New-York tribune., 1903-08-16

lage or even cross the Tiber He will live in
three or four small rooms and make the cir
cult OF the Vatican gardens when he walks or
drives; and although he is his own jailer and
enforces his own decree of banishment. he must
: be content with these meagre glinpses OF time
! gloriied Rome ard beautiful Italy. There will
be great ceremcnials in the Vatican and in St
Peters. and piIgrimages Will succeed pilgrim
ages. for the Catholic world will not neglect the
crowned prisoner. but will throng about him
summer and winter and offer golden tribute to
MIN, but 1t VIII be a toilsone ana nonotonous
existence. very different from the freedom which
he has enjoyed in his deeply cherished Venice.
He will celebrate mass early every morning, re-
ceIve visitors in special audiences, hold con-
situations with ministers, dictate letters to sec
retaries, and work at night in the solitude of a
small library. Sovereign and prisoner, he will
eat alone. with one servant to- wait on him. and,
unless he breaks the chain Of precedent in his
ardor for democratic simplicity his intercourse
with prelates, officials and strangers will be
formal and restrained, for there is no court in
Europe with etiquette more rigorous than
that of the Vatican. How often must the patri-
clan Pecci have sighed in the Vatican for the
free air of the Volscian Mountains at Carpineto
where he was born! But, alack! he was a
voluntary prisoner. and could only renew his
youth by reading Ciceronian Latin and writing
academic verse at midnight The plebeian Sarto,
from the Venetian diocese of Treviso. has a
more decided taste for music than for literature;
but, save for religion, what solace there be
for the loss of his native country and the dream
like beauties Of the Grand Canal. Not in the
joyous proclamation from the outer wall of St
Peters but perhaps in the antiphon OF the
blessing heard within, there was an undertone
Of pathos when sentence of Imprisonment
passed to-day upon the white robed figure,
again
workaday world.
Superficial observers might have been tempted
to say to-day that a way would be found out
of the impasse between church and state. There
were the Italian troops drawn up in front Of the
cathedral to present arms when the election of
the Pope proclaimed. and there was royal
assemblage of Romans inside, acclaiming Plus
X though he were the only sovereign of the
seven hills. The Pope himself. with his be-
nignant and serene face, looked like conse-
Grated peacenaker as he raised his hands in
solemn benediction. His election, moreover, Of
fers promise Of era of good feeling. There
may be disappointment in Vatican circles where
Cardinal Rampolla numbered many ardent
friends; and, since the new Pope has seldom
been in Rome. the old patrican families do not
know him, and temporarily out of touch
with the visible head of the Church. The new
Pope is however popular at once among Italian
/
practical evidence Of a spirit of accommodation
in establishing friendly relations with the Italian
Government. For these and other reasons an
optirnist might have been convinced to-day that
a complete reconciliation was impending be-
tween church and state; but it would have been
a serious error Of judgment, like the illusions
! entertained in 1916, that Plus TX was a Liberal
and the natural ally of Mazzini. Cavour and
| Garbaldi. Simple, unaffected as he is, a good
| priest on a throne, Plus y will not be less re-
! Iuctant than either of his two predecessors to
be considered a subject OF the King of Italy.
The old protest against the loss Of temporal
sovereignty will be renewed in a less offensive
/ yet sufficiently emphatic FORM No Italian Lib
! eral has yet been able TO suggest any measure
! of reconciliation which Will not leave the Pa
| pacy subordinate to the monarchical government,
| and this would tend to impair the international
character of the Catholic Church body not
identified with a single race country, to the
exclusion of other races or countries The prom
Use Of better feeling and more tolerant spirit
of accommodation is of the augUries Of the
new reign; but permanent peace lies outside the
bounds of rational faith. /. y. T.