Evening journal., 1899-03-14
POPE LEO'S SUCCESSOR

VATICAN Conceded TO BE AN
ITALIAN.
The recent illness OF Leo XIII. has
once more drawn the attention of the
italians to The future relations Of the
Papaoy and the Italian kingdom; and
this important question has received
a further stimulus frcm the remark
abe volume entitled III Papa Fluturo,"
which has Just been published at Tu-
rim and has ALREADY aroused large
amount Of criticism in the Italian
press. The Anonymous author and
his critics appear. however. TO be
agreed upon several points with regard
to the personality. though not the pol
Icy. of Leo XIII. s eventual successor.
In Italy at any rate. II is accepted as
certain that the next occupant Of the
Vatican win be an Italian; and thus
English and American cardinals must
content themselves with the historic
memory Of Nicholas Breakspear. the
one Anglo-Saxon who has ever been
Pope. Put it is recognized. on the
other hand, THAT the non-Italian car
dinals. If they have no chance Of cleo
tion themselves. viii turn the scale in
favor Of some Italian candidate. This
was the case at The election of the
present Pope. in February. 1878. and
since then the number of the non-Ital-
ian electors has been Increased. In
The majority of two-thirds, which is
necessary Ito secure a valid election
their influence. will. therefore. be de-
cisive. ard probably the governments
of their respective countries will, as Of
Old. endeavor to direct this influence in
favor Of a candidate who Is likely to
prove a persona grata to the Great
Powers. One or two names suggest
themselves out OF the thirty-One Ital-
ian cardinals. as being most likely to
fulfM these conditions. AT present the
two favorite candidates appear to be
Cardinal Luigi Oreglia, Of Santo Ste
fano. and Cardinal Vannute,li Sera-
fino. The former of these CARDINAL
papabii, as the Italians call them, is a
Piedmontese. who is a years old, and
doyen of the Sacred College, of which
he has been a member for over a quar-
ter of a century. He has held a great
number of high ecclesiastical offices.
belongs to a noble family, and has had
diplomatic experience in both Hol-
land and Portugal. Moreover. in his
capacity of Chamberlain OF the
Church, he would be called upon to di-
rect its affairs during the so-called no
vendiali, or interregnum between the
papal vacancy and the opening Of the
Conclave, and would thus have ample
opportunities of fuTthering his candi-
dature. His age, considered by scme
as a disadvantages may perhaps be re-
gaTded rather as a point i'm his favor.
Not q few Popes have been chosen be-
cause they were old. Leo XIII. was
close upon 6S, when he was elected.
and Plus TX. was nominated because
he was inHirm and delicate Cardinal
Vannutsllf Serafino is six years
younger, was born in the neighborhOod
of Rome, and is at present bishop of
the charming suburban town of Fras-
cati. in the cathedral of which is the
memorial to the Young Pretender. He.
too, has been an Important member %
various ecclesiastical committees. and
as a diplomatist has served at Munich,
Brussels, and Vienna, as we'll as in
Mexico, Ecuador and Peru. He there
fore knows a great deal about inter-
national politics, and is said to possess
a large measure Of prudence quality
which, together with learning and pi-
ETY., is (according to the. ancient max
inn that which the electors to the
Papacy seek especially in their candi-
dates. And prudence is certainly more
necessary than learning-we assume
piety as a matter of course-in a Pope
during this critical period of European
history.
1t is generally believed among Ital-
ians that the coming Pope will per
force continue the same policy to-
wards the King as his two predeces-
sors. That he Will assume an aggres-
sive line is most unlikely, because he
would not be strongly supported b-
any large body of Italian Catholics
and would find little aid or encourage
ment in other Catholic countries. Aus.
tria-H Hungary is the ally of King I'm
berto; Spain is too weak; France, the
"the eldest daughter of the Church, j:
no longer Clerical, and Is drawing
closer to rhe kingdom Of Italy. The
German Emperor, even for the sake o.
the hundred Catholic votes Of the
Reichseag, would not break up the
Triple Alliance by aiding in the res
tOration OF the temporal power. On
the other hand, the next Pope is no
likely TO accept the logic Of facts, LEI
byegones be byegones, and make hiI
peace with the House Of Savoy. i
would be an immense benefit for Italy
if he did so; but the policy of the Vati
can is not. and viii not soon be, ma
ticnal and an Ita,ian one. The success
sor OF Leo XIII. Is certain, by reasoI
of his age 20 be a man who was nur
bured in the traditions Of the old italy
which existed before 1870. AT least an
other complete generation must pas
before a Pope will arise to whom tn
days Of the temporal power will be M
more than any other piece OF ancien
history. That the anti-Italian policy o
the last twenry-eight years has been
mistake, even from the standpoint o
the Vatican, is, indeed, clear to man,
Catholics themselves in Italy. II "
contrast the extraordinary success
the Catholic party in Germany. unde
the 1afe nr WindthorSt and his sue