The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-08-04
IN HOTEL LoBBIEs.
Diplomatic Relations.


 Said a man who has long kept up with public affairs: 'I was surprised to see the Literary Digest, which is noted for the accuracy of It's statements, and which Is deservedly popular on account of its comprehensive scope and its fairness in treating all questions, fall into mistake touching diplomatic relations between the United States and the vatican. In it's last issue the Digest. under the caption of Pope Leo and America. says:
 There have been no diplomatic rela- tions between the papaey and this gov- ernment since the capture of Rome by King Victor Emmanuel in 1869. In view of this fact, special significance is at tached by some papers to Secretary Hays cablegram of coincidence to the vatican. This Is the first tlme.' remarks the New York World, that officials of the United States have recognized the exis- tenee of the pope since he lost his tenn poral power more than a third of a cen tury ago. The action of the secretary of state has raised the question whether the United States has not recognized the papaeyp The New York Herald however, thinks that direct recognition was given officially In honor of the high esteem in which this government held the departed pontif," and that 'it is not taken neces- sarily to mean to establish a prece- dent''
 There was nothing exceptional in the telegram of condolence sent by the sec retary of state to the vatican. While our government and the vatican have never exchanged diplomatic representatives and perhaps never will, although such an exchange would be agreeable to the Catholic church, the state department has never failed, at least in my day, to treat the pope as a sovereign on special oc- casions.
 Here are a few instances that l recall. When MT. Cleveland was serving his first term as President, Leo XIII had an anniversary celebration. MT. Cleveland sent the pontiff gift and letter of fe- licltation through the state department The present was a specially bound copy of the Constitution of the United States, mounted with solid gold. The pope's let ter of acknowledgment Is on file In the department of state. In 1898, just as war with Spain was declared. the pontiff ac- credited Archbishop Ireland special envoy to the United States government In the interest of peace. happened to be living in Washington at the time, and was in the state department building when the pope's envoy was admitted to the seeretary's office. Judge Day, who was then in charge of the state depart ment received the distinguished prelate as the vatican's representative, read his commission, which had just come by ca- ble, and discussed with Ireland the war like situation. The secretary treated the pope's envoy just as all other diplomats were treated, and sent diplomatic mes sage to the vatican intimatng that the action of congress had made war inevita- ble. The details of Archbishop Ireland s mission and the result were fully pub lished at the time.
 President Roosevelt sent a gift to Pope Leo last spring on the occasion of the great silver jubilee of his pontidcate, and Roosevelt sent to the vatican diplo- matic commission, headed by Judge Taft, to treat with the pontiff on the question of the friars in the Philippines. This com mission included a bishop and an army officer as attaches.
 'Srhe New York World and the New York Herald, as well as the Literary Di- gest overlooked these facts"