The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-09-30
DR.. JOHANN GEISBERTS ADDRESSES
CATHOLIC SOCIETY.

Saltwater, September 27.-Followino
the opening of the German Catholic
Benevolent society's fourteenth annua
convention Sunday, the 400 delegates:
a downpour of rain did not prevent
st. Mary's church filing up with dele
gates and others for high pontifcal
mass yesterday morning at nine
O'Clock. The celebrant was Bishop J.
>. Lawler of st. Paul, assisted BIZ a
number of visiting and local priests.
The sermon was delivered by Bishop
S. j. Aschberg.
The first business session was held
at the Auditorium, beginning at ten
O'Clock. Paul Kemp of Wiilona, the
president, delivered his address. tie
was followed by Bishop j.. j. Lawler
OF st. Paul with an address upon or
ganization, efforts and aims. ii
The address of Dr. Johann Geisberts.
member of the German parliament.
was the subject of much favorable
comment. He made it plain that he
was not socialist, as some were in
clined to believe. He combatted the
popular theory of socialism in strong
terms, arguing that working classes
have only their labor and no money
to turn into common fund with the
capitalists, merchants and manufac-
turers for a division among all classes,
and that if there were a division as
claimed by socialists, the working peo-
pie would be expected to give up all
their belongings and soon would be
back in the original condition of lack
of money.
tie cOntrasted differences between the
working classes in America as COM
pared with Europe. They. have bet
ter conditions in this country, he de-
clared, and by methods based on ed
ucation can improve their condition.
He declared that caste in Europe is a
detriment to, the laboring class and
that the people of higher caste in Eu-
rope would not lay down their wealth
and position at the. feet of the social
ist. He spoke of himself having begun
life as an ordinary workman and hav-
ing attained his position through. .edu-
cational methods. .fst
Urges Educational Work.
He advocated with enthusiasm the
organization of laboring people with
religion as component part-such an
organization as. the German Benevolent
societies.
lie argued the Importance of work
ing people providing a fund to instruct
men selected from the working classes,
who should 60 about among the com
mon people to instruct them by
speeches and literature in lettering
their social and educational advan-
tages; teaching the doctrine of per-
forming good service in justice to en-
ploycrs. and urging strong organiza-
ton that would give them influence
enough, to secure wages that will be
commensurate with services rendered
Sunday night a musical comedy in
three acts, illustrative of an anniver-
sary occasion, was given at the Audi
forum by local and st. Paul talent.
The business yesterday was devoted
to the state aid societies of which
there are 10000 members with 100
societies. Today was devoted to the
insurance section, which has, I53 sesie-
ties of men and eighty-eight auNiliaries
FOR women. -Four hundred and thirty
five delegates represent the two Sec
tons here. During the past year the
aid societies had an increase in MEM
bership of 343. They distributed to
widows and orphans about $4,000 to
the sick about $1,000, and about 3d.
600 in other forms of relief.
The insurance section had an in
crease in membership of 1855 men and
300 women. 1t has a reserve fund of
$4,000. The membership is over
10000.