St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-04-15
INCOME OF THE POPE.
1t Has Been Steady Decreasing Of
Late Years.

/
New York Tribune.
Since the heavy losses made by the
pope year or more ago the finances of
| the Vatican have been superintendent
! with great care. "it is known" says a
Paris paper, "that committee of
| prelates and several cardinals exists 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 ths 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
or bonds, placed in England OR France,
under control of the Paris house of
Rothschild. Peters pence is an annual
revenue which is far from being fixed.
I'm good years the total of the sum
received from all countries of the world
! reaches 100000 francs. Some times
it is as low us 6,000, 200, and even 5.000,-
600. This has been the case tor at least
five years. The diminution is due in
great part to the discord between the
royalists 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 III France it is the
royalists who proved themselves most
generous. But since the adhesion of
them. more royaiist than Catholic. have
closed their purses to the pope. How
ever, despite all this. French bishops
still forward the largest sums to his
holiness. Thus, the Bishop of Nantes
sent few days ago 1901 francs from
his flock as their gift to the Vatican
treasury.
Italy," adds the journal, contrib
Ltes only small part of the revenue-a
few hundred thousand francs 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
important SUNS. If Catholicism con-
tinues 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 that of Austria, which send
annually rich presents to the pope.
This is even true of princes of ancient
Italian families. Francis H., ex-king
of Naples. and Maria Theresa, formerly
|; Grand Duchess of Tuscany, never fail
to sent their offerings, which consist
.,of several thousands of francs. The
COmte de Chambord was accustomed
to give annually $4,000 francs; the
Count of Paris sends the same sum.
expenses of the Vatican" con-
s9tiYues the writer, amount annually to
more than 100000 francs. They are
regulated as follows: For the personal
wants of tine pope, 100000 francs; for
the cardinals, 100000; for poor
dioceses, 100000; administration of tile
Vatican, l,S00.000; secretary OF state,
i 100000; employees and ablegates, $780,
900; schools and poor, 1,200,000.
1.-The cardinals at Rome live at the
expense of the pope. The income of
leach from this source is at least % 900
francs. The secretary of state is charged
with upholding relations with foreign
governments by the mediation of
nuncios. The four most important
Paris, Vienna. Madrid and LisDon-each
receive all allowance Of $4,000 francs a
year.
1.-The last jubilee of Pope Leo XIII.
brought to the Vatican 100000 francs.
AT the first, celebrated five years ago,
12,000.000 francs were received. In the
course iof five years the pope has in
trOduced number of economies IN the
different branches OF the Vatican
service. and for that reason he has been
called misery. The accusation is NOT
merited; the economies became neces-
Sary in state whose expenses are con-
siderable and whose revenues continue
to diminish"