The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-07-27
The Conclave.

The arrangements for immuring the
cardinals and choosing a successor to the
late Leo XIII. are progressing at the
vatican, and, concurrently, the coming
election has become the subject OF bet
ting not only at Rome, but widely thru
out the world. The ''favorites' are dis
cussed as are candidates at political cleo
lions or horses at great racing event.
It Is cabled from Rome that the Italian
bookmakers tried to get the government
to allow public betting, with copious do
nations to charities for the privilege, but
the government did not countenance such
gross irreverence. Papal elections nave
indeed, long been the subjects Of bettings
and lotteries, not only as to the time
taken to reach q decision and the name Of
the successful candidate, but on the dura-
ton Of a new pope's pontificate. Ihere
have been occasions when five months
have been consumed before the decision
was reached. The late pontiff was elected
on, the third ballot, in less than two days
after the cardinals entered the conclave.
The cardinals were, by a considerable ma
jority, impressed with the necessity OF
choosing a pope who would have the
ability and frmness to bring the church
out Of the injurious effects of the policy
Of abstention and self effacement adopted
by Piux TX, on account of the great pol1t-
icaI changes which had taken place In
Italy affecting the relations of the Italian
government and the vatican. Plus TX.
really had looked for a movement OF the
Roman Catholic powers in Europe to re-
store the temporal power, but nothing of
the kind happened.
While holding to his predecessors policy
In some respects, Leo showed his appre-
citation Of the necessity for positive &C
ton under the changed conditions. Among
conspicuous changes effected was his call
upon the French churchmen to recognize
the French republic as an accomplished
fact and not make war upon It,, but take
part in political affairs. He reversed the
policy Of his predecessors entirely with
reference to the reading and study of the
Bible, which he heartily commended in a
most earnest and logical letter. Self
effacement was no element Of Leo's
policy, and it Is most probable that the
ultramontanism which constructed the re-
dictionary policy of Plus TX. will not re-
turn to plague the Roman church during
the reign Of the new pontiff to be elected
in few days.
Leo XIII. certainly pointed out the way
of ecclesiastical opportunism, which is the
way of safety and the way of present
day action for the Church Of Rome. His
with modern problems or lose ground.
Cardinal Nava declared yesterday at
the meeting of the congregation that the
italian government will have to come to
the pope seeking reconciliation. If by
reconciliation he means restoration Of the
papal territory, the declaration has small
foundation. The papacy during the last
century and a quarter has been thru much
tribulation and mainly thru countries ruled
by sons of the church. Plus vi. felt the
robber grasp of Napoleon I. after having
received a blow between the eyes by
Joseph H. of Austria. His successor,
Plus VII, was the shuttecock for Ma
poleon's battedore. He crowned him I'M
der compulson and the papal territory
was converted into a republic. After Ma
poleon's downfall the papal powers were
restored under Leo XII, Plus VIII. and
Gregory XVI, and then. under Plus TX,
occurred the unifcation of Italy and the
absorption of the papal territory in the
Kingdom of Italy. This is an arrange
ment effected by the italian people and
it will stand
So far as the present election is con-
cerned it is probably true, as Cardinal
Oregla has said, that the thirty-siS
italian cardinals are badly factionized as
to candidates and they will not be able
to concentrate their vote on any one car
dinal. The transfer of the vote Of one
or two factions to a combination of the
twenty seven foreign cardinals, would de.
eide the election, but, under such possible
disposition of votes, it does not appear
that Cardinal Gibbons, with his more en-
lightened perception of the conditions Of
the times could be wrought into "fa.
yorite'' in the field. Vannutelli, from al
reports of the personnel of the cardinals
N stands more nearly to the late pontif IL
sympathies than others who have beer
mentioned. After all, it is not necessary
to choose from the cardinals. Men who
were not even bishops are known to have
been chosen to the pontifcal throne.