The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-17
ROME AND GOVERNMENT.
CoMMISsION or CARDINALS TO
AIEHY DkMOCRACK


Church-The Well-Plnnned March of the
Pnpacy Goes on without Interruption.
ROME Sept 1.-The adversaries OF tho party
OF Christian democracy have at last lost conf
dence on the morrow OF the Incident Of
4 mercanism" and OF Nine. Marie du SacrS-
Cocur. after a defeat which they had gona
out Of their way to seek, they have taken up
the offensive. They are always ready to begin
again When they are beaten on one point,
they open the discussion anew on another.
They had hoped that Rome, in condemning
the romantic. continental "Amercanism"
would by that act hit at all Christian dem ocrats
With unfailnR authority and an exact dis
crmInation OF ideas and interests. Leo KILL
on the contrary. has succeeded In turnng the
I'm FASHIONED discussion to the honor Of social
lat catholics.
Being disappointed tho opposition imme-
diutely devised a new campaign. From Bell
sium an attempt was made to bring pressure
70 tear on the Pope. in order to have him con-
denim the Christian democrats. In Italy the
reactIonnries and the Quirlnal party. some for
ono reason others for another have attacked
them. The supporters OF tho present order OF
things fear the powder train. the oil track OF
democratic ideas: for the trium phi OF Christian
democracy would Indicate In more than one
way the success OF federalism and tho end OF
The dualsm OF italy and the Pontihcate As for
the dictionaries. they protest against Christian
democracy because they are settled In anti
cunted habits OF mind. It 10 30 long since they
have wound up their watchesi In Austria and
IN Germany the same phenomenon has co.
Cured The feudallsts. the Junkers and the
imperalsts have connected themselves on the
one hand with the Kaiser. on the other with the
old parties that keep up stu pldly the policy OF
leaving well enough alone"
The coalition on new basis has not got the
better OF Leo Kills serene infiexlblity. The
Pore has refused TO follow the advice OF the
Belgian Governmen Just as he resisted the In
discreet pressure OF the Germans. the Aus
trians and the Italians. But. yielding and
supple. Leo XIII gave tho impression OF NOR
ally satisfying these insolent demands. As
he wishes to spare the old ideas and the old
parties with the object OF making the transit
tons easier. he has established q com mission
Of Cardinals under the presidency OF his Emil
hence Cardinal Alols- Masella. for the purpose
OF studying all the democratic questions.
The opposition, at first sight. seems to profit
bv this. 1t has not noticed the Holy Fathers
shrewd smile 1t apparently regards the COM
mission as partial success 1t knows neither
tho Holy Father nor the ways Of the Court OF
Rome. At the very moment. In fact, that the
Vatican established this kind OF inquest. It
marked clearly its policy OF government and It's
political inclination. Several facts have COM
bined to show that Rome held steadiastly to It's
far-reaching plans
In the first place wa must notice the attitude
of the OsSprrdtore Romano, the journal which
Is closest 10 the Vatican. Under the editorshp
OF former conservative OF Bologna. Signor
Casoni. 1t had b"gun the nub ication OF series
OF nrtIc es against the italian democracy, 1t
received orders from the Holy Father to stop
the articles In the next place. a north ltal an
Nrrnn takinR advantage Of confusion
ca sed by the "Americanism" incident had
formulated long criticism ofdemoaratio IDEAS
To give the articles more weight permiss on
was asked from the Vatican to authorize their
publication. Rome gave orders that silence
be preserved Thirdly. the anti-democrnts
rad carried on in Rome Itself an insldious
campaign against young priest Abbate
Murr the sagacious and bravo editor OF
the Coniea Socia's He IL sincere demo-
crat and was described as a busybody.
a dlsturhor an EXETER OF discord. He was to
be -mitten by eccesIastioal authority. 1t was
scan ialous that under the very shadow OF the
Vatican he should herald progress, demand
necessary reforms and methods Of work,
aud encourage In the name OF the Gospel and
theology the normal and fruitful development
Of democracy! Already those fond OF auathe-
mas and Of the prescription OF men OF action
had announced that Abbate Murri had fallen
that no condemnation has been inflicted on the
doughty writer who enjoys more and more the
favor Of the high ecclesiastical power.
must not omit mention OF the significant
article by Slgnor Toniolo. the Father Joseph OF
Leo XIII. IN the Rrista Tterndrondle OF Rome,
though making some platonic reservations on
matters OF detail, the learned Pisa professor
congratulated Abbe Gayraud on his boldly
planting the Catholic banner on distinctly
advancing only at the desire OF the Vatican.
signor Toniolo's manifestation o. approvalis
OF great authority. 1t Is visible sign OF the
broad Roman current.
Rome has mapped out her policy for long
time. 1t will remain unchanged for many
years. The democratic policy OF the Holy See
Is not merely collection OF doctrines OF which
tho encyclical "Rerum Novarum" ~ the anthem
tic exponent: il marks doctrinal and practical
direction, which nothing will modify. neither
the interests OF some. nor the faults OF others.
nov tho passions Of all. Surprising even that In
some country. soma democrat or some group
oyersteps due mea ~ure and gives grounds for
criticism. such backsliding imprudence
will have no effect on the march OF Roman
ideas and instructions.
They will be meaningless incidents in the
unusual cases where the moderatinR power
may pay any attention to them To criticize a
given author to place a book In the Index FIX
purgatorins. to disapprove the exaggerated
statement ola democrat: all this is Of no i'm
portance. What is essential. fundamental and
immutahle is the orien'aion, the general line
Of policy. and tn orient alton. this line o! pol-
10Y Ia distinctly progressive and democratic.
It s none the less needfu! that friends OF tho
policy should continue to preserve proper
measure by giving tho old" no pretexts for
attacking the young. lNSoMISATo.