The Nome nugget., 1903-08-15
NEW POPE:
 ELECTED Cardinal. Sarto, a New
 Man, Chosen. PROCLAIMED PLUS X
The Election occurred Tuesday, August {, and Was a
 Compromise.

The suspense as to the head Cf the Roman. Catholic church was ended Tuesday, August f, by the selection of a. compromise candidate.
 Cardinal Sarto, a scholarly man of simple habits, great preacher, a man who is said to have enjoyed the friend- ship and confidence of Pope Leo XIII, becomes his successor.
 He at first declined the honor and re- fused the election, but the cardinals finally persuaded him to accept. The coronation is supposed to have taken place last Sunday, Aug. 9. The con clave was dissolved last Tuesday even- ing. He is said to be a man of fine figure, erect, commanding and scholar ly. His face, it is said, resembles that of the late Philips Brooks. He is 6S years old, but well preserved, and has assumed the name Piux \.
 The following editorial comment eX- presses the situation so fairly and well that we reproduce it for the benefit Of THE NUGGET readers:
 "The great drama of the Sistine chapel is ended. From little balcony of the basiica facing the wonderful nave of St. Peter new pope has been announced to the vast throng, and Plus X has bestowed his first papal benedic- tion on the assemblage, on the city and upon the world.
 After three days of balloting, dur ing which the successive failures to se- cure the agreement of two-thirds of the cardinals upon any one candidate were announced to the outside world only by the thick curling smoke of the burning ballots, yesterday morning saw the choice fall upon Joseph Sarto, for merly patriarch of Venice.
 Assuming the name of Plus X. he was invested with the papal robes and triple crown and received the deep homage ofthose who a few brief mo- ments before had been his fellow car diralS The polished, polite and eX- perienced Rampolia, the high-bOrn and diplomatic Vannutelli, the cold and powerful Oreglia, and all those princes ot the church who had been thought SC likely to be elevated to the chair of the supreme pontiff, rendered devout rec Ugnition to the man who hereafter is, m the eyes of the church the actual ,icegerent of God on earth.
 'iSart0 had not been regarded a. among those from whom the selection would be made. He had spent most of his life as parish priest in the north 3g Italy, and had never been promi- nent in or closely connected with the churchly politics of Rome.
 ''only in 1891 was he raised to the position of patriarch of Venice, and re- ceived his cardinals hat as lately as lS93 Born at Riese, in the diocese Of Treviso, on June ?, 1855, he becomes poptiff at the same age of 6S as his great predecessor, Leo XIII, and as he is said to have an unusually robust constitution it is quite possible that he may have an equally long pontifcate before him.
 !.He has been especially noted for the eloquence of his preaching and for his bis devotion to literary pursuits, in which he again resembles Leo. He is said to have liberal ideas and to have won the warm affection and admira- ton of his people by his purity of life, broad culture and modest and winning manners.
 "As he made his first appearance to bestow the papal blessing the multi tude, that had gathered greeted him "a with the most enthusiastic acclama- | tions.
 "The brief period of time consumed by the conclave in reaching decision, while not unexpected, is source of profound qualification to the 230, ,OOO, ,OOO Catholics throughout the world. To them it is matter surpassing in i'm -pOr.ance any worldly event to have the throne of the See of Peter speedily oc- cupied by pontiff of exalted personal character. If, as is reported, the new pope had won and enjoyed the warm personal friendship and esteem of Leo XIII, there can be little room for doubt that he is well fitted to bear the great burdens and responsibilities that he has assumed.
 "We may not even guess, but we may with most sincere respect wonder what must be the feelings of this man, yes terday but one of the servants Of the church, open to error as any of his