The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-07-10
Points of Strength and Weak,
ness in Candidates.
SVIEWED INWASHlNGTON
Political Complications in Europe Will
Affect the Prospects Of Some OF
the Most Prominent Cardinals
of the Church.

| hour is, "Who will be the next Pope z"
Washington Is deeply Interested ano
probably to a greater extent than al
any other time in the history OF the ma
ton, for the United States was olltgrow-
ing It's swaddling clothes in the nine
teenth century when tho other recent
conclaves were held.
enthusiastically Baltimore, the home OF
Cardinal Gibbons and the mother see OF
the powerful American hierarchy. is espe-
cialy Interested. This Is reflected here at
the Catholic University of America, winch
Pope Leo desired to have made the alma
mater Of Catholic learning In this coun-
try, and at the Papal Legation. where
the Pope Is personally represented.
Politically, the American government is
Interested as never before in the election
of a Pontir, on account of the church
problems in the Philippines; Italy on ac-
count Of the emphasis with which the
successor Of Leo will urge his claims upon
temporal power: France, on account OF
ths conflict with the Vatican over the
religious orders which have just been ex-
PEELED; Germany, on account Of the Kali
ser's desire to supplant France in the
favor of the Roman curia; England, on
account Of the Irish questions, and AUS
tria- Hungary for equally potent reasons.
NEW MEN AND A NEW CENTURY.
The political history Of Europe In the
nineteenth century could not be correctly
written without reference to Leo XIII.
That OF the twentieth is sure to be
woven with the web and woof of his
successors life. Born five years before
the battle of Waterloo, Leo XIII. has out
lived all the great statesmen OF Europe
who were his mporaries-Beacons-
field. Gladstone, Bismarck, Crispi and
even the queenly stateswoman. Victoria
of England-wth the single exception of
Lord Salisbury, who Is in retirement. Ii
Hung Chang has been lost to China, and
only Marquis Ito fingers in Japan as one
Of tho few really great men of his time.
Halt dozen American Presidents, In
Guiding Lincoln were contemporaries OF
Leo. His successor will have to do with
men at present in their prime or only now
beginning to mellow into maturity and
with affairs spring!ng out of the COM
pick political. sociological and ecclesias-
tical questions OF new epoch.
All the great political conflicts Of the
world find an echo in the Sacred Col
lege. There are wearers of the coveted
red hat and Papal electors who are
friends Of the Dual and opponents Of the
Triple Alliance and others who are vice
versa. Tho college contains conservatives
and progresstves, lntransigeants and ul-
tromontanes. those who favor as we'll as
those who oppose an emphatic declaration
Of the Pontifical claim to temporal
power, as we'll as those who take sides
In the question Of so-called Amercanism.
In spite Of the fact that he no longer
lives in the Vatican as king, but only as
Bishop Of Rome, the Pope Is more power
full than any earthly sovereign. Since this
To- 49, -
In Washington who have to do with qles-
tons In which other powers are Inter-
ested are indulging in lively speculation.
Those familiar with Roman Catholic
history realize that any forecast would
be mere conjecture and as foolhardy as
attempting to see behind the veil Of Isis. I
What the cardinals. individually or coll
lectively, do not know when they are
themselves the Papal electors, cannot be
part of the knowledge Of either Rome
or Washington Nearly every calculation
runs into the old proverb about the one
who enters the conclave as Pope emerg-
ing as cardinals
''Esee dial conclave cardinale chi vi
entra papa"
MAY GO TO PROVINCIAL BISHOP.
Without any attempt to settle the mat
ter 1t Is perhaps interesting to note some
of the reasons advanced in behalf OF the
respective candidates 1t not infrequently
happens that a provincial bishop carries
off the victory Plus TX was Bishop of
Imola and Leo XIII Bishop OF Perugla
when they succeeded to the throne This
leads some to think the chances are in
favor of the bishop Of some italian pro-
vince. In this connection It Is interesting
to note that there are three in the Sacred
Colege--Capecelatro of Capua; Svampa,
of Bologna, and Cardnal-Archbishop
Richelmy, Of Turin (created cardinal In
1890 who holds one of the most distin-
guishcd ecclesiastical positions In the
country.
In Washington 1t Is generally believed
the future Pope will be one Of the sixty
nine members of the Sacred College.
Since the reign Of Stephen III the Popes
have been Invariably chosen from among
the cardinals, except under peculiar cir
cumstances. When Cardinal Regent
Oregla occupies the throne In the con-
clave he will chant the Inter Nos Est
GIe is among us) as the cardinals march
by him.
One point upon which emphasis Is
placed is the fact that Mgr. Oreglia Is
the only cardinal living who ever sat In
conclave Until n few years ago the
Polish Cardinal Ledochowski. and until
little more than a year ago Cardinal
Parocchi, two others who served In the
conclaye which elected Pope Leo, We're
living
All the other cardinals were elevated by
Leo XIII and owe their seats In the con-
clave to his will. Ordinarily It Is thought
by some that this should have some effect
upon the complexion of the college. On
the other hand, It Is pointed out that the
machinery of the conclave Is such that
every member may follow the dictates of
his own conscience in the freest possible
manner, One cardinal does not even know
how the other votes, The ballots are
burned,
LEADING MEN IN VIEW.
Whether, as some vagary Of public opin-
Ion or otherwise. 1t Is believed In Wash
ington that the next Pope will be one of
tho following list: Goti. serafino Yannu-
tell, Rampola, Oreglia, satolli. Martinelli.
Cspecelatro. Wives y Tuto or Svampa,
Others whose names are mentioned are
Riboldi. RtsHighi, Harto. FaTrarl and
Gibbons,
An analysts OF opinions narrows the list
down to Gotti, Rampolla, Vannutelli
Oreglia and Martinell or Satolli. Those
whose names have been discussed are
Gotti, Rampolla and Vannutelli. with
Gotti as the favorite,
Cardinal Gotti has the famous Malachi
All prophecy In his favor, Aside from pre-
dictions, he Is. however. man of grea,
/. a. L." ~ IL .s