Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1911-08-05
Archbishops OF North and West
Indorse Idea to Fullest
Extent.
New and Larger Colony VIII
Soon BE Established at
LimOn.
EVERY DIOCESE is INTERESTED

The Right Rev. Bishop Matz, head
of the Denver diocese, is meeting
with great success in his experiment
with a colony of immigrant farmers
established at Stratton, Col, two
years ago. His success has been so
great that 1t has attracted the at
tention of other Catholic prelates and
has started a nationwide movement
that would eventually result in the
establishment of similar colonies in
nearly eevry diocese in the country.
For two years the Catholics of
Denver, on the advice of Bishop
Matz, have experimental quietly with
the evolution of a city-bound immi-
grant into Colorado farmer. They
gave no Publicity to the test, but
awaited results calmly. The colony
at Stratton numbers more than forty
families and all are prosperous. The
acreage is all appropriated, so that
more land will be bought and addi-
tional families will be brought from
Europe and the congested cities of
the United States to till the land.
The soil is fertile and the crops are
rich.
The establishment of the Stratton
colony was the result of a life
long interest Bishop Matz has taken
in rescuing immigrants from city
life. He has observed settlement
work and other experiments for the
betterment of immigrants, finally de-
Gliding that their lot would be i'm
proved by putting them on farms in
the West. The colony at Stratton was
protested along ideas laid down by
the Bisnop. Its advantages were
open to Catholics alone because they
had the common tie of religion and
would work together in closer har-
mony than a mixed colony 1t is
-ssTa 70 nave 6er,r rrt.4itst systematic
effort of the Catholic church in the
United States to colonize the mem-
bers of that faith. II
Archbishops Ireland of st. Paul,
NGlennon of st. Louis and Messmer OF
Milwaukee met in Chicago recently
Ind discussed the colonization of
immigrants. All were familiar with
he Colorado colony's history, and by
le same methods they will seek to
tablish farming centers in various
rts of the South, West and North
vest. 1t is expected that every
Bishop and Archbishop in the United
States will lend assistance in this
york
The expansion of the movement
from a local venture to a nation
wide action will not interrupt the
Individual efforts of the Denver dio-
cese to continue to bring the aimless
immigrant through the ports and on
to the Colorado prairies. A great
tract of land has been purchased
near Limon. Col, where Bishop Matz
will establish another colony similar
to that at Stratton. This tract viii
be cut up into farms and made ready
for the home-seekers. Informal
agents of the Denver diocese have
been busy in New York and abroad
for several months collecting a col
ony of 200 families.
Many OF the immigrants will come
directly from Germany. Russia and
Italy to New York, where they will
be met by agents of the Denver dio-
|cese and escorted to their new homes
bat Limon. Some of them have been
raised in European cities and are
unfamiliar with farming These will
be taught agricultural methods by
Experienced men and by immigrant
Farmers from their respective coun-
| |ries.. The Llmon colony will also
pc recruited from a number OF inn
migrant families recently landed in
New York without any definite idea
pr the future. Bishop Matz and
Is coworkers intend to make pros
erous farmers out OF these city
Pfudges, rescue them from sweat
'ops and develop them with the re-
onsibilities OF a prosperous citizen.