The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1914-02-14


who will dare to assert that the Cath
olic Church is the friend of the sa-
loon? Gould she more forcibly or in
clearer terms declare her utter alb.
horrence of the nefarious traffic?
That she cannot be accused of in
sincerity in this denunciation and in
her desire to rid herself of even the
suspicion of harboring this monster of
iniquity within her bosom is shown by
an incident which occurred a few
years after the PRONUNCIATION of these
DEGREES in which she defines the status
of the liquor traffic within her Ameri-
can Jurisdiction. In 1894, the late
Bishop Watterson of Columbus, Ohio,
cast bombshell into the ranks of
the Catholic saloonkeepers of his dio.
cese by declaring that the DEGREES of
the Councils of Baltimore were not a
dead letter, and that they would be
strictly enforced within the territory
under his Jurisdiction. He made a
ruling that no liquor dealer or saloon
keeper could hold any official position
in any existing Catholic organization
or any branch thereof; that they
would not be admitted to membership
in any new society or new branch of
an old one; and that saloonkeepers
who persisted in selling on Sunday or
otherwise conducted their business in
an unlawful manner would be excluded
from the Sacraments. What was the
result of this legislation? Those af-
fected by the law protested against its
enforcement as too drastic a measure.
ana went so far in their opposition to
1t as to appeal to the late Cardtna !,
satolli, then Apostolic Delegate. in the
nope that he would declare it at var,
ance with the teaching of the church
lney were soon convinced of their
mistake; for they were told that tho
uisnops decree was Gin harmony with
'ne laws OF the Church and reasonah1e
ano necessary to the honor Of tho
onurch' Therefore" says the dele.
gate' those things which tho p,as.
reverend Bishop has commandad ~
ms Decree I approve, and decide that
'hey are to be observed"
Ih1s decision brands tho A,,
sa "a n. everywhere with the disfavor
VI the Church." AS a conseouanaa
the saloonkeeper must not ha me-
n na.'eeo TO appear in any capacity as a
representative of the Church nor -
prominent Catholic, and he must ~
Aep. aloof from all places of honor .na
1.stlnctlon In the Church." It ia to hs
.1sretted' however, that this decree
wn'ch is Tin harmony with tho ,a,,s
OF the Church." is not enforcod 10
every diocese in America. 1t would d. r.,
"or.o OF good in giving practical
e~piess'on to the attitude of tho
onurch, and in enhancing her nras.,-e
as a leader in the fight now hs,ns
waged against the saloon.fed ,,omas
traffic, leu hquor
We need to hear once moro :,
day fearless denunciation ~ Tho :.
quor traffic from the lips of orr an,
pointed leaders, and thus receive the
assurance that they will not ba.,+ata
10 blaze the trail along which wa arc
70 walk; that they will never lower
the flag until this enemy Of human
peace and national progress CEASES to
curse the land. The Church in Amer.
lea, to be faithful to her mission. must
guide and direct into the proper chan.
mel the great moral revolution ushered
In by the twentieth. century. She must
continue to be in the van of the forces
of righteousness which make for true
temperance reform. She must not
seek, much less accept, favors from
the foe. Through her leaders she
must bring to bear upon the problems
which agitate humanity the light of
her traditional wisdom.
If the Catholic Church cannot fur.
nish the world with a rational and ade.
quate solution of the drink problem,
then there is grave reason to fear
that the world must continue to groan
In despair beneath the burdens it i'm.
poses. We cannot, nay, we must not,
doubt that the all-merciful God will
one day harken to the cry of His drink
oppressed people and bid His Church
lead them out of the saloon-made bond.
age of Egypt into the freedom of a
new Land of Promise. It is for us to
labor and pray that the interest and
activity of the Catholic Church in all
the things that make for human well
fare, may, sooner or later, find a way
to dash the dragon of intemperance
from his throne in human hearts and
rescue from lives of sin and wretched-
ness all who have felt or who are in
danger of feeling the scourges of his
imperious sway.
The Trustees of the Home Rule
Fund have issued Manifesto, thank
ing the people for their support, and
stating that no appeal will be made
for the Fund for the present year.
except in case Of unforeseen emer-