The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-10-21

and other ecclesiastical authorities are al
most unavoidable. Cardinal Rampolla del
Tindaro. the secretary of state. wants
20 be pope. His Office. however, puts him
at disadvantage and he does not expect
70 be the Immediate successor Of leo
XIII. He can AFFORD 10 wait as he Is only
~ Years Of age. His candidate is Car
dinai Angelo di Pietru. who owes every
thing 70 him and who Is u years Of age
and Roman. Everything has been made
ready to push his candidacy. according
TO the Independence: among other things
story is being spread that when he
was a boy a monk prophesied that he
would succeed St Peter. He will be sup
ported by Cardinal Rampolia's friends
ana opposed by the antagonists Of the
secretary of state.
Cardinal Girolamo Maria Gotti a Car
mehte monk, man OF great learning,
VINO mas SHOWN remarkable qualities ms
an administrator In his own order as
superior general In settling the ecclesias-
teal affairs OF Brazil and in other mat
tiers requiring tact and diplomacy, Is
strong candidate among those who wish
for reforming and religious" pope.
Should the conciavc seek among the car
dinals who do not belong TO the curia
Cardinal Sarto, Patriarch OF Venice, may
have some chance, while In the improb-
liz chosen. IL may be Cardinal capeceia-
tro, archbishop Of Capua- Tho serious
candidates, however, seem to be cardi-
nails Di Pietro and Gotti. and rerhaps
one OF the yannutelIis.
The predomInance OF italians In the sa-
cred college makes IL improbable that any
foreigner will be considered seriously. THE
Italians have the advantage, besides their
slight numerical superiority, of being
united. while the foreigners belong 10 a
dozen different natfonalities. Moreover,
political difficulties would be sure TO rise
In case pope were chosen from one
or the nations that rank a. great powers:
German, for instance. could hardly be
selected without provoking a protest from
France. The Independence. nevertheless,
points out certain advantages In '.unita-
lianising' the church. and suggests the
possibility before long OF eiecting a pope
fenue 20 no one. II takes America and
Cardinal Gibbons az an example:
why should not the new world In its
turn give q pope to the churchy America
has it's cardinals since Plus TX, the only
pope who ever trod on American soil, de-
termined 10 give the United States the
first American cardinal. Gibbons, they
say would not be a bad pope. his insfsi-
ence would be enormous. and Americans.
even those not Catholics. would be proud
to see one OF their people attain the high
est ecclesiastical honor. A broad. open
mind, highly cultivated, very modern, Car
dinaisGibbons would be. above all, an ak
ceilent reformer. who would put an end
10 all superannuated systems. and would
turn the church into entirely new paths.
he ~ not courtier, and Leo XIII. had a
proof OF this when. not long ago. he con-
demned Americanism. and great num-
Der OF bishops In the United States has
tened to write to him their assent Their
letters we're published. but they took good
care not to publish Cardinal Gibbons.
which. | am assured. was so outspoken
as to stir up the Vatican. which Is no
longer accustomed to hear true and sim
cere speech that departs from the ruts OF
routine admiration"
II takes a two-thirds vote OF the cardi-
mails to elect pope. and. though Cardinal
Gibbons and his foreign colleagues will
have a great influence in tho next con-
ciaye. the Independence does not expect
20 see n non-Italian elected. II thinks.
however, that the time IL not far distant
when. IN the interests of the church. a
pope may be taken from among Catholics
who are not Italian.