The Irish standard., 1908-11-28
CATHOLIC BISHOP
OF FARGO, n. D.
Ri. Rev. John Stanley Writes
an Epistle to the Clergy
and Laity
Against the Emigration of
His Flock to Province
of Alberta.

Bishop John Stanley. of Fargo. n.
D.. recently addressed an interesting
letter to the clergy and laity Of his
diocese in reference to the emigration
OF Catholic families from North Da-
kota to the Canadian province of AL
berta. He says in part
Dear Brethren: 1t has come to my
certain knowledge that u strong and
concerted effort is being made to de-
populate this diocese by inducing
Catholic farmers to sell their holdings
here and to remove to the Canadian
province of Alberta or elsewhere. At
the time of my visit to Winnepeg, Oct.
4. learned that one priest had in
duced during the last year ~ two over
1000 Catholic families to move from
this state into the province of Alberta.
The priest in question is reported to
have said that North Dakota is the
chosen field for his operations and that
next year he shall do better. The
priest is aided by laymen of some in
fuence in our state. In view of these
facts l deem it my solemn duty to
Utter note of warning to my spiritual
children. and hence this letter.
ITO every thoughtful Catholic man
of family two problems present them
selves, the spiritual and the temporal
II is undeniably the duty of every
father to weigh we'll both of these
problems. and to act on them accord
ing to his best judgment. In matters
spiritual he must consider the eternal
welfare of his family and in matters
temporal, their earthly happiness The
question confronting every father
therefore. is. can ! do better in both
these regards in Alberta than in
North Dakota?
My residence in North Dakota for
the past nineteen years. and my very
intimate knowledge of the conditions
in every part of the state and of most
OF the states of the union, dur
ing that long period, give me Il right,
think, to express my opinion. And
my candid opinion is that nowhere on
tine North American continent can All
Industrious and sober man do better
by cultivating the soil than in this
state; and that nowhere in new
country are the spiritual interests of
Catholics better canh for than in this
diocese"
The bishop then gave statistics Of
the comparative growth of many dio-
ceses in the United States from 1890
to 1898. These statistics show tina:
during the past eighteen years the
clergy in the Fargo district has been
quadrupled and the number Of church.
es have multiplied five times: the do
cese has built So churches more in now
places than any other diocese in the
United States. and there is now one
Church for every 312 r.emhers in the
Fargo diocese against one church for
GIL IL members in Alberta. Regarding
the temporal reasons why the exodus
To Canada is unwise, the Bishop says:
Where under Gods blessed sky is
there land where happy homes are
more easily made than in North la
kota? Dear people, use little COM
mon sense in considering this all-im-
portant question. Do not go, like chill
den, in chase of rainbows. The land
is, here, under your feet. as fertile rs
any on Gods footstool. It's treasures
are awaiting your work. Patience.
perseverance and work. are alone
needed to give you wealth. Do you
need proofs? Ask any neighbor who
has wrought diligently and lived So
berly and prudently. The fools and
absolute have failed. The wise a Id
diligent and Industrious have succeed
ed beyond their fondest ropcs. Where
else on earth can one hear the story
so often told In North Dakota of men
who came here twenty years ago with
fifty or one hundred dollars-men UNI
known in the places of their birth
rho are today shaping the dsstinics II
the great commonwealth Of North Da-
kota. and numbered among rs most
substantial citizens"
Further on in his letter, tile Bishop
says:
Again I say to you, Catholics of my
diocese, use little common sense and
stay where you are. Do your duty as
citizens, and above all do your duty as
Catholics.
ITO be more explicit: No Catholic
priest. working in the interest of mi
grafton from this state can be allowed
to say Mass in this diocese. Nor can
We approve Of any immigration
pamphlets, edited by priests of this
diocese as authority, which tend to in
duce our people to abandon their we'll
established homes and go in search of