The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1901-04-12
leo XIII, GRAND OLD
NAN OF THE VATICAN
Marion Crawford Says He Is One o
the Greatest Scholars and
Statesmen OF the Age.
HIS GRASP OF WORLDS AFFAIRS
At 30 His Mind Seems as Keen as Ever
and He Is Still the Pope In Fact as
Well as In Title-Cholce of =
Successor.

F. Marion Crawford. the author, is
spending the winter in New York, as
Is his custom. To most men Italy
Crawford spends his summers in Italy
and his winters in the United States.
His stay here is a very busy one. This
winter it has been diversified by at
tention to a production Of plays of
which he is the part author.
When he is in New York Mr.. Craw-
ford occupies an Office on Fifth avenue.
His name does not mark his door, and
only his publishers and those who have
appointments with him are supposed
to know where he is secluded. By
this plan Mr.. Crawford 1nsures himself
against a loss of time, which in so busy
man is very valuable. When called
with pen in hand and with the inevi-
table engagement at 12:45, writes a.
New York correspondent.
Mr.. Crawford is an authority on
subjects connected with the pope, and
1t Is more than probable that his life
OF Leo XIII will be recognized as the
official biography when it appears.
LAou6A lAe5 greatest part OIL Cne WOFh
Is already written, it will not be pub
lished nor will any port of it appear
during the pope's lifetime. Mr.. Craw-
ford has had access to much important
material in the course of his labors.
Statesman and Scholar.
Mr.. Crawford has no hesitation in
characterizing Leo XIII as one Of the
greatest statesmen, as well as one Of
the greatest scholars Of the present
age.
ut was no light task" he said to
hensive biography of a man who was
born before the battle of Waterloo and
has lived into this century after at
tanning such great eminence. His ca
reer in the last twenty-three years has
been so identified with every great
move In European diplomacy that to
comprehend it one must study every
history during that time"
How long is it since you saw the
pope?" asked.
Two years. said Mr.. Crawford. ST
have not made any attempt to see him
since. While my belief in his powers
is undiminshed, feel that If 1 saw him
now, my conception of him might be
DESTROYED. It is impossible that man
who has reached the age Of 81 should
not be slightly abnormal. had
cousin who lived to be los. She was
wonderful woman and retained most Of
her faculties when last saw her, be-
ing then 100 years old. But when was
talking with her could not quite feel
that she was really human. The pope is
a man of wonderful vitality. When you
and ! are 81 we shall not be celebrating
jubilees. But there is no doubt that the
pope is steadily growing weaker.
Though have not seen him lately,
hear what Is going on at the vatican.
He talks less than formerly and spends
several hours of the day on couch,
lying down. with eyes closed. There
are moments when he rouses himself
and shows his old strength; but not
often. Those who are near him tell me
that he may live two years longer.
There was prediction you know that
Queen Victoria would die In January Of
this year and that the pope would die
in July. The first part Of the predic-
ton has been fulfilled; trust that the
second clause may not"
Not = Figurehead.
docs the pope still keep his grasp Of
affairs and his control Of them
i.'Oh, yes. This pope has been SUI
preme in the Catholic church for twen-
ty-three years. He has been as inde-
pendent as the Emperor William. He
has always been willing to listen to adj
vice, ready to say Perhaps am
wrong but his will and final Judgment
alone have guided the church. He has
had no pilots. Plus TX. was under the
influence of Cardinal Antonelli. His
was free. but not an Independent
mind. He remained under that influ-
ence until Antonelli,s death, when he
came under the influence Of the Jesuits.
That was for the better. Anything
would have been better than Antonelli.
but the Jesuits are well organized.
highly intellectual body OF men. No
doubt their influence over the pope was
for good. But Leo has tolerated no In
reference in his affairs. There is
no man or body OF men who can be said
to have Influenced the policy Of the vat
ican since he has been pope
When Leo came into power no
found the vatican @overrun with useless
dependents When Plus was deprived
Of the temporal power whole army
OF pensioned haagers-on was left. The
new pope cleared them all out. SO thor
oughly that a cartoon Of the time rep.
resented him as housekeeper with a
broom, sweeping the rubbish out Of
the vatican. This pope does not ia
yor the pension system, and every man
now connected with the vatican is q
worker .f.i
Z Does the pope look after the de-
tails of church affairs 2"
SS Re knows what is going on all over
the world, not only In church, but In
diplomatic circles. He is = good