold the laws
governing the traffic laid down by
States or municipalities. Wher.
ever licensed, it has held the busi-
ness to be legal one, and wher.
ever forbidden it has recognized il
as illegal. A. all times and place.