New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-10
THE CONCLAVE,
II Trend TO1card LiberaLism-T5.
Foreign Cardinals.

dtnal has locked the secret OF his first VOTE =
his own heart. and when the details OF sno.
conferences as may have been held are corr
mitted to private diaries. and may never be A.
velOped unless there be an tndisCreet kilograms,
in reserve. The Italian journalists seem n :.
convinced that an active canvass has been =
progress during the week in favor Of two proy,5
nent candidates. Cardinals SerahnO VannurslY
and Rampolla: and their daily record OF ~.
and counterpart. combination and intrigue ~.
closely resembIed the narratives OF the pre,r,l
nary scenes of a Presidential convention =
America There is. however. one important A.
tinction. In America the delegates are loou,
cious. and take correspondents freely into ~.
confidence for the sake Of influencing or tesi,-
public opinion; whereas in Rome the cardinal
are silent and do not concern themselves vt,,
the Vaccinations and amateur diplomacy % ~.
daily press. Reticence. while not a supernatural
grace. is one OF the characteristics gifts Of 4ba
red princes Of the Roman hierarchy. II anabl.
them to remain in seclusion during an interrer-
mum at the Vatican and to pose as sanity me,
who are awaiting the same sort Of Inspiration
invoked by the Apostles in filing by halIo, thu
vacancy caused by the apOstasy OF Judas Mss,-
while the diplomats at the embassies rage ana
the journalists imagine vain things, CARVING
and vetoing elections. nominating first and Sec
Ond candidates for the chief factions and
jOckeying dark horse after another in prs-
mature starts
The irresponsible canvass conducted IN print
has served at least one useful purpose It has
disclosed the progressive trend OF the Vatican
The two cardinals. who have each a strong BODY
Of supporters in the conclave, stand for liberal
processes Of accommodation in the relations OF
the Church with national governments. Car
dinal Rampolla has been identified with the ao
ceptance OF the Republic by French Catholics.
One OF the keenest observers during the last
reign confessed that he could not tell whether
the mind CT Cardinal Rampolla was the sheet OF
white paper which Leo XIII wrote in a bold
Italian hand. or whether the mind OF the Pontir
was the scroll on which the Secretary OF State
recorded Vatican policy. As the Pope had a
commanding personality. his voice was de-
cisive IN bidding French Catholics TO accept
constituted authority a necessary safeguard
for religious interests; but now that he is dead
Cardinal RampOlla is held responsible by slug
gish conservatives in the Sacred College for
patronage OF republican institutions which has
alienated nnonarchists both in France and in
Europe. Resistance is offered to him because
he has been too liberal in making concessions TO
the spirit OF the times; yet he is by birth
patrician from Sicily. and he received his train
ing for diplomacy when he was nuncio in Spain.
the most impregnabIe fortress Of conservatism
in both church and state. Whether elected by
coalition of Italian. French Spanish and Portu-
guese cardinals as the natural candidate OF the
Latin nations. sacrificed to resentment OF
old Tories in the conclave the policy which he
conducted Is not likely to be modified. much less
reversed. Continuity of administration and
diplomacy is the oldest and best tradition of the
Vatican.
The rival candidate. Cardinal Serahno Vannu-
tell, represents another application OF the law
OF accommodation. against which both Leo XIII
and Plus TX sternly set their faces. While he
has never been IN the Quirtnal he has been on
friendly terms with several members Of the
royal family, and Is a favorite among the
white patrician families, who have accepted
the monarchy and have been drawn into court
circles. He has had a long career in diplomacy.
having lived in South America. Germany Bel
GUM and Austria, and has enlisted the en-
thusiastic support OF the courts connected by
the Triple Alliance. If he were elected Pope he
would not be likely to bring about reconcilia-
ton OF church and state in Italy; but he would
be a thoroughly diplomatic Pope. seeking the
lines Of least resistance and trying to find means
OF living terms Of less hostility to the court
and government than the last two Ponti1s have
considered either necessary or desirable. Car
dinal Serafino Vannutelu would not surrender
the temporal claims OF the Papacy. but he would
be prepared TO make some concessions 10 the
Italian Government in the interests OF peace:
and for this reason he IS distrusted by the
Black patrictan families in Rome, and prob
ably will be opposed by the conservative els-
ments Of the conclave. His liberalism Is more
aggressive than that OF Cardinal Rampolla, be-
cause 1t invites Cancellation in a quarter
and creates atmosphere for the settlement OF
what has seemed for a generation an irrecOnci-
able conflict
The Vatican cannot be described as a reser-
vOir Of stagnant conservatism when the TWO
candidates whose names are now in everybodys
mouth represent in one form another adapta-
bility to the spirit OF the times If neither De
eleCted-and since this letter will be read aI1el
the opening Of a new reign. I shall not De 80
incaUtioUs to offer any fOrecast-tt VIII %
because majority of the cardinals CONSIDER
transition period safer than processes OF eVol1-
ton conducted by a markedly political Pops
Those who disapproved OF the summary eonees-
siOns to the French Republic and those who az
prehend danger from the display Of an accom-
modating spirit toward the royal house and con
stituted government in Italy viii unite in ehoos-
ing Pope who has taken less interest IN 'au
can diplomacy than either Of these pohucA
candidates. In that event candidate may %
found who will be less likely 10 divide the CON
clave into hostile factions He may be w
eran with no other ambition than that OF Gun
tinuing the policies OF Leo XIII without h'@'0
rial change; he may be a reformer IKE "a
dinal GOtti, with infiexible deterUinaI"N -
set the Vatican IN order and TO enlarge 'H
sphere OF the Churchs activities al home an
abroad or he may be a capable eccleSl1s.
like Cardinal Sarto. who has made by IA1-
full service in his own field OF work the s4i-'
kind of reputation which Plus TX carried I'm
ImOla to the Vatican. A non-poUtlea4 IVY
with either liberal tendencies or wOrkaday el7'