Rensselaer Republican, Volume 20, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 September 1887 — GERMAN CATHOLICS. [ARTICLE]

GERMAN CATHOLICS.

A Society "With a Very Long Name Meet in Chicago And Transact “Businoiis”—A Violent Attack Upon the Knight* of Labor—Ths Use of the German Language. ---- The first business session of the German Roman Catholic Central Union of America, was held at Chicago Monday. There were about 300 delegates present. President Spannhorst,\of Detroit, made an address of greeting To the delegates. He claimed that the att’tude of the German Catholics toward other nationalities had been misrepresented, and false reports circulated. In his opinion the German Catholics recognised no distinction of nationalities. No national questions fever came up before their meetings. On the questions at issue between theMrish and German' Catholics, the church alone had authority to decide. He asked .he delegates to use no hard expressions against the other nationalities. The Germans in America were obliged to perserve the German language in their schools. On account of that they had been reproached with trying to Germanise America. That charge was unjust. The Germans were true followers of the church and understood iis teachings. After the appointment of committees, Mr. George Mieich, of S'. Pavl, introjdu<a»d».a resvl u-tiorn, oi wnlcii blre ioitow-* —- ing is a translation:

Whereas, The so-called Knights of Labor come forth from day to day with their talk for the purpose of helping the working men to their fights by unrighteous means, anil trampling law and order under foot, afid trying to destroy scriptural faith, therefore, be it Resolved, That we urge ali Catholic working people to keep away from said societies, for according to our experience such company is not advisable for Catholic working people; for~~WhereProhibitionists, Anarchists and Social- . consult -about the weL fare of mankind, there should not be found any German Catholic workingman. In order to protect the good name of German Catholic societies from all injury, all societies should be exhorted not to receive in their midst any Knights of Labor, and such as are already in them should be induced to leave said order ~of the Knights of Labor. Mr. Alielch spoke in support of this resolution. He claimed that the Knights of Labor had a demoralizing influence upon the German workingmen. He failed to see any difference between the Knights of Labor and other “socialist and prohibitionist .societies.”, He was sorry to see that many Germans were at present members of an order the leaders of which had addressed apetition to Congress against German immigration, w-hile Mr. Powderly had openly shown himself to be a Prohibitionist and an enemy of the Germans. The entire order of the Knights of Labor was governed by Irishmen. The Germans ought to consider it a disgrace to. .be nded by Irish ignoramuses. The remarks were received with applause. Friedrich Ahrends,of St. Louis,moved to lay the resolution on the table, but was voted down, all but two or three delegates voting against him. The resolution was referred to the committee on labor matters.. An interesting “question of principle” was raised when a report from a society of New Orleans was read, which was written in the English language. Objection was made to receiving it on tnat account, and Dr. Tappert moved that .theJSecretary ba instructed t® find cot whether or not the German language was employed as the official medium by that society or not, and, if not, that the Secretary notify the society that the ~Central« Union received no societies but such as did employ the German language exclusively. All this was to be done in a spirit and tone of brotherly love, but it must be insisted upon as it was a question of principle, and not an inch should be yielded. He wanted to have the matter settled at once, but it was referred tb the committee on constitution. V. " „ Eleven Personß Drowned. A great fall of rain prevailed for twenty-four hours in Northern Texas, W r ednesday, causing rivera. to overflow and delaying trains by washouts. Eleven persons, all of whom belonged to one family, named. Schmidt, were drowned at Cleburne. ____ Senator Biddleberger’s Prohibition. Senator Riddleberger purchased the Woodstock, Va., during the week ending Sept. 3. He gave his word that no Uquor should be sold during the fair and ordered the bar-rooms closed.