The sun., 1897-01-13
A French View OF Leo XIII.

The leading article in the current number
OF the Forum Is an account OF the aims and
convictions Of LEO XIII. by French
diplomatist and student of international
questions, we'll known to readers Of the
Repuo des Deur Mondes. the Vicomte Z.
MELCHIoR DE VoGtE.
1t may be remembered that VICTOR HUGO
in his remarkable poem, Lie Pdpe, sum
moned the Holy Father OF the future to
renounce the fellowship OF kings and re-
sumo the earlier and nobler role of shepherd
Of the people. There are those who think
that the present occupant of the Papal
chair Is inclined to listen to the invocation.
BY some observers Of his recent course he
has been denounced as a convert to republi-
canism; by others he has been accused Of
socialistic tendencies. With reference to
the latter charge, NJ. DE VoGtE recalls the
fact that, when his encyclcal on the cond-
tion Of the workingman caused the Pope to
be taxed with socialism, he smilingly replied
that his socialism was very old and perfectly
canonical; since the encyclical In question
epitomized the unauthorized doctrine OF
ST. THOMAS AoUINAs The storm he called
forth among the French relictionists by ad-
vising acceptance Of republican institutions
Is not likely soon to be forgotten. The
greater part Of the younger clergy adopted
his suggestion, but a fraction OF the older
ecclesiastics are still recalcitrant. Accord
ing to NJ. DE VoGtE, a profound misunder-
standing exists between LEO Kill and the
French Catholic politicians, who tax him
with failing to recognize the true interests
OF religion. They start, he says, from false
premises, for they persist in seeing in
him merely crafty Italian, who plays
a diplomatic game with the Government
in power, and who expects speedy polit-
ical returns. AS ostensibly he gains moth
ing, the republican rulers OF France main
tanning their hostile attitude toward Cathol-
icism, the Conservative politicians assert
that the Pope's plan has mscarried. They
can not or will not understand that LEO
XIII. expects little or nothing from the
French Government for the time being
their short-sightedness does not seize the
one idea which dominates the evolution of
the Holy Father, namely, to overcome grad
ually the distrust of the French people by
favoring the political principles to which
the people are attached 1t Is. in truth, a
far-reaching religious and social programme,
on the execution of which he has entered
and the results of the programme must be
looked for in the twentieth century, after
the far-seeing framer Of 1t is at rest
Will the advances toward spiritual infiu-
ence made by the Roman Catholic Church
under Leo XIII. be continued when this old
man OF 81 is no longer here to sustain them ?
Tho question is asked with anxiety by his
partisans; and by his adversaries with se-
cret complacency, for they are already dis
counting reactionary policy. NJ DE
VoGtE, for his part, believes that the reac-
tionists deceive themselves in thinking that
the choice Of the next conclave can arrest
the evolution OF the Papal aims which
we are witnessing. Such an idea seems
to him but little in accordance with
the teachings of history. The tremendous
impulse toward reform within the Church.