Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1908-10-04
BISHOPS In CRUSADE
Irish Prelates Start War on Drinking
at Wakes and Parties.
INJURIES LIVING, INSULTS DEAD
Anti Treating League to Lend
Strength to Movement.
AMERICANS BUILD BIG VESSELS
White Star Line Decides to Break
Records with Steamers.
BRINGS RELIEF TO WORKERS
Distress in Linen Trade OF Ireland
Due to Conditions the Result
of American Presiden-
tiaI Election.

by the Roman C2thOlic DlsnOpS, anu every
Sunday for the last few months pastoral
messages condemning the vice Of drunken
ness have been read at the churches at all
the services The latest pronouncement
has been made by the Right Rev. DR..
Hoarem, bishop OF Ardagh, who attacks
the practice Of drinking at wakes and at
the farewell parties given in honor OF de-
parting emigrants. The drinking at
wakes, he declares, is not only harmful
to the living, but disrespectful to the dead.
Drinking at harvest was also attacked and
the bishop appealed to the clergy and the
people TO do all in their power to dis
countenance these abuses.
The bishop of Ferns has also Issued a
pastoral letter condemning the practice OF
supplying drink at threshings and appeal
ing to the people to join the anti-treating
league and to wear the shamrock badge
as q reminder that they are soldiers in
the great army that Is fighting to win
ireland from drunkenness,
Two New Steamships.
Everyone in Belfast is rejoicing at ths
announcement that the White Star line,
which, although It sails under the British
flag, is controlled by American capitalists,
has at last decided to proceed with the
construction OF the two steamships Titanic
and Olympic which are to be nearly twice
as large as the largest vessels now afloat.
The keel blocks Of the olympic have al
ready been laid down at Harland &
wolff's shipyard, and the blocks for the
Titanic will be laid early in January.
These two great ships will give employ
ment to thousands of men and will do
much 70 relieve the abnormal distress
which the workers of the northern capital
have been suffering from for many months.
Half OF Harland & Wolfrs staff have been
laid off for more than six months while
the slips for the new ships were being
prepared. and few weeks ago It was an
nounced that they would not be built at
present on account Of the continued de-
preston in trade. The Improvement in
American conditions has encouraged the
white Star people. however, and work Is
now begun.
Another great industry in Belfast-the
linen trade--is suffering from the unset
tied state OF Affairs due to the presiden-
tal election in America. The United States
is Belfast's best customer for linen goods,
and there are a number of mills which
make exclusively for the American trade.
All of these are doing practically nothing
now. as the American importers are afraid
that the proposed tariff changes may af-
feet their goods and they are importing
nothing until the election is decided one
way or the other. In the meantime thou
sands OF linen operatives are out OF work.
Women In Serious Straits.
The real extent of the distress may be
gathered from a statement published in
one of the Belfast papers a few days ago,
1t was that the Belfast police had been
compelled by the Increase of street vice
to undertake a purity crusade. and that in
consequence the local prisons had become
so full on the female side that the au-
thorites had been compelled to transfer
large patches OF women to the Armagh
and Derry jails. The explanation offered
was that the distress among the women
and girls normally employed in the liner
industry was so great that many had beer
driven by sheer starvation to this mos
degrading OF all means of earning a liv.
ing.
The whole country. and England as we'll
has been hoaxed by an ingenious joker
at Donaghadee. County Down. Late one
night last week he telegraphed TO a Belfas
paper full and circumstantial account ot
the slaughter OF the sea serpent at tn,
Copeland islands, off Donaghadee. The seg
serpent had been reported in Belfast Lougl
few days before, and the paper swallowed
II whole. The sea serpent was described
as being about thirty feet long with
body six feet In diameter, near the head
and tapering to about six inches at tn,
tail. II had three large fins and a heat
like a giant conger eel, but II was no eel
for It was covered with scales. According
TO the tale, It sighted by two age
fishermen, one Of whom ran for his gun
suocumbed. horse was procured and TN
monster was dragged up on the beach
where II lay for all to see.
story sOIemRIy Printed.
The account was solemnly printed an,
telegraphed to other papers all over tn
kingdom which printed it with equa
Foemnity ana special correspondents wer
rushed to Donaghadee to see and describ
the great sea serpent for themselves. Tn
elements favored the joker, for the sci
was 90 rough for four days that no on
could cross TO the Copelands. and, in tn
meantime, the special correspondent
amused themselves by celebrating tn
story OF the slaughter OF the sea serpen
and telegraphing the elaborations at greA
length TO their journals. English savant
wrote learned treatises on the confirmatio
OF the old legend. and seafaring men VIII
had seen the serpent IN various parts Q
the world, declared over deep potation
that they were vindicated.
Then tho weather cleared and the cor
respondents chartered all the boats 4
Donaghadee and descended to the Cope
lands. only TO find out that there was n
sea serpent: that there had never been an
sea serpent, and that the ancient fisher
men--who really eNisted-had never pos
sessed a gun.
The egregious Lord Ashtown. who's
''bomb explosion" created such stir
short time ago, has come into the lime
liRht again. This time he appeared at IN
petty sessions as the prosecutor Of a police
man who was walking across one OF hl
1Cont,npea on Second PsEe1 -