The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-06-22
CATHOLIC COLONIZATION
SOCIETY.


The Catholic Colonization Soci-
ETY. is an organization incorporated
under the laws of the State of IL
linois in 1911 for the purpose of
fostering, promoting and protect
ing Catholic interests through Ca
tholic colonization. 1t is national
in scope in as much as it's opera
tions are not confined to any one
section Of the United States, and
it's membership comprises repre-
sentatives of the different races
that go to make up the Catholic
population Of this country-Bel-
gians, Germans, Irish, Bohemians,
Italians and Poles. It has the ap-
prevail of the American Hierarchy
who are represented officially by
the Most Reverend Archbishop
Glennon of St. Louis, it's Director
General, and the Most Reverend
Archbishop Messmer Of Milwau-
kee, Chairman of the Executive
Committee. The officers Of the So
ciety are: President, Rev. Julius
De Vos,, Chicago; Vice President,
Right Reverend Mgr. Mcmahon,
New York; Secretary, Very Rev.
E. J. Vattmann, Wilmette, Ill;
Treasurer, Rev. A. Spetz, G. R.,
Chicago. It's office is located in the
Temple, Chicago, Ill.
The Catholic Colonization Soci-
ETY. is DESTROYS that other coloniz-
alton societies, whether national or
diocesan, affiliate with it in order
to facilitate the work Of establish
ing Catholic colonies in the newer
parts Of the country. The Society
is in no sense Of the word a fnan-
cial organization established for
money-making or proft-sharing
purposes. 1t has no capital, buys
and sells no land, does not control
any land or colony and is not f.
nancially interested in any land
company. It's sole purpose is to
assist Catholic immigrants in find
ing a home in the United States
and forming colony in which ia
cilities will be afforded for the
practice of their religion. To that
end it deals with reputable land
companies whose honesty and re-
liability are beyond question.
The policy which the Society
follows in dealing with land COM
panies DESTROYS of starting one or
more Catholic colonies on their
holdings is as follows: It exam
ines, by it's own selected agents,
the particular tract of land offered
for Catholic colony, giving speci-
al attention to climate and sani-
tary conditions, the quality and
productiveness Of the soil, the ia
cilities for transportation and
marketing, the means of communi-
cation with other towns, the sup
wood, timber and fuel, good
and healthful drinking water and
so on. When the Society has sui
ficient assurance that the land Of
fered is we'll adapted for colonial
ton and may be safely recon-
mended to prospective settlers, it
arranges with the land company
for the reservation of such por-
lions of the land as will be neces-
sary for the location and develop
ment of a colony. It then agrees
upon the most favorable prices
and terms for which the land will
be sold to Catholic settlers.
Besides all this the Society ar
ranges with the land company
for the building Of a suitable
church, school and priests house
to be erected within certain time
or as soon as a given number of
Catholic families shall have settled
there. The Company must, more
over, guarantee the salary Of a
priest for a certain time to be
agreed upon. None Of these ar,
rangements are made without the
previous consent of the Bishop OF
the diocese in which the colony is
located. When these prelimina.
ries have been settled in satisfac.
tory manner the Catholic Coloni.
zation Society gives a formal en-.
dorsement or recommendation OF
the colony and brings it before the
Catholic public in this country and
in Europe. This recommendation
applies only to the land examined
by the Society and described in
its contract with the company and
not to any or all other lands owned
by the company, even though they
are in close proximity to the
tracts approved of by the Society