Evening star., 1903-07-20

| post, being consecrated Bishop of Damietta
| in partibus and sent to Brussels as papal
nuncio. 1t was representative of the
Vatican in the Belgian capital that he first
gained the political insight and experience
which have been one Of the principal char
acteristics of his tenure Of the pontifical
throne.
Mgr. Peccl remained over three years in
Belgium and on his recall to Italy was
decorated with the grand Gordon Of the
Order of Leopold. After leaving Brussels
the nuncio paid a visit to London. This
was in February. 1916. and in the same
year he was Ionsecrated archbishop of
Perugia.
He continued in this position for the
thirty-two years which interviewed before
his election to the highest position in the
church, his tenure of the episcopate coin
Gliding exactly with the thirty-two years
of the reign of Piux TX.
His Election to the Papacy.
In his episcopal labors the archbishop
showed no less energy and zeal than he
had displayed as governor of pontifcal
state. Among other achievements, he sue
ceeded In purg1ng the archdiocese OF
br gandage, and at certain time all the
prisons under his spiritual jurisdiction were
empty. Such success did not pass un-
roticed. and, in 1850, Mgr. Pecci was ele-
waited to the dignity of cardinal priest.
At the consistory held In 1877 Cardinal
Pecci was appointed camerlingo of the Ro-
man church. which gave him chief charge
of the temperatures of the Holy See. In
this capacity ii fell to his task to make the
necessary arrangements for the conclave
for the election of new pope after the
death of Piux TX. in February. 1873
The conclave lasted thirty-six hours and
at the third ballot Cardinal Pecci was
elected supreme pontif and took the name
of Leo XIII, after the famous Pope Leo
MI. at whose jubilee he had assisted as
simple student. He was crowned on March
l., with the tiara or triple crown, the cere-
mony taking place not in ST. Peters, where
all his predecessors but one had been
crowned since 1853, but in the Sistine
chapel in the Vatican, where the conclave
had been held.
characterized above all things by a love
Of peace, and It was expected that de-
parting from that non possumus policy of
his predecessor, he would speedily conclude
a compromise with the Italian government
ard thus put an end to the antagonism be-
tween the Vatican and the Quirinal.
But the world soon undeceived and,
in his first encyclical, promulgated at the
Easter following his accession. Pope Leo
Nil unhestatiTgly maintained his demand
for the restoration of the temporal power
OF the papacy nor did he ever recede from
the position then taken up.
Interest in Social Questions.
At the same time the policy of the Roman
curia certainly underwent a development
in the decision of moderation which great
ly contributed to increasing the influence
of the Vatican abroad. From the very out
set the new pontif displayed the greatest
interest in the social questions agitating
the world of today, and in an encyclical,
issued IN December, 1878, appealed to the
intellectual forces of Catholicity to contest
the propaganda of doctrines which his hoil-
ness described as subservient to social or
der, alludinG especially to the socialists IN
Germany and the nihilist movement IN
Russia.
The cooperation afforded by the pope to
the various governments in opposing the
growing forces of social democracy paved
the way for the settlement of disputes cH-
listing between those governments ard the
Vatican, both spiritual and civil authorizes
being. as 1t were, called upon 10 merge
their differences and make common cause
against the common enemy. The first gIea,
political achievement of the pope was the
settlement of the differences with Ger
many, which had given rise to the famous
kulturkampf.
Tributes From Bismarck.
Tne rapid spread of anarchic doctrines
in Germany and the attempts made upon
the emperors life in 1878 induced Fhlnce
bismarck to make approaches to the ultra
montana party to secure their support lor
his economic policy.
Herr Falk, the famous author of the May
laws was removed from office and other
concessions were made to the CathollcS.
Finally. diplomatic relations with the Nau-
can We're resumed and the late Emperor
Frederick then crown prince, signaliZed the
restoration of an harmonious understand
ing by visiting the pope al the Vatican.
A still greater tribute was paid by Ger
many to his holiness by her selection o:
him arbitrator in the dispute with
Spain regarding the Caroline Islands and
her deferential acceptance of his decision
in favor of the weaker power.
Not Restored to Temporal Power.
His success in this arbitration induced