The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1903-12-19
Says Plus X is Very Antithesis of Leo XIII
Who Was an Arlstocrat While
Plus X is a Democrat.
His Kingdom Spiritual One and He Will
Have Nothing to do With
Politics or Nations,

William Il. Curtis writes as follows
of the new pope, in the Chicago Rec
ord-IIcrald:
The new pope is an enigma which
the Romans have not vet solved. He
il; so unlike anything that has eyer
appeared in their own experience or
in the histories and traditions of the
papacy that they cannot comprehend
his character or his purposes and they
are in state of continual wonder as
to what he is going to do next They
are prepared for anything, evidently,
for the most sensational and absurd
rumors about his intentions and policy
are continually in circulation and are
given credit by the leading news
papers. The other day one Of the
most reliable of the italian dailics an
liounccd in serious doublc-l loaded lines
that q reconciliation between the holy
see and the civil authorities had al
ready been arranged, and intimated
that the pope and the king Of Italy
might dine together in a few days.
This has provoked official denial from
his holiness, Indirectly, however, but
indicates the expectation Of the public
mind. which will not be surprised by
anything that may happen, and there
is n justification for many of these
reports. Plus Y has made innovations
that are surprising and from time to
time drops incidental remarks that
give ground for almost any amount of
conjecture.
The new pope is n democrat from
the crown of his heat to the heels of
his new white shoes. His predecessor
was an aristOcrat to his finger tips,
and both cxcmplificd their birth, their
ancestry. their education and their en-
vronmcnt before and after they were
elevated to the throne. Leo XIII was
Il patrician of the highest type, whose
family have occupied the same resi-
dencc and cultivated the same ground
for five centuries, and the same ten
antry have titled their fields and gath
cred their harvests. Plus X was born
n peasant. and his family belong to
the industrious. intelligent and indie
pendent population of the villages that
are scattered through the northern
ntnin nr %ln III, hov Il
| cool-hcAdcd, practical, self-rcliant race.
Shortly after his coronation 1t be-
came known among people who take
an active interest in the affairs of the
Vatican that the new pope had radical
and what most of the cardinals con-
sidcrcd revolutionary ideas concerning
the policy Of the Church toward the
civil government Of Italy. For those
who are not familiar with the situa-
ton will explain that the pope still
claims the right of exercising civil as
we'll as spiritual authority over what
were formerly known as the papal
states of Italy, and the presence of the
king, the ministry and the parliament
In Rome is regarded as an invasion Of
his territory and usurpation Of his
authority. AS he has no army he can
not enforce or defend his rights, and
hence he is theoretically prisoner in
his palace 0he Vatican) and his capital
(the City Of Rome) is in a state Of
siege.
A small faction in the sacred college
are favorable to the recognition of the
authority Of the king and the estab-
lishment of cordial relations between
TIE Church and the civil government.
These are called "reconciliat tionists,"
and their leader is Cardinal Vincent
Vannutelli, who is regarded as one of
the ablest statesmen in the college
and was the foremost spirit in the
combination which elected Joseph
Sarto to the papal throne. The other
faction, which comprises at least
three-fourths of the cardinals; are
called 'temporalists' because they in
sist upon the exercise of temporal
power by the pope, and Cardinal Ram
l'olla, recently secretary of state and
prominent candidate for pope, is the
recognized leader. They are SO ex-
~