The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-01-24


for similar purpose. They ought to come
together. pooling their resources and COM
binlng their efforts to build up on sound
liberal. and comprehensive system tho great
University OF New York.
The Next Pope--Why Not An American ?
Tho anxiety excited among Catholics on
both sides Of the Atlantic by the reports
concerning the Popc's state OF health will
cause the letter from Rome which we
printed yesterday to be read with peculiar
interest. We may state n fact Of which
there is ample internal evidence in tho
letter itself. that tho author speaks with
tho authority that belongs to fulness OF
knowledge, being thoroughly acquainted
with tho views and wishes Of LEO XIII. and
with the purposes and feelings Of the Sacred
College. upon which ut no distant day must
devolve the choice Of the next Pontir.
Will the next Pope be a on-Italian,
and among those Is an American most
likely to be selected? 10 understand why
both these questions are answered in the
affirmative by our correspondent VIC should
examine the arguments set forth by him on
Saturday in connection with considerations
outlined in his previous letters. 1t was, the
reader may recall. admitted in his earlier
communications that. IL the Conclave should
be held in Rome. the almost unbroken prece-
dents Of four centuries would probably be
followed and tho next Pope would be an
Italian. Such would DO likely to be tho
result. even II the next election Of a Pontiff
were to be as entirely free from coercion on
the part OF tho Italian civil power as was
that Of LEO XIII. For this reason: The
Italian Cardinals not only constitute one
half Of the Sacred College. but. being resi-
dent in or near Rome. would be much more
likely to take part In the Conclave
than the foreign Cardinals. some OF
whom would be prevented by distance
or Ill health from reaching the Holy City
ut tho time fixed for tho election. But
our correspondent has expressed tho belief
that measures have already been taken for
holding the next Conclave outside OF the
Italian peninsula. and there Is concurrent
testimony from other sources to the same
effect. In such an event tho italian CardI-
nails would probably not possess numeri-
cal superiority. and tho question whether
the next Pope should not be chosen from
some country other than Italy would be de-
cided on the grounds OF expediency alone.
Having reached this point in previous
communications. our correspondent now
proceeds to argue that the very reasons
which formerly justified tho elevation Of
Italians to the Pontifical chair now strongly
commend the selection Of a Pope OF some
other nationality. The bestowal Of the
tiara In the early part OF the fourteenth
century on the subject Of consolidated and
powerful monarchy well-nigh split the Cath
olic world asunder. and more than hun
dred years were needed to repair the disas-
trous consequences OF the designation Of
French Popes and OF the transfer Of the
Papal See to Avignon. Calamitous also had
been the results Of comforting Pontiflcal
authority upon native Of tho Iberian Pc
ninsula at period when the unification OF
The Spanish Kingdoms had been practically
effected. One Of the fundamental features
Of the great scheme Of internal re-
form carried out by the Papacy in
The last half Of the sixteenth century,
was the determination OF the Sacred
College to avoid foreign Popes and to invest
italians only with the powers of the Pom
tifcate. But why was the selection of
italians deemed an indispensable condition
pf Papal independence Because Italy was
at that time. and long continued to be. only
> geographical expression; because. unlike
France or Spain. it was not coherent, CEN
and mighty monarchy, but q con-
geries OF petty. competitive. and often hos
Lille States. 30 that the choice OF an italian
could not expose the Papacy to pressure
and encroachment on the part OF q formi-
liable civil power. So long as the Italian
peninsula remained politically dislocated.
rent by interests seemingly irreconcilable.
and racked by internal discussions. the
lpholding Of the dignity and autonomy Of
The Vatican seemed guaranteed by reserv-
ng for Italians the Pontiflcal authority.
1t is obvious that since 1870 the situation
has been reversed. and that the reasons
formerly urged against the choice Of q
Frenchman or Spaniard are now en-
phatically applicable to the selection OF an
Italian. Not only has Italy become In
aer turn unified. consolidated. centralized.
out In no country nominally Catholic, and |
n few countries additionally Protestant. is
he civil power so inflexibly and sggres-
'lvely hostile to the Papal interests. To |
summon to the Papal chair to-day a subject |
II King HUMBERT seems on both religious
Ind political grounds as inexpedient as 1t |
vas to elect Spaniard In the time
II FERDINAND Of Aragon. or q French
nan In the time OF PHILIP the
Fair. Experience has shown that a
Pope's affiliations may insonsibly affect his |
conduct. that his sympathies are apt to be |
unlisted on the side OF his native country.
md that. provided this be powerful and |
lear at hand. he may find 1t difficult to |
.esist Its pressure. To French Catholics,
moreover. 1t seems unreasonable and In |
for the Conclave to give Its suf-
RACES to the subject OF power like Italy.
whose adhesion to the Triple Alliance con-
'ttutes an act OF scarcely yelled hostility
o France. For similar reasons Frenchmen