The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1891-03-14
A PERTINENT OPINION.

A PERTINENT OPINION.
The Position of the Italian Government
Towards the Church.
A Roman ecclesiastic furnishes the
following spicy interview, which ex-
plains the position OF the Italian govern
ment towards the Church 1t is most
interesting:
The Italian government desires peace.
1t will do nothing to wouud the vatican.
It has need of us and will therefore do
nothing to offend us M. Di Rud1ni is
personally favorable to religious pacifica-
ton and has placed Signor Chimini in
the ministry OF agriculture in order to
have near him one intimate with the high
ecclesiastic circles. Signor Chimini has
long been in favor OF Cancellation and
has urged an arrangement between the
quirinal and the vatican. He is per-
sonal friend of many prelates and of
many Catholics, especially of those who
form the conciliatory Roman party, and
who desire that the Pope should permit
the Catholics to go to the ballot boxes
and to save the monarchy and the pres
emit unity by participation in political at
fairs Before the last election for the
legislature this Catholic party had in
creased it's pressure upon the vatican
and the Pope. with the intention OF rals-
ing the interdict nj eettini elettori. Sig.
Campello. the late president Of the Uni
verse Romano, had even made kind of
an alliance with Sig. Chimini and the
conoiliatory Catholics were to form a
kind Of unique party, and support each
other warmly in the elections, but the
Pope has put down the rebellion of Sig.
Campello and the compact has been
broken for the time. Will it succeed in
the future? I do not think so. No doubt
the ministry has need of the vatican in
order to save lis policy. Sig. Chimini
has been added to the new ministry in
order to conduct the Catholics to the
polls, when, hunted down by the party of
the left, the party of the right is Obliged
to dissolve the chamber and to consult
the country The quirinal wants abso-
lutely ministry and a policy OF the
right out of fear of the radioAlism and
masked republcanism Of the left They
reckon, therefore, on the support of the
Catholics, and the hope that Signor
Chimini will draw the Catholic Conserv-
atives to the ballot boxes on the day
when it is needfol to strike great blow.
The king and the monarchists have
never given mp their hope of inducing
the vati can to abandon it's latent hostil-
ity. Be therefore sure that sooner or
later Signor Chimini and his Catholic
friends will make new efforts to induce
the Pope to cancel the interdict ne eletti
ne elettri. Tt is doubtful whether the
Pope will yield. 1t is TO late now for him
to change his policy. When Leo XIII.
came to power heswas favorahly Inclined
to the Catholics in the elections. Every
thing was even ready. The Roman.
princes had already taken their measures
in order to put up Catholic candidates
everywh ere But seized with fear, Leo
XIII. consulted the bishops. All the
bishops pleaded in favor of continuance
of the old state of things ne elettori.
Leo XIII. has not the courage to go
against the unanimous feelings of the
episcopacy. Since the Pope has been
disenchanted. He has more than once
expressed his strong desire TO make
peace with the quirinal, bnt he has been
deceived in his hopes. The more he
spoke IN favor of a reconciliation the
more the quirina1 took measures which
were directed against the Holy See and
the Church. The Pope has become con
WINGED that peace with the royal house
OF ITALY is impossible, as the Savoyard
dynasty is held in bondage by revolution
and is the visible sign Of the war waged
against the Pope. This being SO it 1s not
very likely that the vatican will permit
the Catholics to go to the ballot boxes in
order to save the monarchy, which has
done and will do all in its power to pre-
vent a solution of the Roman question
An interesting question is. does the Pope
desire the establishment Of republic.
He is waiting, but expects nothing from
the monarchy. Many Catholics hope
that the republic will come sooner or
later, and that she will grant liberty to
the Holy See. Monarchy is condemned
by it's very existence to prevent any So
luton favorable to the Pope. The settled
conviction in ecclesiastical circles ia
therefore that The present cabinet will
not wage war, but that il is unable to
get out of the present muddle. They
viii walk round and round on one spot,
but they viii not march forward.