The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-07-17
POntif Passes a Restless Jay But Rallies Slightly After
 Receiving a StinuIaRt
.FAVORS ARE SHOWERED
 ON FAITHFUL RAMPOLLA
Leo Suspects That cardInaI's Ene- niles Are Attacking Him for Fidelity, and Reveals HIs
 Love for the Secretary.

Rome, July 1T, 2:15 a. m.-The pope's condition this morning Is even less satis- factory than yesterday morning. and he was suffering from much uneasiness and difficulty in breathing until relieved to some extent by an injection of caffeine. A new crisis in the pope's condition pre- scented itself yesterday when the doctors were confronted on the one hand with the apparently imperative necessity of an- other operation. and on the other with the danger that such an operation in the patients feeble condition might prove fatal.
 This dilemma was canvassed by Dr. Lapponi and Dr. Mazzoni throughout the day At their earlier conference there was some prospect that the operation might not occur, and the doctors left the sick room without arriving at a definite determination as to when 1t would take place. They expressed the belief, how ever, that delay until today would serve a useful purpose in permitting larger extraction of serum in case the operation was undertaken.
 Pope Continues Depressed.
 Meantime the pope continued in state of great depression. Thanks to fairly good afternoons sleep the physicians were able to issue at TIPS D. m. bulle- tin showing that there had been no vital change in the normal progress of the disease though the same serious rapidity of respiration as was noticed in the morn- ing had again to be recorded. So painful had the latter become that one of those present in the siclSroom described the pontin as literally panting for his life's breath.
 Later the pope was sufficiently at ease to receive Cardinal Rampolla, and his holiness conferred upon him the authority made necessary for the executive admin istration of papal affairs. It Is understood one result of this action will probably be the speedy appointment of successor to Monsignor Volponi as secretary of the consistorial congregation.
 Tenacity Admirable.
 The tenacity of Pope Leo is most ad- mirable, not only in his organism, but even in his feeling. The best example thereof perhaps, Is the continual proofs of confidence that his holiness bestows on Cardinal Rampolla, who after faithfully serving the pope for sixteen years is now made the object of most bitter attacks, especially during the last period, because of the Fracophile attitude of the papacy The pontiff seems to have an intuition that while he lies with one foot in the grave Cardinal Rampolla's adversaries are beginning to take advantage of his totter- ing power to pull down the idol, which until yesterday. they worshiped. So his holiness leaves nothing unattempted to show the world up to the last moment how much he trusts his secretary of state.
 No Visitors Admitted.
 No one was admitted to the sick room today except the cardinal secretary of state who was allowed in only on the re- quest of Pope Leo, who said to him that he desired to confirm and to extend the power his eminence already exercised be- cause of his position and authorized him to take measures, which in ordinary times would compel the direct intervention of the pontiff. "in recognition of his pers- onal devotion to the church.
 The pope was much pleased when Cardi- nal Rampolla informed him of the uni- versal manifestation of sympathy to- wards his holiness, coming from all, even from none-catholics.