The Helena independent., 1892-05-07
VIII tho Next Conclavo Be Held
In the Eternal City,
Is One.
VIII Loo XIII He succesdsd by an Italian
or BY : Foreigner PAN Ameri-
can Cardinal.

not TO reconciliation, At least TO modut
vivcndl with Italy? What will be the duty
Of Italy In that casa or upon the other sup
position that the new pope shall maintain
or greatly inorsRse the snmity Of the papacy
towards our country?
believe shat ths next sonolavs will, like
that which slected Les Kill, bs held in
Rome, for various reasons, some Of which
will mention.
Ths cardinals .erceivs clearly that
though it will be an easy thing to leave
Rome and the vatican, it will be dihsul'
to get back there.
The state OF latent hostility. which sop
arates the European powers. would made it
dangerous for the cardinals to ask hos
pitality from ono of these powers. without
exciting the jealousy Of the others. 1t
must be taken into account that by such a
with all states, established by the present
pontiff, and which is incontsBtably the
only one worthy of the vicar of Christ,
would be contradicted.
II the conelavs meets during a war, the
place Of meeting will depend on whore the
reiRning pope dies. II he, in consequence
Of the breaking ont Of war, shall leave
Rome, the oonolave 10 likely 10 assemble in
the place where he may die. II, despite
war, the pope has remained at the vatican
nowhere else can the cardinals assemble
with such complete guarantees Of freedom
of choice.
Will the next pope be an Nallan2 Since
much oftsner conferred on Italians than on
foreigners; and this is natural, since the
seat OF the supreme authority of the church
has always, with the brief exception Of
Avignon. been in Rome, the traditional
political center Of Italy. the heir of the
rnA 70 ko *kn ~pnI< <<~
of ancient Rome. The reasons which for
ages have made the papacy specially an
Italian institution are as strong as ever,
perhaps stronger. Since the vatican eoun-
oil the power Of the pontih has been much
increased. He is now everything in the
EVERYTHING depends on him, dogma, as we'll
as discipline, policy as we'll as external ad-
ministration. The Roman Catholic church
exists only In tho pope and by the pope, 30
that ii is . matter of great Importance TO
every nation that tho pope be independent,
one nation than smother. Wherefore every
state desires that the pontitf be one Of it's
citizens, or, il not an Italian by residence,
since, in that case, there will be no danger
Of the papaoy using its power TO bcneht
Italy to the dstriment Of othar states, be-
cause italy and the papasy ars not On good
terms. I7iaN
Ons suggestion about the next pope is
that he may be chosen from among the
American cardinals and especially those in
the United States. Undoubtedly cardinals
belonging to that mighty power are in a
moro advantageous position than the oar
dinsl. OF any other oonntry, save Italy.
States would not arouse the jeAlousies and
fears Of ether states. Such 4 cardinal
would have lived and grown up in an
atmosphere Of liberty. and without preju-
dice to social order would indubitably help
in bringing about sincere harmony be-
and modern society harmony
his own country. While these reasons
however. Induce belief that the United
States branch of the Roman Catholic church
will have an immense influence over the
future Of Roman Catholicism, they are not
sufficient to make probable the elevation to
the papaoy of cardinal of that branch,
The American cardinals arc few and little
known at the eulia. Moreover. the dis
tanoe which separates them from Rome
would make it very difficult for thsm to
reach that city before the oonelave made a
choice. Still further, it is highly improb-
able that there will be an American party
in the next conolave. Finally. the election
of Pope from the United States would. 1
believe, have sad results for Roman Catho-
licisn in old England and tho colonies of
the British empire.
The papssy became Italian in order that
1t might be independent, and for that pur-
pose. 30 far as its power extended, kept
Italy divided. After Italy was united, the
papacy not being able to cease to be Ital-
ian, has preserved its independence by be-
coming Italy's irreconoiliablo enemy; even
forcing itself oappear more hostile to Italy
than it really is. These premises being
granted, tho conclusion is very simple; the
next pope will continue, in his relations
with Italy, to persevsre in the same line of
conduct pursued by Plus TX, and the pope
now rsigning.
If that. however, is logically and alb
stractly true. the state Of things will, in
fact, be different. VIII not facts be
stronger than the will Of the pope, than
traditions and institutions. Here is the
problem. Every year which passes oonsoli-
dates the situation, at least the more dan
gerous features Of it, and smoothes disssn-
sions, or ths bitterest OF Thorn. and that not
because new ana special motives intervene,
but by the natural course of things.
Disssnsion between Italy and tho papacy
will remain, but until when? Until the
Italian revolution. the fall Of tho temporal
power. the new ideas of liberty, shall have
produced their ultimate consequences, op-
Grating and inducing complete and radi-
cal Transformation III the external aspect Of
Roman Catholicism, a transformation
which will establish harmony between re-
ligion and civil life. between the human
and free state and the church. This will
not come about either to-day or
Very probably the next pope,
whoever he may be. will be as fierce an
enemy of Italy as the present pope, and
will be so regarded by all. Yet to what end?
Italy, firm and secure in ber rights, un-
in maintaining the laws which de-
fine her relations with tho papacy, will face
unterrifed this impotent anger. will not
Rllow herself to be provoked, and will trust
in tho futnre-D. Xnnichelll in Rnssspnn al
Scionze Social Politiohe, Florence, March
l5.
Strength and Health.