New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-10-22

bons's shortly after the death Of Cardinal Mo
Closkey does not necessarily confer on IL pos
SCISSOR any greater power than he held before
AS Cardinal he is in an especial sense. the
adviser Of the Pope. He Is entitled to be con-
suited on questions Of policy, and 1t Is TO %
presumed that his views will have great weight
at Rome and on American questions that they
will be- IL not prevailing At least OF very great
authority. For 1t is presumed that he VIII
recognize his exceptional position and the re-
/ sponsibity 1t involves and speak impartially.
, frankly without reservation. but with great
care to be fair to all persons and all points
involved. As member Of the Sacred College ne
| Is theoretically in charge OF Roman parish ana
concerned with the Pontiff In the government OF
| the Church. BY the Popes assignment he Is
member OF numerous committees or congrega-
TONS as they are apt to be called. His high.
| est function is the casting Of vote to hli the
the quality Of being himself voted for for that
supreme distinction. There is no law which
forbids the election Of any Catholic as Pope.
Indeed the law expressly allows the Cardinals
| to elect whom they please. but the unwrtten
law. the practice Of four centuries and half,
substantially requires them to elect only man
who has been invested with the Cardinalate.
Only a wearer OF the purple can now hold the
keys Of Heaven. These relations and possible.
ties, while they give to Cardinal Gibbons .
peculiar dignity and a peculiar influence. do not
extend his jurisdiction a member OF the
American hierarchy. He Is an Archbishop, one
| Of body each Of whom is supreme in HIS own
territory. but the Cardinal has no legal authority
| over the other Archbshops. He is simply
that one of them who by virtue Of another
office, gives counsel to the Pope. aids him In
the government Of the Church universal votes
for his successor and is himself eligible to the
POntifcate.
When MonsIgnor Satol came here last sum.
mer the personal representative of the
Pope equipped with the highest authority that
has ever been conferred upon any Papai Dele
gate. actually empowered to perform in Amer.
| lea the functions OF the supf ruler Of the
Church, end assured beforehand OF the concur.
renee OF the Pope in all 1t seemed wise for
him to do. many thought that Cardinal Glib
bons had been somehow displaced and SUPER
seded. This. however, was an entirely erroneous
notion, first, because ne never had any of the
powers that Archbishop SatolI came here to
execute and, second because the Cardinal was
himself an advocate OF Satcllfs mission. The
Cardinal perfectly understood that no American
Archbishop without exciting the jealousy and
| opposition OF his co-equals could presume to
settle the controversies that were then creating
great and harmful divisions in the Church. He
| knew that the necessity was for a man who
would take sides and who was so firmly in
| trenched in the confidence Of the Pope so well
acquainted with him and so perfectly known by
be obviously futile. 1t is a remarkable cir
cumstance that the Cardinals position In the
Board OF Archbishops and in the Church abroad
has decidedly improved since Morsignor Sa.
tos arrival. For Satollrs acts have been a
| vndication Of the Cardinals counsels to the
Pope; and 1t Is felt that they have been tenn
10 create the least possible friction by the Car
dinars gentle and persuasive influence.
vi, Leo MI Is an old man. feeble and inhrm.
HIS Pontihcate has already lasted much longer
| than was expected. 1t has had tremendous
| influence on the Church. The Pope has had
the wisdom to recognize that times have
| changed since Popes undertook to absolve SUBJ
1ects from allegiance to their kings His
| policy has been an utter reversal Of that Of his
predecessor. ana practical remuneration Of the
members Of the Church He has proclaimed
1t to be the duty Of Catholics in whatever
country they live. and to whatever constitu-
ton they are subject. to conform in political
matters 10 the institutions Of the land they
live in. and he has peremptorily forbidden all
| Church In conflict with the State. The firm
ness with which he has enforced this policy
everywhere has had effects notable in the
! United States as in Germany and France. and
the Church. In those countries, at open war
with the state. and here arrayed In an oppo-
siton to public opinion. not less real because
| half concealed, has become everywhere at
| peace. Rapidly the feeling Of Protestants that
1t is something else than a Church, that 1t Is
machine menacing religious liberty. menacing
, the public school system and generally out OF
harmony with institutions to the maintenance
dying away. The Pope found at his back .
grand host Of such men as Cardinal Gibbons.
and he has been on the Papal throne long
! In the sentiment and purposes OF Catholics ana
in the attitude Of Protestants toward Catholics:
| In the natural solicitude Of the Catholic world
as to the successor Of the Pope who has so blessed
and strengthened 1t. the name and PERSONAL
ity Of Cardinal Gibbons are everywhere found.
Many feel that the policies which are supposed
to compel the election Of an italian Pope should
be now In the march OF progress. emphatically
abandoned. Many foreigners feel that In tho
present state Of Europe the election Of an
Austrian, Spaniard or Frenchman would be
unw-ise and many eyes have turned to the
impe-minded and broad-minded American
gentleman who as Archbishop Of Baltimore
has compelled the love and admiration of the
American Church. however divided by its own
controversies. 1t would not be surprising
result OF the policy that Leo X111 has In
| augurated. taken in connection with the gem
eral situation in Europe If his successor should
| prove to be James Cardinal Gibbons.