The Irish standard., 1903-03-14
"REMINISCENCES OF LEO
BY First American Reporter Who
interviewed Him.

For twenty-five years the frail sue.
@cssor of st. Peter, Pope Leo NIL,
who has just celebrated the twenty
fifth anniversary of his coronation, has
been voluntary prisoner in the Vati-
can, a palace Of 1000 rooms, saws
James Creelman in tie New Yor],
World In all that time he has not
once set his feet in the streets of his
ancient capital, and yet even in Italian
law he is 4 king. When his predeces
sor, Plus IN. surrendered Rome to the
troops Of Victor Emanuel more than
thirty years ago, it was guaranteed
that the pope should always have the
status of a visiting sovereign and that
he should have Intentionally the Vati-
can and it's gardens, the palace Of the
chancellery, the four great basilicas--
st. Peters, st. John of the I.ateran. st.
Mary the Great and st. Paul's, outside
the walls-besidcs the Cathedral of
MOnza, which holds the iron crown, of
I>ombardy.
1t was also agreed that the italian
conquerors should pay something like
million dollars a year for the main.
tehancc OF the pelltifical court. Leo
| NIL. has always ignored communica-
ton from the italian government re.
lating to the money and has refused to
accept stipend from the invaders of
his kingdom.
Even when the pope's favorite bro
tler. Cardinal Pecci, lay dying in the
Barberini palace, in Rome his holiness
endured the anguish of separation
rather than compromise the triple
crown by making the journey across
the city. The Latin poem which he
| afterward addressed to his brother in
heaven revealed the awful ordeal
through which he passed that day and
night.
In spite of his nincty-two years and
the emaciation of his always delicate
body, Leo NH. possesses a reserve of
strength which has for years aston
ishcd the world. When 1 interviewed
him in the Vatican three years ago,
he was so slight, so pale, so like a
white robed spirit, all gentleness and
bcnignty. that his deep. strong, reso-
lmnt voice was startling.
But even now the pope is capable of
sustaining prolonged strains in the re-
ccptiOn Of pilgrims that would tire a
young man.
One Of the most characteristic traits
of Leo NH, is his broad liberality.
During the interview ] had with him
he spoke again and again of the Prot
cstants and always with affection.
| II have a claim upon Americans for
their respect" he said, "because love
them and their country. I have great
tenderness for those who live In that
land-Protestants and all. Under the
constitution of the United States reli-
gion has perfect liberty and is grow
Ing power for good. The church thriyes
in the air of freedom. l love and bless
Americans for their frank, unaffected
character and for the respect which
they have for Christian morals and the
Christian religion 90
And again he said:
You are all my children, Protest
ants. Catholics--,,ll. all. God has plac-
ed me here to watch over and care
for you. l have no other aim on
earth than to labor for the good of the
human race. l want the Professionals
of the United States as we'll as the
Catholics to understand me-"
The great unrealized dream of the
pope's life is the unification of the
whole Christian world. He addressed
a lofty and tender appeal to the Ortho-
doX Greek church, entrcating it to re-
unite with the holy see. He also
wrote beautiful message to the Es-
tablishcd Church Of England, inviting
1t to return to the fold But he called
across the world in vain The effect
of his tolerant, conciliatory attitude,
however. has been to break down the
fierce bisotry which divided Christian
peoples when he first sat in the fisher
mans chair.
1t Is hard to forget his words on the
very question which is in the fore.
front OF American politics to-day:
II have watched the growing help
lessncss Of the suffering working class
es throughout the world with anxiety
and grief While live | will labor to
bring about a change Human law
cannot reach the real scat of the con-
flict between capital and labor. Gov
ernmcnts and legislatures are helpless
to restore harmony. The various sec
tons must do their work. and | must
do mine. Their work is local and
particular such as the maintenance of
order and the enforcement of anchor
ative laws. But my work as the head
of Christendom must be universal and
on different plane
"The world must be re-Christianlzed.
The moral condition of the working
man and his employer must be i'm
proved. Each must look at the other