IOWA
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IOWA
executive ability. The thirty-four years of his epis-
copacy were an era of great progress for the Diocese
of Dubuque. Priests and teachers, churches and
schools were multiplied in all parts of the state, new
religious orders were introduced, and hospitals and
asylums foundetl. The work became too great for
one man, and in ISSl the diocese was divided, and
the new Diocese of Davenport founded, comprising
the southern portion of the state. In 1S9.3 Bishop
Hennessy was made first Archbishop of Dubuque;
he died 4 March, 1900.
On 24 July, 1900, Rome selected as successor to Archbishop Hennessy, the Most Rev. John J. Keane, titular .\rchbishop of Damascus, at one time Bishop of Richmond, Va., and first rector of the Catholic University of America. The results of his great ability and wide experience are shown in the marvel- lous growth of the Church within the limits of the state since his arrival. In the .■\rchdiocese of Du- buque, he has thoroughly organized his clergy, in- creased the number of priests and parishes, and, by his episcopal visitations, has become acquainted with all parts of his territory. The cause of religious edu- cation has been the object of his special care, and the flourishing state of St. Joseph's College and other institutions of higher learning, and the number of children attending the parochial schools demonstrate the success of his labours. He e.xpends all the rev- enues from the property of the archdiocese in the building of churches and schools. Among new orders introduced by him are: the Sisters of the Good Shep- herd, who have two houses, one in Dubuque, the other in Sioux City; the Sisters of the Order of St. Dominic; the Brothers of Mary. He has also organized an apostolate band of diocesan priests. An enthusiastic advocate of temperance, many temperance societies have been formed at his instance. At his advent, in the cities in the eastern part of the state, the provi- sions of the modified liquor law, known as the Mulct Law, were entirely ignored, and saloons were open on Sundays. Archbishop Keane, by his sermons and addresses, and attendance at public meetings, aroused public sentiment in favour of the law, with the result that now, in all parts of the state, the Mulct Law is strictly carried out, and the observance of Sundays enforced. In 1902, at the instance of the archbishop, twenty-four counties in the north-western part of the state were separated from the archdiocese and formed into the Diocese of Sioux City.
The province of Dubuque includes the States of Iowa, Nebraska, and Wyoming. The State of Iowa is divided into three dioceses. (1) The Archdiocese of Dubuque occupies that part of the state north of the counties of Polk, Jasper, Poweshiek, Iowa, Johnson, Cedar, and Scott, and east of the counties of Kossuth, Humboldt, Webster, and Boone, and has an area of 18,048 square miles. (2) The Diocese of Sioux City comprises 24 counties in the north-western part of the state, west of Winnebago, Hancock, Wright, Hamil- ton, and Story Counties, and north of Harrison, Shelby, Audubon, Guthrie, and Dallas Counties, its area being 14,518 square miles. The present Bishop of Siou,x City is the Rt. Rev. Philip Joseph Garrigan, residing at Sioux City, Iowa. (3) The Diocese of Davenport, with an area of 22,873 square miles, com- prises all tliat portion of the state soutli of tin- other two di(jccscs and extends from the Mississippi Itivcr to the Missouri River. The present Bishop of Daven-
fort is the Rt. Rev. James Davis, Davenport, Iowa, n 1909, according to the Wiltzius "Official Catholic Directory", there were in the state .')79 churches, 492 priests, 27 dilTerent religimis onlcrs, 2S li()s|)it;ds and asylums, and a total of :!7. 151 child rcii being taken care of in .schools and other institutions. The ( 'atholic popu- lation of the state is as follows: Diocese of Dubuque, 111,112; Dioce.se of Davenport, 75,518; Diocese of Sioux City, .'■)4,.';43. Total (Catholic population, 24 1 ,173.
The best of feeling exists amongst the different
denominations, and there is but little bigotry any-
where in the state. The Constitution provides that
the General .\ssembly shall make no law respecting
the establishment of religion or prohibiting the free
exercise thereof, and that no religious test shall be
required as a qualification for any office, or public
trust, and no person shall be deprived of any of his
rights, privileges, or capacities, or disqualified from the
performance of any of his public or private duties, or
rendered incompetent to give evidence in any court
of law or equity in consequence of his opinions on the
subject of religion. By statute, the disturbance of
public worship is punished by fine or imprisonment,
and the breach of Sunday by "carrying firearms,
dancing, hunting, shooting, horse racing, or in any
manner disturbing a worshipping assembly or private
family, or buying or selling property of any kind, or
engaging in any labour except that of necessity or
charity" is punished by fine and imprisonment. In
general all stores in cities and towns are closed on
Sunday. The customary form of oath is: "I do
solemnly swear". Placing the hand on the Bible is
not required. A person conscientiously opposed to
taking an oath may affirm. The use of blasphemous
or obscene language is prohibited under penalty of
fine and imprisonment. By custom, a chaplain is
appointed by each branch of the Legislature, and the
daily sessions are opened with prayer. In addition
to Sunday, the only days which are recognized as
religious holidays are Christmas and Thanksgiving
Day. By statute, no minister of the Gospel, or
priest of any denomination is allowed, in giving testi-
mony, to disclose any confidential communications
properly entrusted to him in his professional capacity
and proper to enable him to discharge the functions
of his office according to the usual course of practice
or discipline. The statutes of the state provide that
any three or more persons of full age, a majority of
whom shall be citizens, may incorporate themselves
for the establishment of churches, colleges, seminaries,
temperance societies, or organizations of a benevolent,
charitable, or religious character. Any corporation
so organized may take and hold by gift, purchase,
devise, or bequest, real and personal property for
purposes appropriate to its creation. The corpora-
tion shall endure for fifty years and may be then re-
incorporated. As a rule, real estate in the State of
Iowa belonging to the Catholic Church is held in each
diocese in the name of the bishop. All grounds and
buildings used for benevolent and religious institu-
tions and societies devoted to the appropriate objects
of these institutions, not exceeding 160 acres in extent,
and not leased or otherwise useil with a view to pe-
cuniary profit, are exempt from taxation. Cenie-
teries are also exempt. The State imposes what is
called a collateral inheritance tax of 5 per cent on all
property within the state which passes, by will, or by
the statutes of inheritance, or by deed to take eflfect
after the death of the grantor, to collateral heirs or
strangers to the blood. From this tax are exempt
bequests or deeds to charitable, educational, or re-
ligious institutions within the state, and, by a statute
pa.ssed in 1909, there is also exempt from this tax
"any bequest not to exceed $500 to and in favour of
any person having for its purpose the performance
of any religious service to be performed for and in
behalf of decedent or any person nametl in his or her
last will, or any cemetery associations ", thus exempt-
ing bequests for Masses. Clergymen are excused
from jury service, and the Constitution of the State
provides "that no person having conscientious scru-
ples against bearing arms shall be compelled to do
military duty in time of peace."
Prohibition of the sale of intoxicating liquors is still the law of the state, but in cities where a majority of the voters consent, liquors may be sold by com-
