New-York tribune., 1903-07-31
THE CONCL4VE

The announcement from the Vatican is not
The Pope is dead! Long live the POper There
is no automatic and instantaneous succession.
There is an interregnum, and there is a de-
ltberate election of a new Pope. Seldom is the
choice determined or even approximately in
dicated in advance On the present occasion
on the very eve of the meeting of the conclave
there is certainly no convincing premonition
of the conclave's selection. Speaking in world
ly fashion, it is anybodys race. There are GER
tain avowed candidates and there are numer-
GUS possible candidates Each has his COM
mandatory qualities and each his elements of
weakness. But he would be a rash prophet
who should name two or three or half n dozen
and say the new Pope was sure to be one of
them, Or who should say that any one of a
score or more an impossible candidate.
The average Presidential nominating cOnyen-
ton in America is a model Of manifest pre-
destination compared with the coming con-
clave.
Iti customary, in specializing upon the choice
Of new Pope to consider the personal ambi-
tions and political influences which may be in
volved as factors In the problem. No doubt
these exist and will have their effect. Never
theless. other considerations must also be taken
into account. 1t is not to be doubted that
there are many cardinals in the Sacred College
who rank the welfare of the Roman Church
above all personal political considerations
and who thus inclined to vote for those
candidates whom they sincerely regard as best
fitted to serve and to promote that welfare 1t
is indeed conceivable that such men, if they
do not actually constitute majority Of it. may
WELD the balance of power in the conclave and
thus control the election. AssUredly, it is most
desirable both for the Roman Church and for
the world, that they shall do so. In endeavor-
/ 90 as oh
then. it is necessary to take into account the
present condition of the Roman Church and
the character of its present and Immediately
future needs.
At the death of Plus TX the Roman Church
was at a low ebb, in both spiritual and tenn
pOral affairs Political, social, industrial and
intellectual revolutions had largely transformed
the face of Europe during his reign, but the
Roman Church had not established or even
announced its attitude toward the order
of things. What did it think of republcanism?
What did 1t think of the relations of capital and
labor? What was its opinion of modern sci
ence? How was it going TO readjust its rela-
tions with the powers? These and other equal
" important questions clamored for authorita-
tive answer But the oracles were dumb Plus
IN passed, leaving them all unanswered.
Therefore, a conclaye at that time was called
upon to choose Pope who would give answer
10 those questions and thus be a great formu-
lator and expounder Of doctrines and policies
1t chose Gioacchno Pecci, and wiser choice
it probably could not have made.
In one respect however, its plans or its eX-
pectations, miscarried. Pecci was even then an
old man, apparently not destined TO live many
years II was supposed that he would lay
down the plan of campaign. leaving its execu-
ton to his successor But he lived TO have one
of the longest OF Papal reigns and 10 carry his
own designs TO completion. He answered all
those vital questions and made his answers
operative, thus doing the work which his cleo
tors had expected both him and his successor
to do. He was his own successor. That note
worthy circumstance gives the clearest of In
dications TO the manner Of man who should
from the logical point of view now be chosen
as his belated successor II the programme of
the conclave of 1873 is to be fulfilled the new
Pope needs not to be great doctrlnal teacher.
but rather an able and faithful executor of the
faith already delivered. Nor does he need TO
strike out with bold originality in such execu-
ton, but rather 10 continue the execution al
ready so we'll begun and so far extended. In
brief. he should be the man who will most
closely follow in the footsteps OF Leo XIII.