The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-07-21
QUESTION OF SUCCESSION
Personality Of the Candidates Is an lmpor.
tant Factor.

Rome, July 21.-According to a state !
ment coming from a high ecelesiast ar
rangemerts ut the vatican are being
pressed forward which will enable the con-
clave of cardinals to begin sitting Aug l.
However, 1t is now thought the sessions
may last considerably longer than at first
expected-even long enough to permit Car
dinal Moran Of Sydney, N. 8. W., to arrive
In time to take part in the proceedings.
An ambassador accredited to the vati-
can said the question of Pope Leo's sue
cessor is a peculiarly open one at the pres
ent moment The personality Of the can
didates plays much more important part
than In any preceding conclave since the
conditions prevailing in the past are now
entirely changed.
Formerly the sacred college was divided
into several distinct parties. There was
first, that composed of the. cardinals who
We're members Of the great Roman fami-
lies, nearly every one of which was rep
resented in the colleges. At the present
time there Is only one scion of great Ro-
man house among the cardinals. namely
Cardinal Battista CasaH Del Grago, who
from the standpoint Of the election Of a
new pontiff, is relatively unimportant
Church Politics.
Then there were parties composed of
cardinals appointed by the same pope
who usually ranged themselves into sep
arate bodies. In addition to the members
Of the sacred college appointed by the
pope, who had then just passed away,
there, were usually a considerable number
chosen by his predecessor and even a
few nominated by the pope preceding
him. In consequence Of Leo Kills long
reign these parties have entirely dis
appeared In the present conclave there
will be only one cardinal, Cardinal Greg
liza, who was not appointed by Pope Leo.
AS a result OF these changes the ap-
preaching conclave will be much more
under the influence of individual candi-
dates than in the past rendering it i'm
possible to forecast the election with any
degree Of certainty. 1t is considered high
ly probable that the new pope will be a
man at present not thought of and not
talked about.
The most prominent candidates for the
succession are Cardinals Giotti, Oreglia,
Agliardi, Serafino VannuteIIi Capecel-
afro. Sarto, Rampolla, Di Pietro, Svampa
Ferrari, SatoH and Richelmi.
All Officials Affected.
The death of the pope brings about a
widespread change in all administrative
departments of the church and consid-
erably influences questions Of church pol
icy. The change within the vatican af-
fects practically all the officials from the
highest to the lowest. Cardinal Rampolla
retires from the post of secretary of
state, where he exercised strong in
f1uence, owing to the physical infirmities
of Leo. Other high officials are similarly
affected. The master of the chamber
the under secretary of state, the vicar
of Rome, the vice chancellor, the grand
penitentiary, the librarian of the vati-
can and a host Of lesser officials will con
tinue to exercise their function until the
new pope is elected, when he will desig-
nate his own secretary of state and othe,
officials.
Thus there is complete transforms
ton of apostolic authority, the death o,
the pope meaning the nominal death O.
all the officials under him. The propa
ganda alone remains intact, as the pre-
feet and entire machinery of the propa
ganda Is unaffected.
ConeIave VIII BE Short.
The Tribuna to-day published an inter
view with Cardinal Svampa, archbishop
OF Bologna, who, the paper says, has
quite recovered from his stroke Of paraly
sis. The cardinal is quoted as saying:
II believe that the conclave will be yer,
short, as were the last two. At the ut