Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-07-06

ministration OF church affairs as papal
und$r secretary of state to Piux TX. and
he has occupied other equally important,
although more strictly ecclesiastical. Of
fees.
n Cardinal oreglia, Perhaps.
The cardinal who at the time OF a pope's
decease fills the place Of Camerlengo Is
usually regarded as a possible future pope
During the interregnum the Camerlengo OF
right exercises certain prerogatives Of SOW
ereignty in virtue of which he assumes
possession Of the Vatican.
1t Is his duty to assure himself. In ac-
cordance with custom. OF the pope's death.
mails for the election Of q new pontin. The
present Camerlengo. Cardinal Oreglia di
Santo Stefano, must be numbered among
the papabiH.
He has strong following inside and out
side OF the Vatican. An able and deter
mined man. he was dreaded by Leo XIII.
as too violent too unbending and to be
likely to bring trouble upon the church
Rampolla Stands High.
For reasons which have Just been indi-
Gated. 1t is most improbable that Cardinal
Rampolla. the man who for some fifteen
years was the mouthpiece and alter ego Of
Leo XIII, will be accorded many votes at
the approaching conclave. Cardinal Ram
polla has long been the most ardent advo-
CdlC VI d pOuCS specially 1AVOE6Di0 10 inc
Franco-Russian alliance. That alliance. 1t
may be added, he Is generally believed to
have in some measure helped to realize.
On the death of Cardinal Jacobini in the
secretaryship Of state. and thus became
identified with the remarkable series of off,
cfal acts by which Leo XIII proclaimed his
growing sympathy with the democracies of
the world in general and with the democra-
cy of the United States in particular.
Those who have seen much Of him know
that his urbanity does not exclude obsti-
macy. But till increasing weakness COM
peiied the late pope to confine his activity
to the essential duties of his Office he was
only nom1nally the director OF papal policy
as 1t affected foreign Catholic countries.
throughout the greater part OF his pontifi-
cate Leo XIII was in effect his own secre-
tary OF state. consulting this adviser or
that, but deciding most things according to
his own judgment. Nevertheless, to the
triple alliance and to the ultramontane or
extreme Catholic party Cardinal Rampolla
seems tainted with liberalism. He has of
necessity made many enemies, who will
now be eager to crush him.
Yet some Of his colleagues may, out of
respect for the affection borne him by Leo
XIII, pay him the compliment Of giving him
their votes.
Leo Named Gotti.
OF recently created cardinals none has
gone further in a few years to win the
sympathy and respect of the Roman
hierarchy than Cardinal Gotti He owes
the honor in which he is now held at the
Vatican chiefly to the tact, zeal and sue
ted himself Of delicate mission tend
Ing to the much-needed reform of the
church in South America.
On his recall he was comparatively I'M
known except to his immediate superiors.
His discretion and ability, no less than
his piety, soon attracted attention And
the late Cardinal Galimberti (who had
fully expected to have a decisive voice in
the election of the next pope is said to
have been so greatly impressed by the
qualities of Cardinal Gotti that they caused
him to waver in his old allegiance to Car
dinal Serafino Vannutelli, then supposed
to be his candidate.
Leo XIII for a time seemed to look on
Cardinal Gottf as a desirable successor
Toward the end Of his life, however his
feelings became less friendly. Cardinal
Gottt Is not absolutely committed to any
policy.
svampa Possibility.
On the strength largely of the old
prophecy OF the monk Malachi, to the
effect that the next pope will be a fam
Ing fire. 1t had come to be thought pos
sible that Cardinal Svampa might be elect
ed. sun shines In his armorial bearings,
and. with the superstition which distin- |
to conclusions.
Cardinal Svampa is a good priest and a |
man OF parts. But he has neither the |
diplomatic qualities Of the elder Cardinal !
Vannutelli nor, so far can be SEEM the |
administrative skill and authority Of Car |
1ina1 Parocchi By Leo XIII he was not |
much liked. and he enjoys poor health.
Mention must also be made of Cardinal |
the pious. learned and tenn |
oerate archbishop of Capua. Queen Mar |
sherita, in the lifetime Of King Humbert !
secretly advocated the claims of Cardinal |
Capecelatro to the pontificate.
Were he chosen 1t is possible that some |
hing would be DONE without the sacri- !
ice of anything held essential by Catho- |
les, to heal the breach between the Vatt- |
IAN and the Qurinal.
To complete this list 1t should be added |
hat by many Americans Cardinal Satolli
,x-papal delegate to Washington, and our
'wn Cardinal Gibbons are rightly or
wrongly regarded as papabili. while Cardi-
lal Sarto. patriarch of Venice has at |
east reasonable chance Of being elected.