The Republican journal., 1869-06-17
HIS HOLINESS, Plus TX.

On the 18th of May, 1912, the present Pope
ot Rome was born. He is therefore seventy
seven wears of age, and though all accounts
represent Pic Mono ~ being in excellent
health. it cannot be LONG in ihe ordinary
course of events before his successor will have
ID be chosen. The authority to elect it vest
at in the College of Cardinals. The right of
a cardinal 10 vote cannot under any circum-
stances be challenged, for it has been held so
~-crrd that even hercSv or accommodation
cannot affect it but the decision of the Col
legc of Cardinals is not 4 tinality in the pro-
cess OF electng a pope. The sovereigns of
France, Spain, and Austria have the veto
power. and they can do it without sending
any explanatory message 10 the Cardinals
History presents few examples illustrating
The enforcement Of this right In 1880 the
Court of Madrid blackbaled Cardinal Gus
linian
The Court, of Naples and Portugal have
contended for the right OF veto. but the privi-
legc has never been allowed. And now from
The fact that the Bourbon, Queen Isabella
has been expelled from Spain, the confirma-
tion OF the election of Pho NonoS successor
viii be- determined by the Courts of France
and Austria alone America is not without a
deep interest in this matter. The Catholic
Church and the Catholic influence in this
country are of daily increasing strength and
Importance, and the political and warlke
combinations now going on in Europe may
De 50 arranged AS 10 secure a large portion of
th+ influence either directly or Indirectly in
their favor For instance, ii is stated by Eu-
ropean correspondents that an alliance often
elve and defensive is in process of formation
between Spain, France, and England against
the ntcd States. The state Of our own Gov
eminent, represented abroad by a set of new
men, for the most part uneducated bigoted,
and wholly nskilled in diplomacy, controlled
at home by men blinded by partisanship and
Guided alone by selt-wll the, States of the
Union yet disunited, Disconnected, and an
archical; hostile expeditions against friendly
Powers openly fitting out and openly sailing
from our principal ports; the deep but preg-
nant mutterings of the people, groaning I'M
der the weight of the public debt and of tax
alton; the admitted corrupt state of society at
large, wherein all manner of sin, all species
Of deception, all kinds Of lying and stealing
and murder 90 unchecked, and the quick,
:altling. and the most suggestive support
@iycn to the lmperialist, the newspaper organ
Of those whose party slogan is 1.-The Empire
is Peace'-all, IN Il statesman's eye, invests
the election of a new pope with great interest
an interest better compromised when the
fact is stated that the probable successor OF
Plus X. will be Cardinal Lucen Bonaparte
High in favor with the Court Of France, hay
ing in the continuance Of the Napoleonic dy-
nasty family interest, also, by the rarest OF
combinations, pre-eminently popular with the
Court of st. James; acceptable to the House
OF llapsburg, reverenced and beloved by al
llaly-this young, splendidly impressive and
eloquent silent Prince of the Church will be-
come the custodian of the keys of St. Peter
and of the piscatorial ring under circumstan
ces of the protoundest importance to the peo
pie of the United States. washington I'm
ION.