The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1899-12-30
TO SUCCEED ropE LEO.
There IL Much Speculation I'm Rome
ns To Who VIII De the
Next.


The greatest actuaries say. we be.
lieye, that the expectation Of life of 90
is practically nil, or rather Is an meal
culable quantity. The candle so often
goes out in men OF that age, even when
there is no breeze stirring, that their
lives are never safe for an hour. 1t is
reasonable, therefore, as Leo XIII.
win be 90 on March next, for others
than cardinals 10 speculate on she re-
suit of the next conclave, which must
arrive so soon, and viii so profoundly
interest the whole of the Christian
world.
1t is most improbable, next TO impos-
sible, that a non-Italian cardinal should
be elected. Not only is the majority IN
the conclaye composed of Italians born,
the totals being IS to &c, but there are
grave reasons, almost overwhelming
reasons, why no one who is not OF that
nation should be elected. The old rea-
son that the church is centralized in
! Rome, and that the congregations or
committees which govern IL would feel
themselves out Of tonch with foreign
pope, is still operative, and rather
stronger than weaker because the new
dogma has compelled them all TO xalt
their chiefs spiritual rights. Infalli-
bility cannot be entrusted to bar
i barian.'
] international enmities have become
more bitter, and nc German or English
man could be elected because French
men would believe him hostile, while
! the choice of Frenchman would rouse
| suspicion in all who think in German
or possibly in Magyar. There are but
! two Slay cardinals, Ledochowsh and
Missia, and though the former would
be worthy candidate, he would be dis
| liked both in Russia and Germany, as
sure to keep up the sentiment, partly
religious and partly national, which
| prevents Poles from being politically
! forgotten. An American cardinal
might no doubt be elected without ex-
| citing much international feeling
though SpanishAmerica, il must be re-
membered, is a great division of the
Catholic world, and both detests and
election Of Cardinal Gibbons would
seem 10 the congregations revolutions
airy proceeding.
We shall be surprised, too, il those
grave and courtly old gentlemen choose
any man who will not look his part, or
who in his bearing suggests anything
grotesque. At the same time they will
desire, as English premiers do when
they recommend an archbishop, a
far rNaft 20 d al
world with novelties, or 10 travel on n
line which his subordinate coadjutors
do not understand. These conditions
will be found TO thin the numbers
greatly, they striking out Cardinal
Oreglia, who would be dangerously
fanatic; Cardinal Capecelatro, who is
too old-7T; Cardinal Svampa, who is
too young as; Cardinal Parocchi, who
is plebeian and corpulent in outward
appearance; Cardinal di Pietro. because
he is dislked at Berlin and, above all,
Cardinal Rampolla, the secretary OF
state, whose chances are rather favored
by the writer in the Quarterly, but who
has probably offended half the Sacred
college by his imperiousness, and all
the governments Of Europe, especially
the French. He viii be no more elected
than Antonelli would have been.
This leaves in the front rank OF the
Papabili only three men; Cardinal Got
Il, whom the pope has indicated as his
successor, Cardinal Jacobini and Car
dinal Nanutelli. The frsi-namod is de-
scribed in the Quarterly as a reserved
man, Carmelte monk. who Is greatly
favored by Cardinal Rampolla, but
whose purposes may be kept secret
even from him, and he either is per-
sonally n kind of saint, or he affects
saintship. The second is n Roman by
birth, Of moderate opinions, an eff
cient organizer with a democratic
turn, devoted to the papacy, and sup
posed 20 be in bad health. which may
mean only that he is indisposed to
play a cardinals part i'm the society
OF Rome. The third Is n man OF ac-
complishments, who has concilated
the foreign vote. and who may vet
succeed in soothing away the opposi.
ton OF the Jcsuits. We should be
inclined 10 fancy that unless the
choice fell upon some comparatively
unknown Italian il would rest upon
one OF these three. / he chances OF
the unknown, IL should he remem.
bered, are greatly impaired by n Ger.
tain necessity for speed, the conclavs
desiring not TO leave time TO the gov.
ernments 10 interfere or TO exert pres
sure on behalf OF a favorite with their
peoples. London Spectator.
The Pneumntophor.
The 'pneumatophor," an Austrian
invention for enabling miners, fire.
men, etc, TO breathe when surround
| ed bV after-tnmD smoke or nnxious