Smyrna times., 1903-08-19
WILL Plus X BE A PRISONER?
HI. Relation 10 the Vatican at Rome Brings
up Questions of High Policy.

they we're not unwilling prisoners.
They accepted confinement to the vast
Papal palace as an inevitable conse-
0uence of their determination NJ to
recognize the Kingdom of Italy. he
Popes still claim to be rightful 4ers
of the Papal States, of which Ghey
were shorn half a century ago To
have ventured abroad might have
caused their claim to be rudely dis
puted. Hence the wearer of the triple
crown remains willingly within the
Papal palace, or its spacious grounds, |
overlooking the Eternal City. This is
purely a matter of choice. With the |
election of new Pope comes the re-
vival of the question as to whether he |
will adopt the policy of his predeces-
sors. Will Plus X consider himself
prisoner and the Vatican his prison, or
will he emerge from the small but
neutral territory he occupies and be
seen beyond its precincts? This brings
up questions of high policy, touching
which the decision of the Pope will
possess worldwide interest.
There is no more Catholic country
in the world than Italy, which has
imposed upon the Pope this perpetual
Imprisonment. It's attitude toward the
Pope is one of submission in spiritual |,
though not in temporal matters. By
the law of Italy the Pope is recognized
as an independent sovereign prince.
His person is sacred and his resi-
dences, of which there are three, are
inviolable. The Vatican, with its
1000 rooms, is one of the lar gest pal
aces in the world. In its gardens the
POntiff can enjoy pure air and the
sweet fragrance of flowers. If the Pope
were so minded, he could collect a
handsC me rev enue from Italy. Since
1870 he has been entitled to $G45, 900 a
year by the law of the State, but de-
nying its authority, he will not accept
a cent of the money. To some extent
the old Papal form of government is
retained. The Pope has still his Sec
retary of State.
To trace the temporal power of the
Popes from it's origin, and follow it
through its various vicissitudes, would
be to untangle the tangled history of
England during 10 centuries. When
the divided Roman Empire was decay
ing, and anarchy was succeeding the
long reign of tyranny, the people of
Rome turned to the Pope as their
leader. That was as far back as 726,
the year in which Pope Gregory III
declared Rome Independent of the
Byzantine crown. With the assistance
of the Franks, the Pope succeeded in
establishing his real independence.
Then followed the cession of territory
to GregOry's successor, Stephen II,
who obtained large area of land on
the Adriatic, containing several cities.
Thus was founded the temporal power.
How the germ then planted grew and
thrived, how it Overshadowed States
and sovereigns, and how for centuries
it swayed the destinies of the world is
known to all readers of history. Grad
ually the Papal States had been ex-
panded, until they covered an area of
10000 square miles, and included a
population of 100000 souls. The
POpes ruled as sovereigns from the
Adrlatic to the Mediterranean, through
the central part of the Italian PENN
sula, until they came on the north
-
darv.
Down to the time of Napoleon the
Papal States remained under the con
troll of the Popes. When that erratiC
military genius was making himself
master of Europe, the power which
had held so many sovereigns in awe
was incapable of resisting his pro
pgess. Napoleons capture and pilag'
of Rome, in 1895, and his expulsion o
Pope Plus VI, though afterward atoneC
for, was the beginning of the end OF
the temporal power. The restoration il
part by Napoleon a few years after
ward was the precursor of troublesome
times. Natjonalism had taken root il
Italy. Under its influences various
provinces began to revolt, only to fin
themselves assumed by Austria o
France. Led by the revolutionar
movement begun in Sicily in 184s
Rome revolted against Pope Plus TX
and declared itself a Republic. But
combination of the Powers, embracin
France, Austria: Naples and Spain, re
stored the Pope to his throne. For
years thereafter foreign troops garr
soned Rome to sustain the Papa
authority.
In Italy the national movement ha
meanwhile been gaining headw'
Under the leadership of Victor En-
manuel. aided by the celebrated JOSEF
L.