The record-union., 1899-08-03
has Caused Much Discussion in High Cath
Ollie Circles at Rome.
Member of the Sacred College
Asserts That With the Excep-
ton of q Few Narrow-Minded
Men, Everyone Among the High
er italian Clergy is Convinced
That a Return to the Temporal
Power Would Be q Calamity to
the Church Of Rome.

NEW YORK, Aug. "a dispatch
to the Herald from Rome says: An
interview with Ricotti Garibaldi, son of
the liberator discussing the likelihood
Of republican government for Italy
has caused great excitement at the
Vatican and much annoyed the Cardi-
mails belonging to the group which has
not abandoned all hope of reconcilia-
ton with the monarchy. This group,
comprising the cardinals devoted to the
triple alliance, met yesterday.
A member of the Sacred College, who
belongs neither to this nor to the OPP
posing faction, and who was formerly
nunico in a great capital and is thor
oughly familiar with the complications
and difficulties of the diplomatic posi-
ton of the papacy, gave his opinion on
the question raised by the interview.
With the exception of a few narrow
minded men," he said, every enc
among the higher Italian clergy is con-
WINGED that the temporal power, such
as it existed before 1870, has had its
day, and that an absolute restoration of
the status quo would be calamity to
the Church of Rome. No, what was
thirty years ago is now impossible.
TONS, which imply many things incom-
paible with a clerical government. We
are convinced that such a government
would not last long, or exist amid
struggles such as disturbed the reign
of Plus TX.
No serious thinking man can wish
the Holy See to return to so painful a
position. Besides, in this matter we
ILL 1;1e
of the foreign episcopate. We know
that the American episcopate. which is
sincerely national, regards the restora-
ton of the temporal power as danger
Gus and useless. The most intelligent
part of the French episcopate holds
similar views. The German and Aus
trian Bishops, whatever their private
opinions, are obliged to avoid an atti-
tude which, aiming at awakening Italy,
might injure the triple alliance. Even
the Polish Bishops understand the
claims of Italian patriotism and would
not admit that the Papacy become an
instrument of torture for the Italian
nation.
Practically only the Spanish and
Portuguese episcopateS are uncompro-
missing temporalists. 1t is no lack of
respect to them TO declare that the
leading forces upon which the Holy
Father can reckon are to be found to-
day in America and France, and the
tendencies which have to consider those
of the American and French episco-
pates.'
Does this mean that remuneration of
the temporal power has become a pos
sibility?'
mo. Whatever has been said or
written, the Pope can only be truly free
and independent in territory which be-
longs to him nominally, if not <exclu-
sively.
Many Italian and foreign prelates
think the practical solution of this Sc
rious problem is only to be found in a
republic which, organized on federal
lines, could create in Rome a system Of
nominal sovereignty for the Pope which
would insure his effective independence
without infringing on the principle of
national integrity. AS General Ricotti
Garibaldi has we'll said, no compromise
is possible with the Pope, who can not
tolerate the presence of a crowned SOW
ereign in Rome.
IF we had wished to negotiate with
the existing regime we could have OBJ
tanned good conditions. 1t only de-
pended on US to accept the leonine city
with Civita Vecchia made free port.
Even this may change and the pom
tiff of tomorrow might find himself in
a different state of mind from that
which prevails at the present, although
there is nothing to lead to the conclu-
sion that among the cardinals who may
be called upon to rule the church there
is a single one capable of renouncing
the legitimate claims of the Holy See in
favor of usurping dynasty"
From this point of view it might be
supposed that the understanding be-
tween General Ricotti Garibaldi and