Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-01-30
JULIA WARD HOWE IN ROME
DIETER to the Woman's Journal)
Rome, Italy, Palazzo Rusticuccis
January 4 1893.

DIETER to the Woman's Journal)
Rome, Italy, Palazzo Rusticuccis,
January 5, 1898.
Dear Friends of the Journal:
Although the ocean rolls between us,
I do not forget that, while l am enjoy
ing my Roman holiday, you are faith
fully and necessarily at work, never
laying aside the task which is so dear
to you, and SO important to all of us
I feel moved today to send you a word
of greeting, and from this old Rome to
wish Happy New Year to you, and sue
cess to the newest unfolding OF freedom
in Christian Civilizations success
which shall establish true citizenship
for the mothers and daughters of our
great republic.
I have just paid visit to the gardens
of the vatican, whose bounds the pres
en- pope rarely passes. These gardens
are so extensive as to allow his holiness
drive of some miles The walks are
bordered by high hedges Of laurel and
of myrtle, and in many places one sees
the trees laden with golden oranges.
Near the entrance is an ancient lodge
said to have been built during the reign
of Paul ", of the Medici family. The
stone-pines are very beautiful, and the
grounds are adorned with many varie-
ties of the cactus and the palm. Tn our
walk, we passed a place where the lau-
rel hedge had been newly trimmed, and
were allowed to carry off a branch
which lay upon the ground, and of
which will presently send you a bit
The limitation of ecclesiastical policy
by which the pope Is not allowed to
leave the vatican limits, reminds me
forcibly Of the limitation of doctrine
which claims for the church of Rome
her absolute position, in a day in which
absolutiSm is intellectually out of date
The pope would see a united Christen-
dom, but will hear of no union outside
of the vatican bounds. If he could go
forth, and join the great body of Chris
tan believers as one of them, he would
enter into that unity from which he
now debars himself.
I write these lines in full view of the
grand Church of st. Peters. whose
marvels j have already visited more
than once since my arrival in these
parts. Its wonderful mosaies preserve
imperishable repetitions of the greatest
pictures the world has ever seen. The
religious services are mostly held in a.
side chapel, which it is difficult to APP
proach by reason Of the crowd. From
this chapel, one day, / saw a process
sion emerge, accompanying Cardinal
Rampolla, who is supposed to take an
active part in the papal government.
He is handsome man, scarcely yet of
middle age. with dark eyes and hair
well set off by his scarlet robe and
ermine cape. sH
On New Years day I called upon our
representatives at the Italian court,
General and Mrs. Draper. They are es-
tablished in the fine Piombino palace,
which they have furnished with a mag
nificence besuiting so stately a res
idence. Mrs Draper is very hospitable
and cordial in her manners. She al
lowed me to visit the whole Of her bean
tiful suite of rooms In the ball room
still stood the Christmas tree which had
been devised for the delectation of the
daughter of the house, child of six
years. Among the belongings of the
household is a gold table service, which
was used by Mrs Diapers father, VIM.
M. Preston, of Kentucky, when he was
minister to Spain, many years ago.
was surprised lately at hearing
that woman suffrage association ex
lists here in Rome. / have been prom
Used an introduction to some of its mem
bers. l was also informed that a ne
tition signed by several thousand wo-
men was presented to King TJmberto
before the disastrous campaign in
Abyssinia, urging that it should not be
undertaken.
I am glad to learn from papers re-
ceived today that the sensible remarks
Of the great statesman of China. III
Hung Chang, regarding the recent high
handed action of Germany, have called
forth lifting response from some of