The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-05-30
POPE LEO SNUBBED.
His Peace OVertureS Ignored
by the Queen Regent
of Spain.

Paris, May 30.-Persistent reports
come from both Madrid and Rome to
the effect that the pope is making an
earnest effort to induce Spain to sue
for peace. The pontiff, who through
Archbishop Ireland sought to diplo-
matically arrange the troubles between
the United States and Spain and failed,
now hopes to bring the war to an end
by the exercise of his holy power and
will. That Leo is deeply grieved over
the precipitation of hostilities is shown
by the remark he is alleged to have
made just previous to the declaration
of war, which was to the effect that
rather than see the two nations at war
he would prefer then and there to close
his eyes in death.
The papers allege that the pope first
made his attempt to prove to Spain
that her present policy is suicidal three
weeks ago. He then proposed that
Spain ask that hostilities cease on the
basis OF the surrender Of Cuba and the
retention of Porto Rico and the Philip
pines. He is said to have told the
queen regent that he possessed infor-
nation to the effect that the United
States would listen to a proposition
for peace upon that basis. The queen
regent is devout member of the
church and the response which the
pope received must have shocked him.
4OI II CdII1G III the 10TH Oh d Telegram
and was decidedly curt in its express
sion.
The pope, evidently believing that the
queen had either been Influenced by
her ministers or had not received his
message, straightway wrote the queen
long personal letter, in which he
again urged that steps be taken to
end the war. To this no reply was
vouchsafed, and the pontiff was at first
deeply grieved and then indignant. He
showed the indignation when some
time later he declined the request of
the Spanish ambassador for an au-
dience at the vatican. He has not
abandoned his effort, however, and still
manifests his good will toward Spain
The pontif is alleged to have en-
phatically declared quite recently that
the war must end. Like all the Euro
pean powers, he sets the time after
the next naval disaster, by which he
means the destruction of the Cape
Verde fleet.
Rome, May 3o.-The pope is said to
wish that Spain retain the Philippines,
where the Catholics are the largest
holders of land. He is led to believe
by representatives from Washington
that the United States is determined to
hold them. On this side of the water,
however, the reports of nuncios every
where, except possibly at Berlin, justi-
fy him in the belief that no change of
ownership will be tolerated by the pow
ers.
The report that the German emperor
is prepared to act with the other pow
ers to insure Spain's retention of the
Philippines is without foundation. At
the pope's request Emperor Francis
Joseph, of Austria, sounded the German
monarch through the Austrian ambas-
sador at Berlin. Emperor William re-
piled that he was prepared to do anyN
thing practicable to keep the present
dynasty on the Spanish throne, but he
would do no more than that. The ques-
ton of the cession of Cuba, Porto Rico
or the Philippines, he declared en-
phatically, was for the belligerents
themselves todecide.