Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-07-23

| Finally, diplomatic relations with the
Vatican were resumed and the late EN-
| peror Frederick, then crown prince, sig
| nalized the restoration If a harmonious
understanding by visiting the Pope at
| the Vatican. A still greater tribute was
| paid by Germany to his holiness BY her
| selection of him as arbitrator in this
| dispute with Spain regarding the Caro-
| line islands and her defercntial accept
ance Of his decision in favor Of the weak
| err powers. His success in this arbitra-
| ton induced the Pope to declare his
| readiness to act as arbitrator In other
| disputes for the benefit of the whole of
| Europe and of Christianity; but, for this
| his holiness declared 1t to be essential
that he should be restored his liberty and
| Independent temporal sovereignty. This
| demand, however met with no response,
as far as foreign governments were con-
| cerned and the hopes which had been
| expressed in some quarters that the Ger
man Emperor's visit to the Pope in 1888
might lead to Germany advocating the
| temporal claims of the holy see were soon
disspated The Pope himself, in a letter
to the German bishop declared that he re-
garded the presence of the Emperor Will
liam In Rome as the guest of the OUR
inal as a "deplorabe recognition of ac-
complished facts"
The interests Of the triple alliance were
and even Catholic Austria could not af-
ford to offend Italy by espousing the
! Popes cause, although the Emperor
Francis Joseph abstained from visiting
King Humbcrt in the city of Rome and
thereby openly recognizing the legality
! of the Italy occupation. Perhaps the
most remarkable feature Of the late
Popes policy was the change in the at
ttude which the Vatican had hitherto
preserved in regard to the French repub-
lie. At the beginning Of Pope Leo's reign
tho Identification of clergy with the roy
alist movement which gave rise to Gam
betta's famous remark "I.e Clerncalisme
Noili l. Ennui" had caused an antagon-
ism that savored of religion which at one
time bid fair to lead to the early separa-
ton of church and state in FRANCE. Alive
to the danger of the situation. the Pope
sought to concliate the republic by &C
knowledging it as the established legal
form of government, and in 1891, the late
Cardinal Lavigeirie gave expression to his
holiness views on this subject to the great
surprise of the Catholic press and the
perturbation of not a few members of
the French episcopate. While thus en-
gagged in political negotiations with var
ious countries requiring the greatest adj
dress and deXterity, the late Pope paid
special attention to the actual work Of
propagating the Catholic faith, and no
pontifcal reign since the Reformation has
olcsm, or such an extension of the spirit
ual dominion Of the Catholic Church, es-
pecally in Engish-speaking countries.
AS an example of this may be cited the
numerous pilgrimages which came to the
eternal city from all parts of the world,
for instance at the time of the celebration
December %. 1851, of the jubilee of the
Pope's ordination to the priesthood. The
jubilee service in St. Peters on that
occasion was attended by 1000 persons
At the mass the Pope used a golden ever
and basin presented to him by the
late Queen Victoria and wore tiara
given by the Emperor of Germany. His
holiness also wore a magnificent diamond
ring sent him by the Sultan Of Turkey
as a personal mark of his good will and
pleasure.
In February 1900. the Pope issued ar
; encyclical on Americansm which CAUSED
much discussion. and in June, 19cl. he
issued a letter on labor. which alsc
aroused much interest.
PUBLIC CELEBRATIONS.
On March 8. 1909, the late Pope tool
! part in the public celebra tons in homo,
of the 24th anniversary of his coronation
by holding a ''papa chapel in the Basil
lea Of st. Peters, on which occasion h
was greeted by 5000 persons. This Wa
the first time a chapel had been hel'
: in the Rasiica since 1870, such ceremonle
! having heretofore taken place in the Sis
1 tine Chapel Thirty cardinals wer
among those present.
The late Pontin on March %
1o0o published long encyclica
letter, the tone of which sug
; gested testamentary recommendations anC
Q in which he deplored the renewed at
y tacks on the church and the "rocert err
rors of humanity" instancinc divorce. an,
- niCturinp the present condition Of .socis
4 tv as having drifted into state o
| anarchy.
a The lith anniversary Of Pope 1.oos cor
$ onation was celebrated AT the Vatican
$ thousands Of members Of all the Catholi
: societies assembled in Rome for the oc
q casion.