The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1894-03-27
THE PoPE's FINANCES.
A Continued Decrease in the Rev
enues of the Vatican.
Some of the Sources of Income Upon
which the Head OF the Roman
Church Has to Depend
Have Failed.


Since the heavy losses made by the
pope a year or more ago the finances
/ of the vatican have been superintended
with great care. 1t is known, says a
Paris paper, that a committee of pre-
lates and several cardinals exist at
Rome whose duty it is to regulate the
use of the sums of money which flow
into the treasury of the vatican. These
sums come principally from two
sources: The revenues of the property
possessed by the pope and the gifts of
the faithful known as Peters pence.
The property of the vatican is of
various kinds, but, the greater part of
it consists of money and bonds placed
in England and Fance, under control
of the Paris house of Rothschild. Pc
ter's pence is an annual revenue which
is far from being fixed. In good years
the total of the sum received from all
countries of the world reaches 5000, 900
francs. Sometimes it is as low as
6,O0O,0 900 and even 100000.
This has been the case for the last
five years. This diminution is due in
great part to the discord between the
roya1ists and the French Catholics
produced by the republican policy of
the pope. France alone furnished two
thirds and often three-quarters of
Peters pence. And in France it is the
royalists who prove themselves most
generous. But since the adhesion of
Leo XIII. to the republic many of
them, more royalist than Catholic,
have closed their purses to the pope.
However, despite all this, French bish-
ops still forward the largest sums to
his holiness. Thus the bishop of Mantle
sent few days ago 100000 francs
from his flock as their gift to the vat
lean treasury.
Italy contributes only a small part
of the revenue few hundred thou
sand francs a year. The Romans show
themselves in this regard less generous
than other Italians. On the other
hand, the Anglo-Saxon countries
England, Ireland, Australia and the
United States-begin to send impor-
tant sums. If Catholicism continues
to grow in these countries it is easy to
see that in time the vatican will draw
considerable sums from them.
Again, there are the royal courts,
such as Austria, which send annually
rich presents to the pope. This is even
true of princes of ancient italian fam
lies. Francis H.. ex-lxing of Naples,
and Marie Theresa, formerly grand
duchess of Tuscany, never fail to send
their offerings, which consist of sever
al thousands of francs. The compte
de Chambord was accustomed to send
annually $4,000 francs; the count of
Paris sends the same sum-
The expenses of the vatican,
amount annually to more than 7,O00,-
600 francs. They are regulated as
follows: For the personal wants of
the pope, 900 francs; for the
cardinals, 100000; for poor dioceses,
400, 900; administration of the vatican,
1,S00, 900; secretary of state, 1,OOO, 900:
employees and ablegates, 1,5OO, 900; sup
port of schools and poor, 100000.
The cardinals at Rome live at the ex-
pense of the pope. The income of each
from this source is at least 90, 900 francs.
The secretary of state is charged with
upholding relations with foreign gov
ernments by the mediation of nunciOS.
The four most important-Paris, Wen
ma, Madrid and Lisbon-each receive
an allowance of 10000 francs year.
The last jubilee of Pope Leo XIII.
brought to the vatican {, 1000, 900 francs.
At. the first, celebrated five years ago,
IL, ,000, 900 francs were received. In the
course of years the pope has introduced
a number-of economies in the different
branches of the vatican service and for
that reason he has been called miserly.
This accusation is not merited; the
economies became necessary in state
whose expenses are considerable and
whose revenues continue to diminish.
Leo XIII. has many reasons to follow
the example of his illustrious predeces
sor, Sixtus, as it is difficult in the pres
ent time to count on the generosity of
the faithful.