New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-11-23


sovereigns of the Old World. Sovereign honors
are ordered by Article III to be paid to the POPE,
while Article " grants the Pontif an annuity
OF 100000, exempt from all taxation and In
alenable-this revenue however, it is only fair
10 add has remained in the Golfers of the ltaIan
Government. the late and the present Pope hav-
Ing always declined to touch it. From this 1t
Will be seen that the Papacy enjoys complete
independence in the exercise OF its spiritual SOW
ereignty abroad while in Italy itself to 1t is &C
corded an amount of liberty that is not conceded
to the Roman Catholic Church in France Spain,
Bavaria Austria or Germany, in each of which
countries the consent of the government is re-
CURED to confirm Papal appointments to the
episcOpacy.
But it is not alone among the Roman Cath
olics abroad that the conviction has been
reached that the time has come for the Papacy
to abandon its pretensions to temporal soVer-
eighty. The same feeling is rapidly gaming
ground in Italy itself not alone among the lalty'
but also among the clergy, and even among the
ep scopacy who appreciate the fact that the au-
thorty of the Church is being weakened instead
Of strengthened by the uncompromising attitude
adopted by the Vatican toward the Quirinal A
great change has come the people. A new
generation has grown up since 1870. under the
rule and auspices OF the present italian Gov
eminent. There few e any Italians under
the age of fifty who have not undergone train
ing in the Italian army, and become there i'm
bued with sentiments of patrotsm-patriotism
in behalf of United Italy, with Rome as its cap
ital.
Patriotism has played great role In Italy.
The history of no other country shows so long
list of martyrs to its 1t predominates
every other feeling in the Italian breast and of
late il has become apparent that where ii Is at
variance with the behests of the Church the
AFTER are apt to be ignored. The decree issued
~ Plus TX thirty years ago strictly foTbdding
al true Catholics to take part in Parliamentary
elections on the ground that 1t would entail a
recognition OF the government of United Italy. |
In former days was estimated to keep at least 60
per cent OF the voters away from the polls To-
DAY il is doubtful whether much as 10 per |
cent refrain from casting their ballot at Paria-
uentary elections, for citizens who have served
h the army and sworn allegiance TO the mon
arch and TO the flag Of United Italy cannot see |
why they should refrain from fulfilling their |
Nvc duties to their country or countenance
doctrine which means the disruption OF United |
xaly
Their patriotism gets the better Of their obedi- |
NICE to the Church, and since the Papai law |
against taking part in Parliamentary elections |
On becoming more and more ignored as time !,
goes by, Il Is thought II would be polite to |
withdraw 1t for the sake of the prestige and
dignity of the Holy Seat. The claim for the
restoration of the temporal sovereignty OF the !
Pope is the princpaI-nay indeed. almost the |
snly-source OF dispute between the Papacy and
She government the only obstacle which stands |
b the way Of an Italian being patriotic cit- |
zen and a good churchman at one and the same
time. 1t is not the cause OF patriotism that suf-
fers from this condition Of affairs, but the |
Church, and the maintenance of the Ponttcal |
prohibition against participation in Parlia- |
mentary elections on the ground that it would
imply an abandonment of the doctrine OF tenn
poral power is becoming more and more a
source of weakness to the Holy Seat
This is appreciated 10y many of the members
of the Italian hierarchy, and even by some Of
the cardnals-men who old enough to re-
member the days before Rome became the capi-
tai OF United italy and who were formerly ac-
counted among the most intranSigeant in their
attitude toward the Italian Government. In
deed l have in mind a venerable Italian Arch
bishop who in 1873 distinguished himself by re-
fusing to celebrate requiem mass at the time
OF the death of the late King Victor Emmanuel.
and yet who has expressed himself to most
go to the polls at Parliamentary elections in
Italy. He is merely of a large number of
prclatcs and princes Of the Church who are
cautiously urging the Vatican tc modify its atti-
tude in the matter and that all those as
Eocatious and cooperative societies initiated by
Of social democracy are no longer content to
TnnDiciD1l elections