The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-07-20
EATH ENDS POPE LE0S GRAND And NOBLE CAREER

sion. Pope Leo XIII unhesitat tingly main
tained his demand for the restoration OF
the temporal power OF the papacy. nor did
he ever recede from the position then
taken up.
| VATICAN INFLUENCE INCREASED
| At the same time the policy OF the
| Roman church certainly underwent a de-
velopment I'm the direction OF moderation.
| which greatly contributed 10 increa sing
! the influence OF the vatican abroad. From
the very outset the new pontin displayed
| the greatest interest in the social ques-
tions agitating the world OF today and
In an encyclical issued in December. 1878,
appealed TO the intellectual forces OF
Catholicity 10 contest the propaganda OF
doctrines which His Holiness described as
! subservient OF social order. alluding es
pecially TO the Socialists in Germany and
| the Nihilist movement I'm Russia.
The coopera tion afforded by the pope
60 the various governments In opposing
the growing forces OF social democracy
paved the way for the settlement Of dis
putes existing between those governments
and the vatican. both spiritual and civil
authorities being. as II were. called upon
20 merge their differences and make COM
mon the cause against the common enemy.
The first great political achievement OF
the pope was the settlement Of the dif
I
rise 10 the famous Ku!turkampf.
GERMANY SEEKS SUPPORT.
The rapid spread OF anarchistic doc
trines in Germany and the attempts made
uron the emperor's life i'm 1873 induced
Prince Bismarck 10 make approaches 20
the Ultramontane party 10 secure their
support for his economic policy. Herr
Falk. the famous author OF the May laws.
was removed from office and other con
cessions were made TO the Catholics.
Finally. diplomatic relations with the vat
lean were resumed and the late Emperor
Frederick. then crown prince signalized
the restoration OF an harmonious under
standing by visiting the pope at the vati-
can.
A still greater tribute was paid by Ger
many TO his holiness by her selection Of
him arbitrator In the dispute with
Spain regarding the Caroline islands. aud
her deferential acceptance OF his deci-
sion In favor Of the weaker power. His
success in this arbitration induced the
pope TO declare his readiness 10 act as
arbitrator in other disputes for the
benefit OF the whole OF Europe and OF
Christianity; but. for this. his holiness
declared Il TO be essential that he should
be restored his liberty as an Independent
temporal sovereign. This demand how
ever met with no response. as far as
foreign governments were concerned. and
the hopes which had been expressed in
some quarters that the German en-
peror's visit TO the pope IN 1888 might |
lead TO Germany advocating the tenn |
poral claims OF the holy see were soon |
dissipated. The pope, himself in letter /
to the German bishops. declared that ne
regarded the presence OF the Emperor |
William in Rome as the guest OF the |
qulrnal as a 'deplorable recognition or
facts"
The interests OF the triple alliance
were not compatible with those OF the
vatican and even Catholic Austria could !
not afford to offend Italy by espousing
the popes cause although the Emperor |
Francis Joseph abstsined from visiting |
King Humbert in the city OF Rome and /
thereby openly recognizing the legality /
OF the Italian occupation.
ATTITUDE TOWARD FRANCE.
Perhaps the most remarkable feature
OF the late Popes policy was the change
In the attitude which the Vatican had
hitherto preserved IN regard TO the
French Republic. At the beginning OF
Pope Leos reign the Identification of the
clergy with the RoyaEst movement which
gave rise to Gambettas famous remark:
lie clericalisme VOLTA rennuii had
>aused an antagonlsm TO all that savored
II religion, which at one time bid fair
o lead TO the early separation OF church
and state in France Alive 20 the danger
of the situation the Pope sought to con-
'iliate the Republic by acknowledging II
Is the established legal form OF govern
nent, and In 1891 the late Cardinal La
'igerie gave expression 10 His Holiness
'iews on this subject 10 the great surprise
" the Catholic press and the perturbation
II not few members of the French Fpis-