The Savannah morning news., 1903-07-25
A VIEW OF THE CARDINALS.
IMPRESSIONS OF THE LEADERS OF
THE ROMAN CHURCH.

DEeSkAFt
posed Upon the Cardinals by the
Etiquette of the Curia,
From the New York Post.
OF the cardinals in the Roman Curia
the most conspicuous is Rampolla, Sec
rotary of State. Archpriest Of the Bas-
silica Of St Peters, and Grand Priest
of the Knights of Malta. The most
conspicuous, but not by that fact the
most likely to become Pope. A con-
clave is just as liable to develop a
dark horse" as is a national conven-
ton in this country. But in Rome,
when you say simply the cardinal
il goes without saying that you mean
Rampolla He officiates at the great
ceremonials in ST. Peters, thousands
of people from all over the globe see
him and discuss him. and remember
him after they have left Rome. His
appearance and manner all contribute
to this. Emphatically, he has distine-
ton. He does things with an air. Tan
broad-shouldered, straight as an IN
dian. robed in his gorgeous ecclesias-
TlFdl NGSlfleANS anu WIN AA| N'A
weary dignity. he looks the ideal prince
of the church, grand seigneur. every
inch of him If he should come into
a cafe. wearing citizens clothes, l still
believe that he would have the in
Simultaneous attention of every soul in
the place. Yet he is anything but
handsome man. With his coppery 81
Gillian complexion and heavy features,
especially the long nose and large
mouth with thick lips, he might even
be called markedly homely. But
personal fascination he has beyond
question. especially for women.
| have known scores of women VINO
We're not Catholics and with whom
no religious consideration was inNolV-
ed. who would get up at unhappy hours
in the morning and go clear across
Rome for the chance of merely catch
ing a glimpse of Rampolla. 1t may be
the fascination of mystery. Ihere IS
no other celebrity of our time, except
possibly Mrs. Eddy or the Grand
Llama of Thibet, about whom we know
so little Pope Leo's sayings and 10
irgs have been almost microscopicaI-
" chronicled for years, but no one
claims to know anything about Ram
polla. l remember once talking with
a court chamberlain at the Vatican,
the brother of cardinal. He ma
bitualiy saw RampOlla every day. But,
although / gave him a very good cigar,
he vainly spent half an hour trying
TO tell me what the man was like at
close range and what sort of life he
led, and ended by leaving the impress
sion that he himself knew nothing
whatever about it. The cardinal has
the same power which Disraeli is sald
TO have had. that of completely dis
charging his face of all expression.
AS he stalks past in the professions
with that long skiddng stride Of his,
the eyes almost closed, the lips rapidly
and inaudibly mumbling something
devotions. we will suppose-he is ut
terly Sphinx-like. He MAY be think
ing of the Heavenly City. OF longing
for lunch You get no Indication from
his face. You come away with the
conviction that. if this man should ever
become Pope. he would at least make
church history interesting. That is all
one fells safe in saying of him.
The cardinals cultivate invisibility.
The etiquette of the Curia forbids their
walking i'm the streets. They must
drive in closed carriages and with coal
black horses. Occasionally, in villa
gardens or out in the Campagna, they
descend to earth and relax their ven
cradle knees. On the Janiculum l once
saw four cardinals gravely suspend
their promenade to watch one small
boy trying to get the string of his kite
disentangled from a tree. / regret to
say that he finally broke the string, and
their eminences went away disappoint-
ed But that incident was exception
al. AS rule, you must go to some
church when a fiesta is taking place. To
see Cardinal Vannutelli. one should go
to Santa Maria Maggiore on Christmas
afternoon. At Vespers there is a pro-
cession with relics, the most highly
Venerated of which is carried in a rich
" adorned glass case. 1t is reputed to
be nothing less than a portion of the
Savior's cradle The Cardinal Arch
priest brings up the rear, and is WISH
BILE from affair. If Rampolla is a tall
man, Vannutelli is a giant and l am
convinced that the sediarii Qhe men
who carry the Pope's throne ON their
shoulders), must view with consterna-
tfon even the Vaguest rumor of his sue
cessiOn to the almost incorporeal in
cumbent who has just passed away.
Should he become Pope. theirs would
indeed be a strenuous life. Bishop
mitre and all, he is simply a walking
campanile; and this is almost comical-
IL emphasized by the square, dumping
figure of Cardinal Matthew. who, for
some reason. always insists on toddling
along just behind him. Vannutelli has
a strong, striking, homely face. 1t Is
the face of man Who by hard think
ing and sheer merit, has gone far but
of personal magnetism not an atom. A
vigorous mind in herculean body. the
physical reinforcement of determine
ton to rise and to rule. all are there
But at the end. you have the feeling
that you have seen another cardinal
and nothing more. Beside, the climax
of his splendid abilities is now behint
him. He has never looked the same
man since his bitter disappointment Al
not being made Project of the Propa.
ganda last summer. He had SERVED
up to it," as Lord Holland said of the
treasury. and he fully expected to have
jt. When 1 first saw him after the an.
polntment of his successful rival [ hat
difficulty in recognizing that it wa.
the same Vannutelli. He had sudden.
ly grown a soured, morose old man.
The prelate who then stepped in be-
fore him may very possibly block his
aspirations to the Papacy as wen
Cardinal Gotti is usually described by
enumerating all the things that he
isn't. To begin with he is not ar
aristocrat. But that he happens to be-
the son Of Genoese laborer is neither
new nor startling In the Roman Cath.
ole Church. The first Pope was q
fisherman. Hildebrand was the sor
of carpenter, and the one English
Pope, Adrian ~, began life as a beg.
gar boy. But the negative side of the
cardinal goes beyond this. He an.
pertains to no party, he represents nc
tendency. Somehow the idea ha,
gained CURRENCY that he Is A Liberal