The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-12-14
TO SUCCEED POPE LEO.
There Is Much Speculation in ho"e
as to Who Will Be the
Next.

is practically nil, or rather is an lhcdl-
culable quantity. The candle so o1teh
goes out in men of that age, even Wheh
there is no breeze stirring, that their
lives are never safe for an hour. 1t is
reasonable, therefore, as Leo Mill
will be 80 on March 2 next, for others
than cardinals to speculate on the re-
suit of the next conclave, which must
arrive so soon, and will so profoundly
interest the whole of the Christian
world.
1t is most improbable. next TO lmpos-
sible. that non-Italian cardinal should
be elected. Not only is the majority IN
the conclave composed of ltallans porn,
the totals being IS to 26, 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 it would feel
themselves out of touch with foreign
pope. is still operative, and rather
| stronger than weaker because the new
dogma has compelled them all to eXaIt
their chiefs spiritual rights. lnfalI-
bility cannot be entrusted to a par
| barian."
international enmities have become
more bitter, and no German or English
man could be elected because French
men would believe him hostile, while
the choice of a Frenchman would rouse
suspicion in all who think in German
or possibly in Magyar. There are but
two SIav cardinals, Ledochowsld and
Mssia, and though the former would
be a 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 Spanish-America, it must be re-
membered, is a great division of the
Catholic world, and both detests and
breads the North American-but the
election of Cardinal Gibbons would
seem to the congregations revolution
airy proceeding.
We shall be surprised, too, if 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
safe" man certain not to shock the
world with novelties, or to travel on a
l line which his subordinate coadiutors
do not understand. These conditions
will be found to thin the numbers
greatly, they striking out Cardinal
Oreglia, who would be dangerously
1 fanatic; Cardinal Capecelatro, who is
= too old-77; Cardinal Svampa, who is
a too young-4S; Cardinal Parocchi who
I is plebeian and corpulent in outward
, appearance; Cardinal di Pietro, because
= he is disliked al Berlin; and above all
/ Cardinal Rampolla, the secretary O.
D state. whose chances are rather favored
by the writer in the Quarterly, but who
$ has probably offended haIf the Sacred
, college by his imperiousness. and al
+ the governments of Europe, especially
, the French. He will be no more elected
q than AntOnelli would have been.
f This leaves in the front rank of the
Papabili only three men; Cardinal Got
: ii, whom the pope has indicated as his
: successor, Cardinal Jacobini and Car
dinal Nanutelli. The first-named is de
n scribed in the Quarterly as a reserved
o man, a Carmelite monk, who is great,
G favored by Cardinal Rampolla, bu
whose purposes may be kept secre
even from him. and he either is per
sonally kind of saint or he affects
saintship. The second is a Roman b,
), birth, of moderate opinions, an eff
cient organizer with a Democrat,
Il turn, devoted to the papacy, and sup
posed to be in bad health. which ma'
mean only that he is indisposed t,
; play a cardinals part in the societ,
t of Rome. The third is a man of ac
! mplishments, who has conciliatet
1 the foreign vote, and who may We
c succeed in soothing away the opposi
n ton of the Jesuits. We should b.
l. inclined to fancy that unless tn
s. choice fell upon some comparativel,
: unknown Italian it would rest upol
n one of these three. The chances O
n the unknown. it should be remem
: bered, are greatly impaired by Ger
= tain necessity for speed, the conclav
desiring not to leave time to the gov
ernments to interfere or to exert pres
sure on behalf of a favorite with thei
V peoples.-London Spectator.