The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-05-24

against slavery has absorbed considerable
sums. The pope is lavish in his endow-
ments TO schools of science and beneyo-
lent agencies. Leo XIII. is not so liberal
10 persons as was Plus TX, but 10 causes
OF general interest his generosity borders
on prodigality
IL Is the practice of the radical press of
an countries, and especially Of Italy. Mt
times to represent the pope as disposing
OF millions on millions. as surrounded
by all the Injuries and mag
nificence of an Eastern potentate,
and as exploiting for interested purposes
the faith OF his people. At other times it
represents the contributions of pence as
dwindiing 10 insignificant proportions,
and that the pope will soon be Obliged to
accept the annuity of 100000 francs set
apart for him by the Italian government
under the guarantee law. Neither of these
representations is accurate. While the re-
source, of the pope are less than the civil
list of most European sovereigns. yet BY
wise administration these resources, If no.
entirely adequate to all the needs of the
church. are sufficient to insure the work
ing of its principal services. The
revenues of the pontifcal budget
-
At the disposal of the pope. 10000 francs.
cardinals, 10000; poor dioceses, 10000:
prefecture of the apostolic palaces, l,s00,-
OO0; secretaryship of state. 100000; en-
ployes and functionaries, 100000; ponti-
fical schools and almsgiving. ,2o0, ,OOO The
half million at the disposal of the pope
serves to maintain his household and also
TO meet other expenditures not included
Hnr 9TH thA Lr,1<
cardinals in the curia are maintained at
the expense of the holy see. The emolu-
ments of each cardinal amount 10 20,0o0
francs. The fourth item of the budget
that of prefecture of the palaces, varies be-
tween 100000 and 100000 francs. 1t
includes all the expenses for the pontif-
cal court, the palace Of the Vatican
and the apostolic palaces, the maintenance
of museums and galleries, etc. The mil
hon francs assigned to the secretaryship of
state covers the expenses of that office
and those of the apostolic delegations.
The allowances for employees and function
aries covers only the persons of faithful
servants of the pontitical government who
refused to pass into the service 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 ex-
penses. The propaganda of the faith
has already received three subventions
OF $4,000 francs, while institutions
and academies Of Rome receive subsidies.
The restoration of the basilica Of the vati-
can has cost 5000, 900 francs. It is impos-
sible to estimate how much the pope gives
privately.
The resources are difficult to enumerate
Even the administration of st. Peters
pence itself does not know the exact re-
ceipts and expenditures of the pope, be-
cause Leo XIII. receives directly the
greatest sums of the bishops and laity.
Part Of this money is devoted to extraor-
binary work and expenses, and part goes
toward increasing the secret fund re-
served for future needs. 1t is asserted
that this fund absorbed 80, 600 900 francs OF
the sum received by the pope on the occa-
sion of his sacradotal jubilee in 1887. The
average amount received annually by the
pope in st. Peters pence is between $780,
coo and 100000 francs. The United
States now contributes more than France
to this fund, sending annually $4,000.
Belgium comes next after France. then
Holland, Spain, Germany, and last of all,
Italy.