The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-08
POPE IS now RECOVERING,
,,T DECIDES NOT TO HOLD THE
MARCH CONSISTORY.
:, Had Been Expected That the Appoint.
mept OF Foreign Cardinals Would
increase the Present Conservative
Ma ,or,ty-Pope's Remarkable sight.

wa ,or,ty-Pope's Remarkable sight.
s,,tial Cable Despatch to TIE Sun.
pour March THE Pope Is recovering
ii. usual health At dinner to-day he ap-
rssred TO have his usual appetite. He
had long conference with Cardinal Ham.
polla, the Papal Secretary OF State. ana
Cardinal Respighi. Vicar General OF the
ropc Inc Pope has decided to receive
ali pilgrims on Monday.
There have been many false alarms IN
regard to the Pope's health. often based on
Light cold or something similar. but
now there has undoubtedly been moro
..,ious cause for alarm, though the wonder
mi old man seems again to be returning
a. his normal health, which IL marvellously
.ound II Is often said that the Pope Is
.ubiect to fainting fits. but there II abeo-
htely no foundation for IL. He u too
.bs,emious for that. 1t Is fact that he has
little appetite now and has become 90 used
=, eating soft food, which does not require
uastication, that when 1t was proposed that
no should have false teeth, now having q
single natural one, DR.. Vetman opposed II
on the ground that he would then naturally
cat heavier food and thus upset his d.
eestion.
The marvellous facts about the Pope arc
his sight and his memory. He has never
used glasses Of any kind, yet he reads badly
printed Italian newspapers, which require
the best eyes. In regard to his writing
there is little TO be said. For years he
has written nothing beyond his signature,
which Is so shaky as to be almost illegible.
There are many tales as to his memory.
showing that he not only remembers events
AS long ago as many old people, but little
details Of everyday life. An instance
occurred the other day, when he received
a foreign Cardinal. who on leaving asked
the Papal benediction for his servant John.
WHAT asked the Pope, have you
changed servantsi I thought his name
was Louis"
1T is, Your Holiness said the Cardinal.
'but he is i'll. and have brought another
IN his place.
There Is ono feature Of the Papal uno-
tons which is deeply deplored by good
Catholics. namely. the sale Of tickets for
any great ceremony at which the Pope is
20 appear. While the Cardinals and the
friends, not to mention the lesser lights.
received a very limited number Of tickets
for the tribunes, rich Protestants staying
at the large hotels can, II they are willing
TO pay, procure all they desire. Thus
q person not . Catholic can see the Holy
Father, while one who may be most fervid.
and even friend Of Cardinal. must oon-
tent himself with standing among $1,000
others There Ii not room for more than
1000 people In tho tribunes and the division
Of tickets seems most unjust to those who,
Is heads Of institutions, had 400 In 1904
and only 100 this year.
The negotiations between tho Vatican
and Austria regarding the appointment
of a Hungarian Cardinal have failed.
The more liberal Cardinals are alarmed
over the postponement OF the consistory
which was to have met this month, but
will now probably not assemble until June,
because Of q conclave should be neoes-
sary before the latter month tho present
icomposition II the Sacred College, having
q conservative majority, might lead TO
dangerous issues In the election OF . new
Pope. which would be adverse to Italy
and France and to liberal ideas. It was
hoped that the appointment at the March
consistory OF foreign Cardinals might
have modified the situation In q liberal
and conciliatory sense. The liberal Card
nails vainly insisted on an immediate con-
sistory to elect new Cardinals and Bishops
but the Pope after to-day's conference
with Cardinals Rampolla and Respighi
decided otherwise.