Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-07-14
MUST BE AN ITALIAN
Grave Reasons Why no Outside
Cardinalcan be Chosen, though
Cardinal Gibbon is Spok-
en- Of.
TWO ABLE MEN IN THE LEAD

LONDON, July II.--The claims OF
The Catholic church are SO lofty, It's
so peculiar, there being
no other ecclesiastical monarchy Ia
and Its history has been
SO splendid. that the apparently ap-
election to its throne can
not be otherwise than a subject OF the
highest intellectual interest through
out the civilized world. This Is espe-
cially the case at the present juncture,
for the papacy clearly stands at the
parting of the ways, and the successor
OF Leo XIII. will probably decide
whether the church shall be world
wide or shall become practically the
church of the Latin races alone, races
which, II they are not decaying, are
being outstripped in the great contest.
II he is man In whom the spiritual
life is strong, he may infuse new vigor
into the veins of the church, while II
he is mere diplomatist, or hunter
after temporal power. he may extin-
guish the reverence Of his office among
the progressive races.
Ii is almost improbable, next 70 inn
possible, that a non-Italian cardinal
should be elected. Not only Is the
majority in the conclave composed Of
Italians born, but there are grave rea'
sons, almost overwhelming reasons
why no one not Of that nation shoult
be elected The old reason that tht
Svfiuscn- ~ crntfuisneu m rvsncs snr'
that the congregations or committees
which govern II would feel out oi
touch with foreign pope, Is still oper
ative, and rather stronger than weak
er because the new dogma has com
PEELED them all to exalt their chiefs
spiritual rights. international enmi
ties have become more bitter, AMI nc
German or Englishman could be elect
ed because Frenchmen and Spaniards
would believe him hostile. while the
choice of q Frenchman would arouse
suspicion in all who think In German
or possibly In Magyar. The death Of
Cardinal LedOchowski has left but one
Slav cardinal Missia-w who might be
included among the papabili, and
though he would be a worthy candi
date, he would be iisliked both In
Russia and Germany. as sure to keer
up the sentiment partly religious and
partly national, which prevents Poles
from being politically forgotten. Ar
American cardinal might. no doubt
be elected without exciting much In
ternational feeling. though Spanish
America, It must be remembered, II
great division OF the Catholic world
and both detests and breads the Nortf
American; but the election Of Cardi
nal Gibbons would seem to the con
gregations revolutionary proceed
ing, and one, moreover, forbidden b,
the grand obstacles of all. 1t woult
be fatal to the last chance Of the res
toration the temporal power. Tha
restoration, II accomplished at all
must be accomplished by the world
and to modern ideas the imposition b,
force Of foreign sovereign rejected
by a whole people Is painfully rcDug
nant. Even the moderate cardinals
cannot bring themselves to surrender
!! all hope Of once more becoming
princes, and showing the world how
a state ought to be governed for thu
promotion Of Christian life, and thel
certainly will not add to the difficRi
ties in the way Of their dream by sc
lecting as their chief any fofe'gne
whatsoever, whether German, Slav
Latin or American.
They will choose an Italian. an.
among Italians they will strive to fint
a man Of ability and spotless charac
ter, who will be strictly conservative
In his pulicy, especially as relates I,
the kingdom OF Italy. They are fal
too well-meaning, as well as worldly
wise, to select man about whose
character there is any shade Of doubt
and too well aware of modern neces
stiles to choose any man whose abili
ties are manifestly unequal to hi
lofty and unique position. At the same
time they will desire . safe" man
certain not 10 shock the world witt