The times., 1898-03-02
ECHOES FROM ABROAD.

Queen Marguerite has consigned TO
Monsignor Dennis OConnell for trans
mission to Cardinal Gibbons. a magnifi-
cent pectoral cross, studded with dia-
monds. of great beauty, and likewise a
jeweled gold chain. This costly gift to
America 5 only cardinal is destined to
serve as a royal acknowledgment of the
handsomely bound collection of his works
which some weeks ago We're presented
in his name to the consort of King Hum
bert
This interchange of elaborate courtesies
between the royal mistress of the Quir-
inal and a member of the sacred col
lege has given great offense to the Vati-
can, where it is held that the American
cardinal, as a prince of the church.
should comply with the etiquette of the
sacred college and of the papacy, espec-
tally with respect to that phase there
of which strictly prohibits intercourse or
relations with the reigning house of
Italy, with the royal court, or with the
members of the government.
Even the holy father himself, so con-
ciliatory toward the house of Savoy, is
said to be deeply affronted by the action
of Cardinal Gibbons, which, it is feared
may iniuriously affect the revenue de-
rived by the Pope from the American
contributions to the Peter Pence fund
contributions that invariably increase
when the Vatican is subjected to acts of
hostility by the Italian government, but
which fall off in a signal manner the mo-
ment that there seems to be a tendency
toward an understanding between the
church and state here.
1t is hinted in the Vatican circles that
the holy fathers irritation against Car
dinal Gibbons in this affair may take the
form of a withdrawal by his holiness
from the species of agreement, more i'm
piled than definite, according to which
no Other American preate was to- be ele-
waited to the purple during the lifetime of
his eminence of Baltimore. so that the
latter should enjoy the prestige and dig
nifty of being the only American cardinal.
The opinion is expressed in ecclesiastical
circles that Cardinal Gibbons has. in this
and other matters, permitted himself to
be made the tool of designing people
and that he no longer represents in
manner satisfactory to Rome the spirit
of the sacred college which is the SEN
ate Of the Catholic Church.
During this dying century France has
often been in the most extraordinary sit
uations,' says Harold Frederic. but
never in any at all resembling the pres
ent plight On no previous occasion has
she been the butt for the intellectual as
well as the moral scorn Of Europe. To-
day her critics talk not only of the
tigerish taint in her blood. but of her
degenerated and clouded brain. The old
brilliancy which used TO illuminate her es-
capadeS into the fantastic are all gone.
She behaves like a dull peasant crazed
with drink and homicidal passions. When
she is able to articulate, her words are
OF massacre. This kind of France. al
most unrecogniZable is regarded by her
nighbors as a public nuisance, and
everybody would be glad to see her tum-
BILE into sewer or break her own head
Both the Germans and Italians say
frankly that they itch to lay violent
hands on her. 1t is really the feeling
everywhere. The Pesther Lloyd. for eX-
ample, the great metropolitan voice of
Hungary. declares it to be the duty OF
Europe to draw sanitary Gordon round
this unciviiZed pseudo-republic. and
urges self-respecting nations to refuse to
take part in the Paris exhibition of 1900
Formerly Hungary was Frances warm
est friend and admirer. This melancholy
contrast takes a sinister point from the
reflection that fifty years ago this week
Louis Philippe fled and the Republic was
proclaimed