Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-10-22
REIGN OF LEO XIII.
A SKETCH or WHAT HE HAS AZ
CoMf1IsHED SINCE 1878.
WHO WILL his SUCCESSOR BE =?
s,ccu,ntIon il rife Regarding This
Interesting observation-disclosures why
America Nav supply "a Successful
Cnndidntc-The Conditions.



Speculation ifs rite iu clerical circles re-
gardlng the nationality of thc next Pope
Recent events n Europe would seem 10
emphasize the ilprolaDilliy OF an ltallan
being chosen a- lhr successor OF LEO
XIII AZ the advanced axe OF - inc
Pope is stiil the object of much polucal
speculation. Ills successor mas beeH
nominated Boy thousand journals DuI
as IL has happened De- has outllFed many
Of the cardinals nominated 10 succee"
him.
HIS reign has been singularly peaceful
Elected 10 The papacy In 1873, he mas
PASSED through none of the storms which
swept the throne of his predecessor,
Plus IN. lie has restored the hierarchy
IScotland Tic has brought the horedl-
irv contest with Germany 10 truce.
L. has acted as aroiter in the dispute
letween Germany and Spain over the
Faroline Islands lie has held great
paual jubilee u commemorate the hltlelH
Year of his assumption OF molly or
|oers. he has interested himself IN the
subject OF African slavery, ana through
Cardinal LaviecIc opened negotiations
with various governments 20 secure IFS
suppression. lie has taken mia part
I'm the Irish feuIs Tie has received
Protestant rulers as cordially as Catholic
rulers
1t is only with the Government Of italy
that he has been az odds, and even mere
there has been no open or violent iup-
ture lie did AN he could 90 avert war
between Spain and the United States,
and after the war began he used ms
utmost endeaVOrs 90 bring il 10 an honor
able conclusion. in short ,nere has been
nothing TO disturb his career beyond the
normal worries which besct the papacy.
The recent reports of his enieebied con-
dition has again opened The discussion
regarding what manner of man is likely
10 succeed him.
WILL HE BE AN AMERICAN?
If an Italian Dee not chosen wide door
10 opened for selection by the Sacred Col
lege. and much anxiety is felt, especially
bv American Catholics. regarding the
next occupant of 81. Peters chair This
is largely due To the fact that for six
years past causes have been operating
which would make the selection Of an
American not the matter of surprise II
would have been at any previous time in
the history OF the Church i'm this country.
While IL IS admitted that should the
conclave be held in Rome the almost
unbroken precedents OF four centuries
would probably be followed, and an Ital-
ian be chosen, 30 S. DN no means
foregOne conclusion that the next gath
ering Of the Sacred College will take
place I'm Rome, and pos oly not even In
Italy. Should the cOnclave meet i'm Rome
and be dominated boy the influences sur
rounding the present Pouun, which, al
though weakened, viii, by no means, be
destroyed boy the POpe's death, an Italian
viii likely be chosen. even should the
next election be as entirely free from
coercion on the part of the Italian civil
power as was that of Leo Kill For this
reason. The Italian cardinals not only
constitute one half OF the Sacred College,
but being resident in OF near Rome,
would be much more likely TO take part
in the conclaye than the foreign car
dinals. some Of whom would be pre-
vented by distance or ill health from
reaching the holy city at the time fixed
Tor the election.
MAY NOT BE HELD IN ITALY.
But il is understood that measures have
already been taken for holding the
next conclave outside OF the Italian
peninsula. and there IS concurrent testl-
mony from reliable sources to confirm
this report. in such an event the Italian
cardinals would probably not possess a
numerical superiority, and the question
whether the next Pope should not be
chosen from some country other than
OF expediency alone. In fact, the very
reasons which formerly justified the eie-
walton Of Italians TO the pontincai chair
now strongly commend the selection OF a
Pope OF some other nationality.
The bestowal Of the tiara In the early
mart Of the fourteenth century on the
subject Of a consolidated and powerful
monarchy we'll nigh split the Catholic
world asunder, and more than a hundred
years were needed 20 repair the disas-
irous consequences Of the designation OF
French Popes and Of the transfer OF the
Papal See TO Avignon. Calamitous also
had been the results Of comforting ponti-
fcal authority upon native Of the
Iberian Peninsula at a period when the
unilcation OF the Spanish kingdoms had
been practically effected. One OF the
Fundamental features Of the great scheme
Of internal reform carried out by
the papacy in the last half Of the
sixteenth century was the determine
ton OF the Sacred College TO avoid for
eign Popes and 10 invest Italians only
with the powers Of the pontIhcate.
CONDITIONS HAVE CHANGED.
But why was the selection OF Italians
doomed an indispensable condition OF
papal independence? Because italy was
ct that time. and long continued 10 be
only a geographical expression; because
then, unlike France or Spain, II was not
a coherent. centralized. and mighty mon.
srchy, but a congress OF petty, competi
tive. and often hostile States, so thai
the choice Of an Italian could not ex
pose the papaoy TO pressure or encroach
lrsat on the part Of a formidable civil