New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-08
LEO XIIPS SUCCESSOR.
vrAsoNs WHY HE MUST BE AN ITALIAN
THE METHOD OF CHOOSING HIM.

panacy and the Italian Monarchy without
."srshv loosening the bonds that unite other
..-.,en Catholic nations to the Holy Seat
49,, e the keynote of the secret policy of the
vatican which led to the election of Leo XIII in
ESQ and which will predominant in the election
Of his successor.
The question becomes Of absorbing interest just
-. the present moment when the failing condition
- the health Of the venerable Pontiff who now
..unies the chair CT Saint Peter. brings us
r,,hn measurable reach Of the next conclave.
That the latter Will be held at the Vatican with
~. full consent OF the Italian Government and
ont abroad. as has been asserted is already de-
.,asd and known to the various European Gov
.rrn,ents more directly interested In the election
"A new Pope. while in spite Of all that has
hssn said and written with regard to the. posi-
,u,y of the tiara falling to Cardinal Gibbons
~ some other foreign prelate, 1t is equally an
assured fact that the next Pontif will be an
Ialian Whatever contest takes place within the
calls Of the Conclave will be on the subject Of
the leanings Of the new Pope TO the Triple AL
lance or toward the adversaries Of the latter.
The italian cardinals have always been In the
majority in the Sacred College and moreover
rossess the inestimabe advantage of living either
,n Rome or within easy reach Of the Eternal
city whereas most OF their foreign colleagues
have such great distances 10 traverse that 1t Is
practically impossible for them to arrive in time
10 take part in the Conclave where. IT may be
added. all votes have to be given In person and
not by proxy. For the Conclave is held as quick
vas possible after the death of the Holy Father,
and in the code Of procedure drawn up In 1871
bv Plus TX and by Leo XIII. at that time only
Cardinal Camerlengc. provision is made for the
meeting of the Cardinals present at Rome. in
eonclave as soon as the last breath has left the
body of the Pope if there is any danger to fear
any interference either from inside or outside
Italy
Now all the Italian Cardinals created by Leo
XIII since his accession 10 the Papal throne have
been men in favor OF policy of gradual conc-
alton toward the Italian Government and op-
posed TO any continuance Of the intransigeant
course adopted by Plus TX The election of the
new Pope will practically rest with them, since
Tho advanced age and feeble condition Of Leo
MI render Ii extremely probable that his death
will be somewhat sudden when 1T comes. And
they may be trusted &c choose his successor. not
any foreigner but one Of their own number
agreeable to the Italian Government and pos
ssssed of as much thoroughly italian diplomacy
and statecraft as the present Pontiff.
AN ALIEN POPE IMPOSSIBLE
The election Of an English. German, French,
Spanish or American Cardinal would present no
advantages TO the Catholic Church. and would
no, and could not he tolerated by the Italian
Government. which. de facto but not de jure, Is
able TO exercise the right of veto formerly en-
toyed by certain foreign Catholic Powers. The
elevation Of an alien Cardinal to the tiara would
necessarily entail the removal OF the headquar-
ters If the Catholic Church to some other coun-
FRY than Italy and would involve the abandon
rnent By the Papa ~ OF the Vatican with all its
priceless treasures, its sacred and historical as
sociations and the prestige OF which 1t is the
centre. For neither the Italian people nor their
Government could permit the establishment in
their capital OF what would practically be a
foreign sovereign and court. belonging 10 ma
.ion which may at any moment find itself in
conflict with the Italian Government. There
would always be the suspicion. even II there were
not the actual danger. that. with foreign Pope
a. the Vatican. the latter would become centre
of foreign intrigue directed against the ltahan
nation, and the mere appearance OF hosuht!'
which for financial and political reasons the
Quirinal and the Papacy are compelled 10 as
sumo toward one another. could not fail to &C
oentuate this condition of affairs TO point where
a. would become intolerable.
M one possessed OF any knowledge of the
Vatican or Of Italian politics, therefore dreams
for one moment OF the possibility OF the election
OF any one but an Italian 20 the chair OF st.
Peter and the repeated assertions which nave
been made in the press OF this country with re-
gard to the probability Of the choice falling upon
Cardinal Gibbons need not be taken into serious
consideration. since they are obviously destined
70 fatter National pride.
II must be borne in mind that at the time Of
po1 poONi n
x,,shed above all other members Of the Sacred
College for the amicable relations which he had
established with the Italian Government while
Archh,shon Of Peruea 1t is Just on this ac-
rount that he was regarded with such marked
h,sfavor hy Plus TX who within few months
NJ his death appo,nted the Cardinal TO the dig
ni,v NJ Camerlengo or Grand Chamberlain mind
mi NJ the fact that this particular office had for
several hundred years been held to destroy the
chances of its holder for the tiara. So perfect
xss the understanding between Cardinal Pecci
and the Italian Government in the early spring
Of 1873 that II had officially been announced that
as soon as the election was accomplished the
new Pope would appear on the grand palcohS
above the main entrance OF ST. Peter 10 piesS'
IN time honored fashion. the vast multitude 'ha'
thronCed the huge square. and tnat the l'diia'i
troops which had been stationed there 10 pre-
serve order would present arms. whIe the can
non would boom forth from the historic Iort oi
SAINT Angelo The Pope, however faiied 10 ap-
near on the balcony and the cannon remained
silent. not because any trouble had arisen De-
tween Leo XIII and the Italian Governments o"'
solelv in consequence Of the fact that edch hdu
come 10 the conclusion that lar "ore h"' III
,ho GOOD WAS likely 10 result from too public an
,cLnow,eagmen, Of the new policy Of reconcile
alton
HISTORY WILL REPEAT ITSELF
What happened at Plus ks death VIII 'ePe co.
itself in much the same form at the oea'" ~ nc
Successor. As soon Plus had prea'ne" "'a
last Cardinal Pecci. by virtue OF MS o''N' "
Camerlengo first Of all proceeded win d" e'oo..
OF Swiss Guards 10 visit ana Ioch an w e :,
ana AAA.a e The Vatican He then summOheu