The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-07-29
HOPEFUL SIGNS IN
|TALYS ATTITUDE,
Father Phelan Discusses the New
Pope and Temporal
Power.
DIFFERENCES MAY BE SETTLED.
Thinks the pontilf to Be Elected
Will Continue the Policy
Which Has Been in
Force.
DIFFERENCES MAY BE SETTLED.

The Reverend Father D. S Phelan. editor
of the Western Waterman, sees in the
marked tribute which Ttaly's rulers and
people have paid to Pope Leo NIL a sign Of
the solution of the question of the temporal
power of the church.
He thinks that papal Rome is each year
further impressing itself upon 1talinn
Rome, and is even having Its efec; upon
the life of Italys King and court.
He would have Rome left TO occupy the
position 1t has occupied for thousand
years as the capital OF Christeniom and
some other city OF Italy the political cap
| ital
In speaking on this question yesterday
Father Phelan said:
The question that comes TO the front
| and Will come to the front at the death of
each succeeding Pope for some time to
come is. What policy will be pursued in the
f, coming pontificate regarding the temporal
| power?
The question of the temporal power will
| settle ITSELF Rome is not the place tor a
modern capital. and every succeeding year
only shows the incongruity more and more
emphatically. Religion is impressed on
everything in Rome and is beginning to
throw a pale light on the official life Of
1taly's King and court.
ITALIAN ROME MOCRNED.
Italian Rome sympathized and frater-
nized with papal Rome on the occasion of
Leo's death. The Italian flag was at half
mast on the Quitnal when the Pontiff was
buried. The whole city was converted into
a mortuary chapel and laws were passed in
the Italian Parliament with bated breath,
as IL the very atmosphere was charged with
{anS
Emanuel dropped to the rank of simple
Catholic II ourning at the bier Of the father
OF ChristenGom. That feeling of the sacred
ness of Rome is not dying out, but. on the
contrary, growing every day. ltalys amhl-
ton to revive the glories of anr:eat Rome
has as: turned to more sensible speculation;
sand years the acknowledged capital of the
Christian world. Why not leave her alone
In her UNIQUE glory? Italy can have two
capitals; one religious, the other political;
the one in process of growth: the other in
full possession of mature and perfect glory.
Italy would not be less Italy with papal
Rome. Rome would not be less Italian with
a son of the sunny peninsula ruling in the
chair of Peter. Napoleon dreamed of such
his dream unfultilled. But what was i'm
possible for the fiery Corsican is possible for
the House of Savoy.
WOULD BE woRLD-PowER.
With King of Italy ruling in Milan or
Turin and Italian Pope governing three
Vatican Hill. Italy would become world
Power of the first magnitude and her future
would be assured beyond the peradventure
the temporal Powers.
Upon being asked what might be the
policy of the new Pope. he said:
viii the next Pope follow in the foot
VIII ne inaugurate period of peace and
reconciliation? Is the present strife be-
tween the Vatican and Quirinal to continue
or will the nonpossumus of Plus and Leo be
made perpetual.
1T is claimed in favor of monarchies
That they have fixed policy from which
there Is no deviation and which become in
time one with the life of the nation and the
spirit Of the reigning house. We know be-
1orehand what the Foreign Office in Eng
land would do in given emergency. For
centuries II has followed out a definite pro-
gramme and the nation stands for it. We
Know what Germany or Russia would do
IN certain contingencies Is well before they
act as afterwards.
DIFFERENT WITH REPUBLICS.
But it is different with Republics. Every
new administration means an entire new
governing body, from President down to
Consul. There is in no department OF the
Government continuous tradition ana the
country lawyer who steps into the chair of
the directory of state knows no more about
international law, and the comfy of ma
tons than he knows about the laws OF the
Modes and Persians.
Among monarchical Governments there is
none which adheres from age to age with
such Derttn2city and undergraduates as
the Roman court. To break with the pow
ers that be in the Vatican is to invite er..,-
less feud and ultimate eXtermina ton. The
polcy OF Pope never begins with him 1t
is the legacy Of hundreds of years of spar
ring between the head of the church and
the temporal powers
Rome is called the cancori,lm of E,lropa
Tor all movements either act or react
there. Rome has been accused of ambition
and desire TO exercise dominion over peo-
pies and Kings. While there may have L,en
Popes WHO entertained an exaggerated idea
of their own Importance. il can be saielv
said tfa;. one and ALI. they have busted
themselves chiefly about religion and the
salvation Of souls ANY policy of tho paracy
could have had no other end in view