The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-12-29

| NOME, Dcc. 0-lne fOWerbs tne IoU ooo'
the Catholics. and public opinion In Europe
are all occupied with the question Of the sue
cessor OF Leo KILL Never before. perhaps.
has the Conclave had SO much interest for po-
liticians and men OF intellect. This question
is. in the words Of the poet:
| Mise su centre de tout, CONNIE un echo sonore.
The interests Of general politics.the future Of
the difficulty between tho Vatican and the Ital-
ian State. tho future form of the central Govern
ment. the relations between tho Pope and the
German Catholic cabinets. tho destinies Of Italy
and the development Of tho Papacy. are all SO
many problems turning upon the future choice
Of the Roman Catholic Cardinals. as upon the
! pivot OF moral and human affairs The accred-
tied ambassadors both to the Holy See and the
Quirinal are making Investigations and pre-
| pairing their pointlngs. The Triple Alliance has
concerted It's plan. Russia has gathered all
possible Information on tho subject; Franco
has national interest in 1t: Portugal Spain.
and England openly profess their preferences
and sympathies. At the Vatican and in the
Catholic world It is tho dominant question.
At the present time the different groups arc
| engaged In their calculations Newspapers and
books have dealt with the question. and we
sec everywhere political pressure diplomatic
movements. and campaigns.
But this delicate subject has not yet been
treated with competence and Wilderness. Its
very completely arrests. SO to speak. the COM
mentators. One must have q knowledge based
on constant study Of the elements which con-
stitute the problem. to be able to follow with
interest and benefit the unfolding and the
secret action Of all the factors that will influence
the choice OF the Conclave Moreover. these
contradictory interests and political passions
have been made to set forth the nature OF
the problem. One OF the first came from NJ
de Cesare. q liberal Italian writer who has
made q speciality OF ecclesiastical affairs, q
sort Of journalistic Paolo SarpL In 1886 he
wrote heavy volume on the last and the next
Conclave. just at the moment when the Govern
ment Of Italy. unable to bend the infiexible
political conscience OF the Pope in the matter
Of Cancellation. broke with Loo XIII. and
began to concentrate all its anxious hope upon
the chosen one of the next Conclave. But.
after ALL this work is only a chronicle Of more
or less good taste. 1t is mixture OF vague
hopes. fantastic conjectures. and poor por-
traits Of the Cardinals considered papabiH, the
whole enhanced by dissertation ON the liberty
Of the Conclave. which. in his opinion. proves
the liberty ofthe Pops
On the LIST Of October. 1901. the same anti
clerical anecdotist published In the Nuopa
Antolo0ia. a sort Of Italian Revue des Delr
Mondes minus the ability and classic elegance.
an article upon the next Conclave. This arti-
Gle Is OF high Importance; 1t is q manifesto.
The Italian Government in this way tries to
enliehten the public on this important SUBJ
ject. and to present the judgment Of political
minds. It's programme consists in the affirma-
ton that 1t is Austria q Catholic power in the
Triple Alliance. which must In the name Of the
latter play the role Of the Holy Ghost and
the Grand Elector in tho future elective as
sembly Of the Sacred College.
The Pope preferred by the Italian Govern
ment would be . good old man. gentle and
pious. somewhat timid. not too brilliant, who
disappearing from the scene and making the |
solitude OF the Vatican into Trappist mon
astery. cloistered and shut against oil |
the storms and aspirations of the CEN
fury. The lofty stature OF Leo KILL. his |
modern spirit, his great diplomatic intel |
lectuality his Intervention in favor OF democ- |
racy and Of republics; his active. incessant, |
and enlightened participation In the problems |
and preoccupations Of the present hour: I'LL |
this work Of social decomposition and moral |
and exasperates the hostile and Jrondeur |
Italian Government far more than any elaine |
In favor OF the temporal power. the restoration |
Of which no superior and intuitive mind |
dreams OF now in Rome. either In the Vatican
or anywhere else.
The future will create q new sovereignty and |
a Pope adapted to the needs and conditions
Of the contemporary world. The manifesto Of
M. do Cessre has been widely commented upon,
because 1t gives undeniable proof that official
thing In motion to prepare and dominate the
coming Conclsve.
Beside these inspired political essays. we
have some literary attempts. Take. for in
stance. the work Of NJ. Berthelet, pEkszione
del Papa, written In concert with the italian
Government. 1t Is q collection of documents
takon out OF old and dusty libraries. In
tended to furnish tho anti Pontihcal journals
with arguments against the Pope. to revo-
lutionize public opinion. and to familiarize It
with the idea Of making the next Pope.
will not dwell now upon this piece
OF tactics on the part OF official Italy.
having to come back to 1t at a
later period. In January the organs of
Crispi opened the campaign. showing that the
part OF diplomacy for Italy and the Triple
Alliance must consist henCeforth In preparing