The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-01-31

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world have been made anxious by reports
concerning the pope's health, and the ques-
ton Of papal succession Is being discussed
on the two continents.
A writer on the subject, who resides n
Rome and is IN close touch, supposedly, with
the sentiment Of churchmen, In series Of
articles in the New York Sun, advances the
opinion that the next pope will be other
than an Italian cardinal, and may be en-
American. In the first two articles he ad-
mits that II the concave OF the holy col =
lege should be held in Rome, the almost I'M
broken precedent OF four centuries would
/ be followed and an Italian elected, but be is
/ inclined to the belief that the next conclave
will be held outside Of the Italian
peninsula, in which case
! foreign clergyman may be chosen,
for these reasons: The italian cardinals,
who constitute a majority Of the college.
could not attend in sufficient number by
reason Of distance, ill-health or other causes,
/ to hold their numerical strength against
the other members; the conclave would be
| entirely free from any coercion by the civil
power Of the Quirinal, and the need Of con-
| forming the personality Of the pope TO
changed conditions in the church would be
recognized. These changed conditions have
reference especially TO the relation existing
| between church and state since 1870. Prior
to that time it was a guarantee TO the
| church Of freedom from civil interference
to have an Italian on the papal throne, be-
cause Italy then was not centralized mon
archy, but number Of competitive states
| often in hostility with each other. After
the unifcation of Italy the situation was
reversed. and 80 far from being protection
to the religious institutions of the holy see,
the writer quoted is disposed to regard the
occupation of the pRpal chair by an Italian
| successor to Leo as inexpedient, on account
Of the hostile attitude of King Humbert's
government, and the natural leaning a SUBJ
ject OF that government might have
thereto.
In the third paper referred to the writer
| seeks suitable candidate for the SUCCESSOR
ship. and having looked in vain in Europe,
turns TO America and decides that Cardinal
Gibbons,of Baltimore, is the proper man. In
Cardinal Gibbons he finds a prelate free
from the partisanshiD of any European civil
power, a man learned and strong and posi-
sessing in marked degree the fire and ardor
of the younger and more democratic church
Of the new world. which is said to be so
necessary for infusion into the church Of
the old world when the present pope shall
have passed away So long as Leo XIII.
lives the satisfactory conditions existing
will continue but his successor, he thinks,
may find difficulty In maintaining them.
Ardor in setting forth the fitness of
Cardinal Gibbons for the high office leads
him to dwell rather on the possibilities than
the probabilities Of papal succession. An
almost unbroken chain of presidents,
reaching back for hundreds Of years, is in
itself a strong argument in determining
the nationality of the successor to the
"Fisherman's Ring" and there is only
slight foundation, if any, for the belief that
the conclave will be held elsewhere than in
Rome. On general principles, one must
come to the conclusion that very little can
be known concerning the future pontiff.
While it is, Of course, desirable to elevate
a prelate of strong personality, and one
against whom there can be no political ami
mostly. it is nevertheless true that the in
dividual simply is Of very little Importance;
it Is the high office he represents that is of
supreme moment. From the past-and in a
matter of this kind il is eminentIy proper to
forecast the future by past eVents-it may
be inferred that no one except an italian is
likely to be chosen. 1t. is more than a
probability, almost a certainty, that the
sacred college will assemble In Rome. Only
members Of this college have right to vote
on the question, and outside of their own
circle there is hardly even an available
candidate; certainly not one who could
possibly command a sufficient number of
votes to elect pontiff. In the sacred COL
lege the Italian cardinals are in the ma,
jority, and from among this majority
must come the next pope. Indeed.
it is doubted whether there be
any man at all fitted for the dis
charge Of the duties of the trying position
save among the italian clergy, educated in
and for that sort Of career.
The temporal power has again and again
been taken from the pontifHs; but it has
never been on account Of any force re-
linquished, so that the personality of the
pope has nothing to do with that question,
In that particular the holy father stands in
the same relation as pastor to his church.
If the pastor were so disposed, and gave ND
his rights to the church, or other property
which was not personally his, it would still
be unlawful; and the acting pontiff is
| simply in no better condition. The pontif
is merely the lawfully constituted trustee
for the good Of the church, ana is none the
better off for having it. The house of
Savoy, or other government, may seize the
property of the church but back of it all it
is the possession of the Catholic world, and
as its trustee the pope cannot yield if he
would. But if the pontif be an Italian.
| educated for the service and familiar with
all OF t. details, he can the better pro-
| tect It
Granting that the conclave may be held
| in some other city than Rome, in the press
ent condition of affairs it is hardly possible
that one who is not a Roman, or at least an
italian cardinal or other ecclesiastic, can be
elected to the holy chair. In this
connection the London correspondent
of the New York Times says: ut seems
to be taken for granted that Cardinal Ra-
phael Monaco la Valetua will secure the sue
cesSion- He is the doyen of the sacred
college aud secretary of the inqulsition-an
amiable, unambitious priest Of IS, who has
| the very slen6erest notions of or intarast In