Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1914-01-03
The Right Rev. Joseph Busch
Deals New Blow to the
HOmestake.
Also Secures Option On a Num-
ber of Promising Ore
Leases.
CIRCULAR SHOWS SINCERITY

Falls, S. D., brings news that the
Right Rev. Joseph F. Busch, Bishop
Of the Catholic church of the dio-
cese of Lead, has filed a-petition
with the Federal Secretary of Com
merce and Labor asking an investi-
cation of the workings of the Home
stake mine. Bishop Busch formerly
made his headquarters at Lead.
where the mines of the Homestake
Company are situated, but because
of the refusal of the mining COM
pany TO heed his request that the
hours of labor of the miners en-
ployed by the company be so ar
ranged that there would be no inter
ference with their attendance at
church services on Sunday, he some
weeks ago transferred the head
quarters of the diocese to Rapid
City.
The struggle between the Bishop
and the mining company had its in
ception in an address of Bishop
Busch at the annual convention of
the American Federation of Catholic
Societies in Milwaukee. While
Bishop Busch spoke quite plainly on
Sunday observance and severely
criticized the mining company Off
cials for their refusal to permit the
men in their employ to be free to
attend church services, he since has
maintained his remarks were re-
printed in garbled form in some of
the Black. Hills newspapers, adding
fuel to the controversy between
himself and the mining company.
In the evident effort to conduct a
mine along lines which will meet his
views of Sunday observance, Bishop
Busch is said to have recently Sc
cured options on number of
promising mining leases. the expec-
tation being that he viii arrange to
have the mining ground covered by
the leases developed in the near
future. It was reported from the
Keystone mining district of the
Black Hills that he had taken an
option on all the mining claims be-
longing to Patrick O'Keefe, and next
spring will start on a compre-
hensive scheme for developing the
ground. The claims are adjoining
the Hcly Terror mine, which proved
one of the richest in the Black Hills
while it was worked.
Since the commencement of the
with the Homestake
Company Bishop Busch has, it is
understood, kept the Cardinals,
and Bishops of the
church in the United States fully
advised of the various developments
and of his various actions, and ii is
further understood that all these
of the church fully sus-
tain his action.
Even the opponents of Bishop
Busch give him credit for absolute
in taking the stand he does
on the question of Sunday rest for
the miners employed by the Home
stake Company. His sincerity is
shown in this paragraph, which ap-
peared in public circular issued by
him:
81 gratefully acknowledge the do
nation of $1,000 without the least
by the Homestake Min
ing Company toward the pro-Cathe-
dral school and auditorium erected
last year in order to draw our peo-
pie more closely to the church, but
and Sincerely were | to be
offered many times the amount mem
toned, even an amount sufficient to
pay our entire indebtedness and
provide an endowment for all our
current expenses, would gladly
forego such donation. il only we
could secure that freedom of wor-
ship. the necessity of which even the
civil law recognizes, but which
local conditions make it Impossible
to enjoy"