New-York tribune., 1903-06-14
THE FRENCH PRESIDENT AT ROME,

THE FRENCH PRESiDEN' ~ i'O-~1'
There promises to be presently new ana Po-
tential factor in the problem OF the feid id'!o4Hlip
between the French Republic ana Ihe hoih@"
Catholic Church The President o1 the FepuDiiC
is going to Rome as the guest OF the hlns VI
italy That will be in itself noteWofh! III,
cident, for it will be the first time the cIlel %
state of q Roman Catholic counu! has oihCi'H'
risited tha Ouirinal since the subversion OF the
PoDe's temporal power. Such rulers nave Flsi'eu
Rome but they have gone TO the Naucah
rather than to the Quirinal, and they have gone
,1no4sicislly or in nominal ncOgnito. Ihls mas
4.eon dpe to their loyalty TO the Pope or TO the
influence exerted upon them by the Pope NJ
Tou,,e+ will he the first TO break the rule.
Noz,- tbe oIlestion arises, How will his dong
eo l,a REGARDED at the Vatican and what eHect
will il have UPON relations between the vatican
and the French Republic: There can be no
ouestion that. despite the campaign OF the pres
ent and last French Ministries against certain
clerical CORPORATIONS, the French President anu
many of the foremost French statesmen have
. grateful regard for the Pope himself, and
vould be pleased 10 please him and TO honor
him. That in addition to religious sentiment
and 10 respect for venerable years and exalted
character, is because of the friendllness OF the
Pope for the republic and the good services ne
has rendered it. OF such facts III the career Oh
Loo XIII there can be no question. He has
long frankly recognized the full Legitimacy OF
the republican regime and has counselled the
clergy of his Church 10 be loyal to it. They
have not all obeyed him. Some of them have
more or less openly intrigued and worked
against the republic. But the Pope's own atu-
+ude has been for years all that the most ear
nest republican could desire For that reason no
doubt. NJ. Loubet would like TO visit the Nati-
ran as well as the Qurinal, and pay his respects
70 Leo XIII as well as be the guest of Victor
Emmanuel
That however may not be. There is strong
opposition TO it at the Vatican. 1t is held by
large and influential part Of the Papal Court
that heads of Catholic States who visit Rome
should be required to choose between Vatican
and Ouirinal If they visit the latter they
should not De received at the former. There
are also those who hold a more liberal view,
and il is believed that the Pope himself IN
clines toward the latter side Nevertheless. It
is not yet clear on which side the decision viii
finally be- Not the least noteworthy circum-
stance however is that even those who most
generously favor welcoming the President at
the Vatican after his visit TO the Quirinal do SO
on the ground that he is a President and not
King If he were an hereditary sovereign OF
the Catholic faith there would be no question.
He would have TO stay away from the Quirinal
or else from the Vatican. But president of
republic. elected by the people, they say,
/ stands on a different plane. He may do that
/ which king may not. or that is to be approved,
| OF at least condoned. in him which would be IN
/ pardonable IN king Whether or not that view
! prevails in ". Loubet's behalf. the holding Of
il by large party at the Papal Court constitutes
an interesting tribute TO republican institutions.