River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1918-10-03

was the founding of colony of 900
Catholic farmers in Western Mime
sofa in 1876.
Father Ireland became bishop In
1875 and archbishop in 1886. He re-
ceived support from many of his ad-
mirers for appointment as the fourth
American cardinal Celebrating his
golden jubilee a few years ago the
priests of the diocese presented him
with purse of 100000.
Archbishop Ireland's influence was
felt outside of church circles and nls
merous honors were accorded him.
He was president of the st. Paul Law
and Order league; was prominent in
1898 when, at the request of Pope Leo
XIII, he used his utmost efforts to
have the differences beween the Unit
ed States and Spain settled without
recourse to arms; and he delivered at
Paris the address at the presentation
Of the statue of General Lafayette by
the school children of the United
States to the republic of France July
4, 1900.
The Philippine problem attracted
the attention Of Archbishop Ireland
and he was called in as an adviser by
William H. Taft, then governor of the
Philippines. The degree of LII. D. was
conferred upon him by Yale, France
made him a commander in the Legion
Of Honor, he acted as national chap
L. nd 0R hn 7.
lie, was a lieutenant in the Loyal Le-
gion, was for several years president
of the Minnesota Historical society,
and was founder of the st. Paul Cath
olic Historical society. He was the
author of "The Church and Modern
Society,"" which was written in 1896.
AS a constructive educator he ranked
among the foremost churchmen and
he was instrumental in having educa-
tional institutions in Minnesota placed
in the front rank.
The history of the Catholic church
of the Northwest and its institutions
shows the magnitude and Importance
of the work accomplished during the
ecclesiastical career of John Ireland
and largely through his Instrumental
ity. The archdiocese Of st. Paul was
his fruitful vineyard and the grand
new cathedral is his enduring monu-
ment.
AS a speaker Archbishop Ireland
was direct and magnetic, with a deep
sense of humor. One of the phrases
which has often been quoted as char
acteristic of his particular endeavor
in life Is this:
"The watchwords of the age are
reason, education, liberty, the anchor.
alton of the masses"
On the occasion of Archbishop Ire
lands fftieth anniversary as a priest
| the st. Paul Pioneer Press said:
mo other pre1ate in the history of
the country has had just this partic-
ular experience, this especial oppor-
tunity for greatness. The Roman
Catholic church in America and st.
Paul has had great men, devoted serv-
ants, priests who were statesmen in
| their upbuilding of the church. But
no other diocese has grown from the
! frontier void to the fullness of modern
| life in fifty years and under one supe-
! rior When John Ireland came to st.
Pauls landing it was little more than
trading post in the emptiness of a
| great wilderness, and he was but a
small boy who might have been lost
in the human f1otsam of that unan-
chored time. But as strong and spir.
itual men had come into the wilder.
ness to claim it for the church, so
some instinct in this boy reached back
into the world of culture, wisdom and
tradition, and claimed these for his
own. It is one of the miracles that a
boy who seemed but as other boys in
the frontier village so many years ago
should become one of the leading
churchmen of the world"