New-York tribune., 1903-08-06
THE PAPAL SUCCESSION.
a Dynasty Protected by the Con-
fict of Church and State.
Rome. July 25.


the Vatican was his remark to the Prince and
Princess of Wales. now on the English throne.
He had been speaking of the unexpected vicissi-
tudes Of rulers. It had been only two years
since the estates of the Church had been lost
through the withdrawal OF the French garrison
from Rome; yet during that interval Napoleon
III had been defeated in calamtous war and
driven into exile in England. Two years earlier
wise men would have said that the retreat Of
the Pope to Malta was more likely TO happen
than the downfall of the French Empire and the
retirement of Louis Napoleon to England. Il
am much happier said the Pope with serene
philosophy TO his royal guests. than those who
call themselves the masters Of Rome, because l
have no fears for my dynasty. God takes care
of il. I may be driven away for a while but
when your children and your grandchildren
come to visit Rome, whatever may be the tenn
poraI possessions of the Pope at that time they
will see, as you do to-day, old man dressed
in white pointing to heaven" That is what Wis
itors at st. Peters have witnessed during the
last few days-a dead Pope in white looking
heavenward from the Chapel of the Blessed
Sacrament; and, while the lost estates have not
been restored and Pope maker ventures 10
forecast with any degree of confidence the name
Of the successful candidate for the tiara neither
Catholic nor Protestant nor agnostic has any
apprehensions respecting the Papal dynasty
There will be a new Pope and the succession
will not be interrupted The vicissitudes of tenn
poraI sovereignty have secured the material
prosperity and independence Of the Papacy
The Blacks and the Whites have carried on
during two protracted Papal reigns an appar-
entity irreconcilabIe conflict; and, while there Is
better feeling between them, there are no signs
Of permanent peace. Not even Death is peace
maker, for. although small concessions have
been made to the Italian Government by the
Vatican in the official registry of the Pontiff's
final illness the issue of cards of admission TO
St Peters by a prefect and the employment OF
a thousand soldiers in guarding the approaches
and ordering the movement Of spectators during
the public ceremonies Of the exhibition of the
mortal remains of Leo XIII, there has been no
approach TO definite reconciliation The par
tisans among both Whites and Blacks agree
that there can be no settlement of the feuds he
tween church and state for a generation GER
tainly and probably not for a century Yet
while there is no immediate prospect Of peace
between the Vatican and the Quirinal, the con-
clave of Pope makers enjoys absolute immunity
from foreign interference and IS enabled TO de-
teruline the succession without reference to the
preferences of European governments or the
tntrigues and ambitions of dynasties. The veto
power which Austria and Spain have employed
effectively in various Papal elections. has viz
tually lapsed. since no Catholic government is
and probably there is no safeguard against the
revival or abuse of a traditional privilege so
potent as the jealousy Of the Italian Govern
ment against which the Vatican has been IN
revolt since the occupation of Rome. Since
Italy cannot veto the election Of a candidate, no
other power is likely TO offer any interference
A Panal election now lies outside the range of
European diplomacy. The cardinals in their
retirement are not influenced either by the
of
ences of France as they were in 1916,
when he election Of Plus TX was recog-
nized a. a defeat for Vienna and victory
for France. Their independence and liberty OF
choice are not challenged from any quarter OF
the Christian world The Italian Government
itself bonors Cavour's tradition of the free
church in the free state by scrupulously re-
framing from nleddling in Papal election.
There can be little doubt, moreover, that the
material prosperity as well as the security Of
the Papacy has been promoted by the irrecon-
cilable conflict between church and state. Lib
eral, according to Quirinal experts as are the
financial terms which the Italian Government
has offered for the maintenance Of the Vatican,
the voluntary tribute from the faithful Catholics
throughout the world is increased by the breach
between the national government and the visi-
BILE head of the Church. The revenues of the
Vatican have been materially enlarged since
and a compromise with the Qurinal would in
volve a great shrinkage of support from the
Austrian Emperor and from pious Catholics in
Germany, France the United Kingdom and the
United States. The Vatican is a costly estab-
Iishment even when the financial adminlstra-
ton is conducted economically. as has been done
during the reign of Leo XIII; and the dignity
and power of the Papal court are enhanced by
the resources of wealth supplied by the piety
Cath CbTiStp0dOTn.
the point OF view of Vatican economics, recon-
ciliation with the Quirinal is inexpedient; and
the Italian Government is equally well satisfied
with existing conditions since it is spared the
necessity for increased taxation of the King 5
subjects. I am considering the status Of the
prisoner of the Vatican from the lowest point
Of view The higher grounds have been defined
with Italian subtlety by the last two Popes, who
virtually agreed that reconciliation of church
and state could be effected only on two condi-
tions: the restitution of Rome TO its righttul
sovereign and the full recognition Of all the
rights claimed by the Holy See. Plus TX could
put the case bluntly when he told the En-
peror of Brazil: Let the King of Piedmont abb
lure his evil deeds and restore my states; then
I will consent TO see him, but not before Leo
XIII had the more delicate task Of justifying
Vatican policy at home and abroad in his letter
TO the French cardinals. and he demonstrated
that acceptance OF constituted government in
France was a safeguard of religious interests
there whereas in Italy the same interests re-
uuired full liberty for the sublime function of
visible Head of the Church appointed for the
government of souls"-a liberty which could not
exist unless the Pope was "a true sovereign,
independent of all human sovereignty"
While two OF the greatest Popes have con-
CURED in supporting strenuously the claims of