The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-02
THE NEV PRINCE Or PIEDMONT
POLITICAL REARING or THE
ITALIAN HEIRS TITLE.

Rome-Italy win Not Rune the Vatican
Clerical Explanation OF Bologna
Incident-The Free Thought Congress
in Reno nm Insult 70 the Pope.
RoME. Sept. 2s.--The birth OF the little
Prince Of Piedmont has given rise to no
conflict between the House Of Savoy and
the Holy Soc. In spite OF his notorious
anti clericalism, Victor Emmanuel Ill. has
shown regard for all the lawful susoepu-
hiities and for the rights Of the Pope. He
has not seized the opportunity TO assert
the continuity OF the possession Of Rome
by the monarchy. Such q demonstration.
il may be said, would DO superauous. since
the Quirinal In facts holds the metropolis
OF Christianity. That II true, but the Kings
action must have some political and moral
significance inasmuoh as the seotarian
party wished for some anti-papal man.
festation.
1t must not be forgotten that every time
that an heir has been expected. family
councils and political men have regularly
brought up the question Of the title. Ad-
vanced factions always proposed that Of
Prince OF Rome" But the House Of Savoy
has refused to raise that difficulty. The
recollection OF Napoleon's King OF Rome"
was evidently in the minds Of the royal
family, and Queen Marghcrita. who Is very
superstitious, laid all stress on that preo-
edent.
Besides. why should the conscience Of
the people be irritated uselessly to please
a few snti-clericals2 The body OF the
nation, which continues to be devout,
would have looked upon the name as an
insult to a real King of Rome, the Pope.
Some believe that the moderation OF the
Quirnal is due in part to the visit Of Car
dinal Svampa to Victor Emmanuel. There
ID no truth In this. for the Bologna incident.
which has been exaggerated by party feel
ing. amounts to nothing more than an act
OF courtesy whose meaning has not been
made too much OF by the House OF Savoy.
Within few days the whole truth about
the matter has been made public. as every
one knows. Cardinal Svampa let the Pope
understand that unless he made that visit
his usefulness at Bologna would come to
an end. The Pope gave no answer to his
intimahon. The Archbishop persisted; still
no reply. He sent confidential man,
lawyer. to the Vatican, to explain the situa-
ton. Plus x. without giving an official
assent, did not seem opposed to his pro-
posed action. When Cardinal Svampa
gave q solemn turn to his visit, the Holy
See disavowed 1t and reproved him.
The delight Of the monarchy Is over
Swallowed by great strikes In the north,
which, strangely enough, coincided in time
with tho birth Of an heir at Racconigi
Yhe disturbance draped the national stand
ard, o. It were. with crepe. The demon
strstion seemed all the more significant
beoause the north and Piedmont are the
classical land Of loyalty. Must not tho
sentiment Of faith to the dynasty be fading
for such an event to occur with 90 much
scandal and inpunity. The strikes mean
stormy weather In the monarchical barome-
tsr.
The great courtesy Of the Quirinal Is
discounted, too. by the hospitality given
at the Roman college to the noisy Free
Thought Congress. Neither the demon
stration nor the reception nor the speeches
Of the orators will cause surprise. 1t Is
tho national development Of . situation
which have repeatedly spoken about
since the Dreyfus affair broke out. All
the anti-clericals OF the world met at the
foot of the Sacred Mount to irnpart char
aoteristic note to their fight against Cathol-
ioism. II means an open fight against
belief and against the Papacy, and struggle
for the triumph Of internationahsrn. he
ngious social and cosmopolitan questions
are treated from the same point OF view.
The Quirinal protects this declaration OF
war: that Is characteristic. The Congress
Ia q personal insult to the Pope and to
all Catholics; it is the mailed gauntlet OF all
Nogsrets hurled In the face OF the head OF
Christendom. What would be said II
Catholics meeting in Berlin were to declare
war to the Hohenzollerns and to Protest.
antism In general? What outcries, what de-
nunciations OF intolerance and baroarfsnl,
there would bel That is the distinctive
character Of the demonst ration; it shows
the boldness. the impunity and the pre-
ponderance of militant Free Thought.
That party declares that 1t will be the
master. How cleverl / must say that,
IN its place. should hesitate to show 30
strong q desire for cosmopohtanism'
Is the time favorable for 1T The war
between Russia and Japan. however 1t
may turn out, 10 the beginning OF long
struggle between the Powers Tor the con-
quest and partition Of the earth. We are AZ
the dawn OF a new Hundred Years war.
The problem 70, therefore no longer MUST
We make peace and bring about the brother
hood Of peoples!" II Is on the contrary
what will the policy OF each state be In
order 10 secure q share when the final settle
roent In madeP' It is true that the British,
ard those who are not French, might answer
me- AN these demonstrations, all this
cosmopolitan planning can harm only
France, by making her at the decisive
moments merely the representative OF
philosophical theory. instead OF a Power
entitled TO q share In that case l should
have no answer to return.
INNoMINAro.