The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1902-08-02

| grander mission for the Stars s ~.
stripes 10 begin the civilization of tbe
: twentieth century. The cosmopo1itar
Ism or our American life TODAY cI+s
very little practical figure. We follow
what customs we please: we speal--
Whatever language suits us, and above
all is the shield of the power of Amar-
| lean unity.
| SO in the present method of organ
lzation the Federation. with its coustf-
tuition properly interpreted. saws II,
| every society: Keep your senars.'
aims. your distinct objects. Cline
to your customs and traditions Pc
tain your languages. All this is Inc
business of each society. It is not m.
concern. nor is it within the itIrfsdi..
ton of the Federation. Our Federaffo,
has no right, nor has il any desire tn
NEEDLE with these matters. What -r.
want is your CathOlicity, your citizen
ship, in our effort to fashion a grand
homogeneous unit that will stand for
all societies. for all nationaHties. fl,
protect their Catholic citizenshfn
Every society. all organizations. ra
naming absolutely unaffected in ever,
particular. aside from the one aim NJ
Federation; remaining absolutely i'm
control of its own organization aims
and methods; may we not hope that
for the purposes of Federation tFe-
can see their way to meet the common
ground of Catholic citizenship-thus
eliminating within the portals of Fed
Grafton the otherwise Earring eIemeD,
of nationality?
Under the constitution adopted in
Cincinnati all Catholic societies and
branches thereof are entitled to full
and complete recognition in the Chica-
no
for permanent organization. as defined
by the constitution, is along the lines NJ
local or county. state and national
Federation. This was thought wisest
from the necessity of environment.
Suppose we aim to build permanently
along other lines. Suppose a national
convention of the Federation. so cOnsti-
tuted permanently that it may be made
up of the great national organizations
with their human nature of striving
for precedence and control; with their
natural jealousies and contentious for
direction: suppose to this you add COM
pOnent parts made up Of a German an
Irish Federation, Bohemian Fedora
ton, a Polish Federation, etc, each
distinct and supreme say it would
tax the genius of Mr.. Dooley himself
to picture the scene and sum the gen
eral catastrophe.
If the state and national orgaEiza-
tions were to unite so that each re-
served the right TO do as it pleased in
the matter of protecting Catholic in
terests. there could be no discipline no
system, and consequently no unity Of
purpose or action.
There are those who feel Indifferent
or even hostile to Federation under the
mistaken impression that it may in
some way interfere with or lessen the
influence of some separate society
The existence and practical working Of
Federation. in either its aims or meth
DDS, will have no effect whatever upon
the objects or absolute autonomy Of
any society. Each society and branch
thereof affiliated with the Federation
will hold the usual tenor of its way alb
solutely unaffected. and pursue its sep
arate work as though Federation had
never been thought of. Federation in
city, county and state will not encroaCh
upon local or district societies. 1t
will only serve as a common bond
of unity for the promotion and pro-
lection of the rights common to all.
leaving each in every respect free and
absolutely independent in its own
separate affairs and specific aims.
Whatever Federation may achieve will
work will necessarily be directed to-
wZrds simply the protection and pro-
motion of the Catholic citizenship Of
all.
If there is to be unity. something Of
absolute independence must necessar-
ily be conceded. The measure of indie
pendence conceded is so limited that it
in no way interferes with the general
objects and separate aims of any or
ganization. 1t is confided to our object
the promotion and protection of the
Catholic citizenship common to all. If
each could affect this purpose separate
ly. unless united action were a neces-
sary means to such common end there
would be no reason for unity of action.
Because it is self-evident they can bet
ter accomplish this purpose together
this is the necessity for unity.
If the great national organizations
were to enter federation permanently
by a direct representation of their ma
tional officers or other delegates there
would be serious danger of such emu
lation for direction and control as
might beget those jealousies and con-
tentions for supremacy necessarily IN
herent in the direct combination of
separate and distinct dependencies.
Just here 1 should perhaps admit that
the effort to unity Catholic societies has
been, and it still is, beset with many
perplexities. with great difficulties. We
fully realize the dangers pointed out
by friend and foe. Abiding, however,
is our conviction as TO the necessity for
and the advantages of federation. Dill
fculties and even dangers at times
necessarily sentinel the pathway lead
ing to the priceless things. Should we
on that account be willing to permit Il
would, wait upon / dare not?'
We are aware, too, there are wide
of opinion even unneces-
sarily angry dissensions as to the best
methods of getting together. This only
proves again the truth that
60 'Tis with our judgment as our
watches,
None go Just alike, yet each believes
his own"
The executive officers of the feder-
alton. Influenced only by faithfulness
to the trust confined by the Cincinnati
have aimed to carry out
that method of organization unmis-
takably defined by the national con-
convinced of the wisdom OF
the method for permanent organiza-
ton there outlined yet mindful of the
practical necessity for concessions and
even essential changes in this method
so as to conciliate as far as possible
those of different views and secure the
cooperation of each and every exist
ing Catholic body, the executive and
advisory boards. at the last session,
appointed a committee to meet all
those who may wish to counsel with 1t
upon this important and difficult sub
iect of method of organization. For
that purpose the committee will be In
Chicago several days prior to the con-
vention. Looking toward solution OF
this difficulty as to just what is the
best method of getting together; en-