The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-10-11


Bernard Morgan, in Donahoes
Leo was already an old man when he as
sumed the tiara. and from the beginning
there has been considerable speculation
and manipulation concerning his sue
cessor. AS far back as 1884, Cardinal
Czacki was the leader of a group of cardi-
nails who looked upon Mgr. Battaglini, the
cardinal-archbishop OF Bologna. as the
next pope. Death, however. removed him,
and opened the field for further conjecture.
1t is an open secret that Cardinal Zigliara
was at one time Leo's own choice. With
Cardinal Pecci the pope brother, and
Mgr. Satolli, Zigliara contributed a great
deal to the scientific renaissance of Thorn
istio philosophy, and ii was he who fur
nished the pontin with the most important
materials for the social encyclical No
varum Rerum." Death again interviewed.
Death, too, has removed Cardinal Lavl-
gerie, who was the most prominent of all
the non-Italian cardinals of the present
reign. Monaco and San Felice are no mere
spoken of. Cardinal Gibbons has been
mentioned even in italy, and in 1889 Signor
de Cesare thought it worth while to dis
credit his candidature there, by animad-
versions on his strength of character and
learning. But in truth he might nave
spared himself the trouble. Cardinal Glib
bons is just as likely TO be pope as Car
dinal Vaughan.
Unless some contingency arises, making
it necessary for the pope to ieave Rome,
there Is no probability at present of nom
Italian being elected. The ideal pope of
the situation would seem to be an Italian
by nationality and cosmopolitan by as
ISOLATION.
In looking for the next pope there is one
very important fact to be guided by. With
three or four exceptions. the members of
the Sacred College are of Leo's creation,
and presumably, in a general sense ad-
mirers of his policy. The prelate whom he
designs by word or distinctions Will have
the sympathies of the electors. Among
the prominent probabilities Cardinal Ram
polla, the pope's secretary OF state, is
finished dplomatist but If he possesses
other qualifications they are not generally
known; the elder Vannutelli, at one time
Pope Leo's apparent choice, has ceased to
be the prominent figure he was; Cardinal
Parocchi the vicar general of Rome, is
learned, liberal and energetic, and would
seem to realize the motto of the apocry-
phal prophecy, '1gnis ardens" CgloWing
fire')-which IS to be the characteristic of
the coming pontiff A prominent figure on
the papal horizon, too, is Archbishop Sa-
TOLL. Everything in his career and char
acter would seem to point TO the goal of
the supreme pontihcate. In democratic
age he is by birth and evident sympathy
a man of the people, in renaissance of
Catholic learning he is the profoundest
living exponent of Catholic philosophy and
theology in an epoch of transition he has
been sent to fill his mind with the new
ideas which, are growing nowhere with
such exuberance as in America. He has
occupied two of the most importan, posi-
tons in the Eternal City, as lecturer at
the Propaganda and as rector of the Ac-
cademia, where the church diplomats are
trained. The two great questions of the
future are the social problem and the re-
union of the Christendom, and Archbishop
Satolli has had unrivalled opportunities
for the study of both. The cardinalate is
within sight and from the cardinalate to
the tiara IS a short step with Mgr. Sa-
tolli's qualifications.