Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1903-08-06
TO ELECT A POPE.
The Cardinals Enter Upon Their
Solemn Duty at the Vatican.
NEW POPE LIKELY TO Be An ITALIAN
Great Changes Expected in the Policy Of
the vatican-CRrdinal Gibbons Denies
All Interviews Alleged to Have
Been Given Ont By Him.

been Hiven Out ~ Him.
Rome, Aug. 1.-The largest conclay
! in the history Of the Catholic churc
assembled last night In the Sistin
chapel for the purpose Of electing
successor to Leo XIII. Sixty-two car
dinals, with over 200 clerical and Ia
attendants, are, to all intents and pur
poses, prisoners within the vatican
One Of them, Cardinal Herrera y Els
pinosa, archbishop Of Valencia, wa
Frustrated Immediately after entering
the conclave and lies III in his cell
This morning the cardinals entered
upon the solemn duty Of choosing tn,
new pope by ballot. The general i'm
preston exists that within two Of
three days, possibly, though not prob
ably, to-day, a new pope will have
been chosen. But no matter how long
time may be required, the absolute
seclusion Of the princes Of the church
from the outer world must, according
to the church law, continue until a
choice Is made.
Representation as to who will wear
the tiara as Leo's successor have lit
tie value, as even the cardinals, who
yesterday evening entered their cells,
seemed to be without definite ideas as
to the issue. Cardinals Rampolla,
Seraflno Vannutelli, Di Pletro, Gotti
and Oreglia continue to be most fire.
quently mentioned as the likely candi-
dates, but the moment the name of one
Of them Is mentioned 100 reasons are
supplied to show that he could not pos
sibly be elected.
So seldom have the majority of the
cardinals now here met each other,
and SO widely do they differ in nation
atty and personality, that no organ
lied movement in support of any one
cardinal has thus far been practicable,
nor, In fact. seriously attempted.
This does not apply to the Italian car
dinals, who, naturally, are well ac-
Quainted with each other. With their
numerical strength the Italian car
dinals, If united, practically insure the
election of a pontiff of their own choos-
ing.
It is the disunion and rivalry among
the Italian cardinals which, In fact,
leaves the question of Leo's successor
SO open as to make one guess almost
as good as another
The rival claims of the leading Ital-
Ian cardinals, so freely ventilated in
the local press, are matters which
are all important In connection with
the decision Of the conclave, because
1t Is assumed, as foregone conclu-
sion, that the next occupant Of the
holy see will be an Italian. The for
eign cardinals have shown no indica-
ton of opposition to this assumption;
but, however willing they are to
honor an Italian, 1t is believed that
serious differences among the Italians
themselves upon matters of political
Ind religious opinion must be recon-
,iled before one Of them, suitable to
III 5CNtAOAot CNA 10 OiCCtOus hO uP- |
,arent difficulty of accepting this has
endered interest in the conclave
loudly acute and is largely RESPONSE
lie for the frequently expressed opin-
on that some cardinal, little talked Of, u
nay emerge from the conclave as the
ext pope. Il
More interesting perhaps In a GER
ain way is the impression which pre-
ails In certain sections that. no mat q
Or what the verdict of the conclave !
lay be, great changes are impending t
/ the policy of the vatican and that 4
'ithin year or two the new pope will I
o longer consider himself prisoner
/ the vatican, but will, unlike Leo, a
ave Its precincts when necessary. 4
Before entering the conclave Car q
NAL Gibbons requested the Associated a
ress to deny all interviews alleged to a
ave been given out by him while in b
ONE and also all published accounts 81
conversation he is alleged to have a
I'd with private individuals, referring Il
pecially to the statements Of the b.
ALA to the effect that he had criu-
sed the policy Of Rampolla. al
Until the conclave is ended 700 Ital- In
n troops will remain in the piazza re
st. Peters, 400 to the right and 300 p'
the left and $50 will be stationed in hi
Q piazza Of st. Mark. Mounted car Of
neers and policemen will patrol the W
Ills Of the vatican. b
The gardens and streets adjacent to hi
Q vatican will be watched day and te
ght by four detachments Of guards, 50
lille an extra force Of police will do OF
ty in the streets Of the Borgo dis X
ct and the bridges leading into II. n
the barracks will remain 600 troops til
bject to emergency call. Judging by en-
D small crowds and the perfect order tel
yesterday there appears to be little tn
cessity for these precautions. Az
Rome. Aug. S-No successor to Pope
o XIII. has yet been chosen From
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