Los Angeles herald., 1891-05-24
LE0'S EXCHEQUER.
The Pope Hard Pressed for
Funds.
Everybody Asks Money of His
Holiness.
He is Lavish in His EndOwments to
Public Institutions.
Gta,,a To txau IN RadnCa fha Exnanaaa of
Steps Taken to Reduce the Expenses of
the vatican-Peter's Pence Not
Sufficient.
Associated Press Dispatches.

ROME, May 23.-The pope is taking
steps to secure a greater economy Of ex-
penditures at the vatican. He has ap.
pointed a commission of cardinals
charged to do their utmost to effect a
reduction in expenses. tits believed to
be the first time since Sextus V. that
the pope has interfered in the consti-
tuition of the congregations of Rome,
The misery in Italy and the effects OF
the national bankruptcy on the funds OF
the vatican have considerably aug
mented the extraordinary expenses.
Everybody asks money of the pope.
Then again the work of the Holy
See is continually increasing. Leo XIII.
has created at Rome, and especially in
the mission fields, special undertakings
which require much money. The cru
sade against slavery has absorbed con-
siderable sums.
The pope is lavish in his endowments
to schools, the sciences and benevolent
agencies. Leo XIII is not so liberal TO
persons as was Plus TX, but to causes
of general interest his generosity bor-
ders on prodigality.
1t is the practice of the radical press
of all countries, and especially OF Italy,
at times to represent the pope as dis
posing of millions on millions, as sur
rounded by all the luxuries and mag
nifcence of an eastern potentate, and as
exploiting for interested purposes the
faith of his people. At other times it
represents the contributions of pence
dwindling to insignificant proportions,
and that the pope will soon be obliged
to accept the annuity of 100000 francs
set apart for him by the Italian govern
ment under the guarantee law. Neither
of these representations is accurate.
While the resources of the pope are less
than the civil list of most European
sovereigns, yet by wise administration
these resources, If not entirely adequate
to all the needs of the church, are
sufficient to insure the working of its
principal services. X stss - ~
The herevenues OF the pontificals budget
are disbursed substantially as follows
At the disposal of the pope, 500 900
francs; cardinals, 200, 900; poor dioceses,
460, 900; prefecture of apostolic palaces,
1,800, 900; Becretaryship of state, l ,000.-
600; employees and functionaries,
100000; parochial schools and aims
giving, ], 100000. .e
The half million at the disposal OF
the pope serves to maintain his house
hold and also to meet other expendi-
lures not included in the other headings
of the budget. The cardinals incuria
are maintained at the expense of the
holy father. The emoluments of each
cardinal amount to 10000 francs.
The fourth item of the budget, that of
the prefecture of palaces, varies between
one and half and two million francs.
1t includes all the expenses for the pom
tificial court, the palace of the vatican
and the apostolic palaces; the mainten-
ance of museums, of galleries of art, etc.
The million francs assigned to the
secretaryship of state, covers the ex-
penses of that office and those of the
nunciatures and apostolic delegations.
The allowance for employees and
functionaries covers only the persons of
faithful servants of the pontifcal govern
ment who refused to pass into the serv-
ice of the Italian government. This item
becomes smaller year by year, as death
thins the ranks of the veterans.
Nearly all the Catholic schools in
Rome are maintained at the charge OF
the pope, and the demands of charity
tend constantly to increase. Outside OF
these ordinary expenses, there is heavy
budget of extraordinary expenses.
The propaganda of faith has already
received three subventions of 100000
francs each, while institutions and acad-
emies of Rome receive subsidies. The
restoration of the basilica of the lateran
has cost 100000 francs. 1t is impossi-
BILE to estimate how much the pope gives
privately.
His resources are difficult to enumer-
ate. Even the administration OF st.
Peters pence, itself, does not know the
exact receipts and the expenditures of
the pope, because Leo XIII receives
directly the greatest sums of the bishops
and laity. A part of this money is de-
voted to extraordinary work and ex-
penses, and part goes toward increasing
the secret fund reserved for future needs.
1t is asserted that this fund absorbed
10000, 900 francs OF the sum received by
the pope on the occasion Of his sacer-
dotal jubilee, in 1887. The average
amount received annually by the pope
in st. Peter'e pence, is between eight
and nine million francs. The United
States now contributes more than
France to this fund, sending annually
100000. Belgium comes next after
France, then Holland, Spain, Germany
opd Lost af oil TtoI.v W