The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-03-03
THE PoPE's BIRTHDAY.


Ills Elghty-.Irth AnuiNerary-His Ca
rser and speculation Regarding His
Successor.
ROME, March 2.-The pope was ss
years old to-day. The anniversary was
remembered by tho disnItaries of the
church in this city, and the usual food
OF congratulations poured in on his hol-
mess from all quarters OF the globe.
Pope Leo was born In carpineto. IN
I.atIunn. He was plain Gioacchlno Pecci.
HiS father was Count Pecci, honorary
colonel OF the French army. Napoleon
wns dnSzlInE Europe by his prodigious
yfctories, The glitter and polpp of war
cnptured the fancy OF the Italian noble
man. ~ will make my son a great sol,
dier," he said 10 his wife. So he trained
up the boy, but one day he reeeived
great shock. The count and GioaccnInu
were walking on the heights OF Car
pIneto and the count pointed out 70 MS
son the site OF Aquino.
"Aquino!" the boy exclaimed. Aqul-
no. where the good DR.. st Thomas was
born" -,-
The count questioned in surprise. and
that evening said to his wife; u am
disappointed in Gloacchino. wished
him to be general.
"Perhaps he will be pope" she re-
piled, smiling"
n Jesuit college at Viterbo. IN lSat ne
went to the Roman college. Al twenty
two years OF age he had obtained his
university degree aud applied for holy
orders. When the year 1887 arrived
with It's plague OF brisandage IN bene-
vento, Pope Gregory appointed MN
governor OF Benevento. where he sup
pressed the brigand bands. AFTER tnls
successful administration, where ne
showed executive abilities OF SO ngn ~
order, he was made nunclo at Brussels,
Then Belgium and the vatican were az
outs. Denunciations were hurled by
each side Pecci was so diplomatic that
before his term OF three years was con-
cluded he had not only won over the,
opposition, but returned to Rome dec
Grated with an order from the Belgian
king, He was at once raised TO the
archieplscopate OF Perugia, and this en-
gagged most OF his activities until 1850,
when he was made q cardinal.
For twenty eight years he lived In the
tranquility Of this high Office, seeing
about him the fierce play OF European
politics, which he studied as chess ex-
pert pOnuerH over u propleIn. peuua4S
20. 1878. the conelave elected him pope,
and as Leo XIII his incumbency has
been marked by many liberal reforms.
HIS Ill health during the last few years
has kept alive speculation as TO his sue
cessor. There has been some nope
among English-speaklng Catholics that
the next pope would be an American,
but as the College OF Cardinals is COM
pletely under italian influence such q
choice Is very unlikely. Cardinal Ga.
llmberti, who has often been mentioned
for the succession. is openly declared
10 be the agent at the vatican OF tho
Triple Alliance,
France fayors Cardinal Rampolla.
He is the Father Joseph Of the present
pope, his tried, confident and incorrupt-
ibie assistant. He is heartily In sym
pathy with Leo's advanced ideas on
democracy, the social question. the
American policy, the union OF the
churches and hostility to the Triple Al.
lianee. He Is opposed by the "old,"
adored by the young element. and,
Il Is conceded. would do more to per-
petuate the results OF Leo's policy than
any other possible candidate. Does the
College OF Cardinals wish this policy
carried on? THERE'S the rub.