Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-10-08
TIE FATAL CONCLAvE.
Cardinal Gibbons Describes the
 Election of Plus X.
HE PLEADED AGAINST PROMOTION

With Tears In His Eyes, Cardinal
 sarto Imp1ored His Colleagues Not
 to Choose Him as Successor to Leo
 XIII.-Absolute Freedom and Fair
 ness Marked the Election.
 At & service of thanksgiving for the election of the new pontiff, Plus X., recently held in the cathedral at Bal timore, Cardinal Gibbons, who preached for the first time since his return from Rome, gave an impressive description of the conclave and of the new pontiff, says the New York World. He said in part:
 s'The conclave marks new and in- portant era in the annals of the Amer ican Catholic church. This is the first time in the history of the Christian religion that the United States or any part of this western hemisphere was ever associated with the other nations of Christendom in selecting successor to the chair of Peter.
 ''I should not be at all surprised if in the next conclave the Catholic church of the United States will be represented by several members of the sacred college, so that the number of cardinals from our country may be commensurate with the population, the grandeur and the commanding infiu- ence of the nation, and may be in keep ing also with the numerical strength of our hierarchy and laity and the splendor and progress of our religious and cha l-ifa hJn institutions
 T was present at the conclave and took part in its proceedings, and with out revealing it's secrets I can most positively assure you and the Ameri- can people that the election of the pope was conducted with absolute free dom, with the utmost fairness and i'm partiality and with dignity and so- lemnity becoming the august assem- blaze of the sacred college and the mo- mentous consequences of their suf frages.
 British parliament, in the French chambers and in both houses of con- gross, and I must candidly say that in sobriety of language and in courteous department of members toward one another the college of cardinals sur passed them all And this is the more noteworthy when we consider that some twelve different nationaIities, swayed by as many national charac- teristics, were represented in the as-. sembly. On leaving the Sistine chapel at the conclusion of the conclave and contemplating the everything action of the Holy Ghost on these heterogeneous elements I exclaimed, The finger of God is hereY"
 'sThe votes for Cardinal Sarto stead fly increased from the first to the sew enth ballot, on which he was elected. When the cardinal observed that the suffrages for him were augmenting, he was visibly disturbed, and in fervent speech he inplored his colleagues not to regard him as candidate. Contrary to his wishes the votes for him in creased. He then became alarmed, and in second speech in most pathetic lan- guage he again besCught the cardinals to forget his name. as he could not ac- cept burden too heavy for him to bear.
 g All were moved by the modesty and transparent sincerity of the man. When he resumed his seat, his cheeks were suffused with bushes, tears were gush- ing from his eyes, and his body trem- bled with emotion. It was only after some of the leading cardinals entreated him to withdraw his opposition that he finally and reluctantly consented to abide by the will of God and accept the sacrifice. Never did prisoner make greater efforts to escape from his con finement than did Cardinal Sarto to escape from the yoke of the papacy. With his Divine Master, he exclaimed: Father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done.
 ssWhen hss election was officially an- nounced, his forid countenance assum- ed a deathly pallor, and restoratives were applied to save him from faint ing. So little did Cardinal Sarto expect to be the choice of his colleagues that on setting out for Rome, he purchased a return ticket to his home in Venice.
 .sPius x. is in his sixty ninth year. The virtues of humilitys sincerity, can dor and benevolence are stamped on his features. can characterize him in one sentence by saying that he is a man of God and man of the people
 Presidents Joke About Ills Teeth.
 President Roosevelt, who has been having his feafh aft0nfTad to cracLo od a