The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-03-13

have not been so many protracted contests
In the college since the number OF cardinals
out limit
There are four modes of election. viz. I:
scrutiny, access, compromise and tnspira-
uon. Twice day during the conclave each
cardinal deposits. in & large chalice placed
on the altar Tire name OF his candidate. II
the requisite nnlaber OF votes are not found
deposited there for any one OF the candl-
dates. when the votes are counted in the full
college every afternoon while the conclave Is
In session, the ballots are at once burned,
and in the presence OF all the Eminences OF
the Sacred College. The smoke OF the burn-
ing ballots Is a signal TO the waiting thou
pace A moan. almost as of anguish. arises
from the multitude as IL begins slowly 10
dlsperse. only TO return the next afternoon
and every afternoon until a choice is made.
This method OF balloting is called 'sCru-
tlny Out OF 1t sometimes comes what Is
ae t election c3r by se;, When vi bs hafng
choice. sufficient number of the cardinals
vote for another Of the candidates TO swell
sary two-thirds That is called an election
by compromise" which results from some
or the cardinals who have been supporting
different candidates agreeing upon the sup
port OF one. In nearly all cases the one
Jointly supported has not previously re-
ceived the support of either OF the factions
support and bring about his election
In the three methods of scrutiny" "ac-
cess and compromise there Is much OF
is. in fact. inseparabie from every contest
FOR eminence in the world. But the cardi
nals who knew all the resources OF politics
long before the practical politicians OF the
present day were heard of. have one method
OF election which the practical politician
has neved adopted. and which it is TO be
feared he will never be brought to regard
with any degree Of faith or favor. This is
election by inspiration" According TO the
theory Of such elections, ii is possible for
divine Providence TO interpose directly in
the proceedings of the conclave and point
out the only righteous and proper course for
the college TO take. Whenever this is done
there are no differences of opinion among
the cardinals and no necessity for ballot
ing Every cardinal announces his choice
by voice, and the college Is always on such
occasions unanimous in the vote.
ELECTIONS BY "INSPIRATION."
There have been not a few elections by
inspiration" In the Sacred College Pope
Plus TX. the immediate predecessor OF the
present Pope was chosen in that way. Such
elections have always been in conformity
with the custom, established by long usage,
that no one but an Italian shall be consid-
cred as being eligible. Even Providence has.
on all occasions when 1t has manifested it
self. yielded to this prejudice, which is. per-
haps, not so much a prejudice as a sincere
desire to conserve the highest interests of
Pope is being canvassed. none but Italians
are mentioned as candidates.
There is a large Italian majority in the
college, which is still constructed on the
ancient lines of retaining the Roman bish-
ops a considerable part of the member
ship. In addition TO these, many OF the
cardinal priests and cardinal deacons are
Italians. The Italian Church has always
enjoyed a preponderance in the college.
The great Catholic powers outside OF Italy,
France, Spain and Austria were formerly
understood TO have the privilege Of placing
a veto upon the election OF any one candi-
date; but this right was vague and unde-
fined and had no formal foundation In law
There is now no protest, In any part OF the
world, against the election of an Italian sue
cessor TO Leo.
In the, early. ages of the church, Greeks,
Spaniards and Syrians sat on the papal
early centuries from among the Christians
of north Africa In the eleventh century
Clement III Of saxony and Urban II Of
followed an Englishman named Nicholas
Breakspeare, known to papal and world
history as Pope Adrian ~, reigned as
pontiffs not born in Italy. A few followed
him who were natives of other countries,
but in every such case the men chosen had
the lines were drain closer. and the last
four centuries have seen nothing but native
Italians in the Holy See. The election now
near at hand will offer no exception to the
rule, in which the church has doubtless
found much to commend, or it would not
countenance its continued observation.
The least probable among the rumors
coming out OF Rome at this juncture is that
Leo has been interesting himself actively
in the choice Of his successor Such re-
ports always precede the dissolution of any
sovereign whose succession is not definite
ly fixed both by law and inheritanee They
preceded the death of Plus TX, which came
as that of the present Pope is coming, well
heralded and prepared for. 1t has even
been charged that Plus left something in
the way of bull, prescribing the course TO
be followed in choosing the one to come
after him. 1t said at the time that
Leo XIII, then known as Cardinal Gioac-
chino Pecci, was the one upon whom the
choice of the dying pontiff had fallen. There
never was, and never will be, any way Of
the truth or falsity OF this
story. But If Leo came into his sacred Office
as the heir of Plus, that fact has not re-
strained him from proving the truth of the
old papal tradition, that one Pope seeks
to mark out line of policy for himself en-
tirely Independent of that Of his immediate
predecessor.