Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-23
BLACK POPE'S RISE
FORETOLD BY GYPSY


nif'ldi tdbirkEhm ~ lne ctai'
ROME, September 22.-The selection OF
Rev. Father Wernz, German and the rec
tor of the Gregorian University. as the gen.
eral of the Jesuits, and the approval by the
pope OF the choice. is supposed to herald an
era Of closer relations between the German
government and the Vatican. The present
kaiser. as is we'll known, though Protest
ant In faith is nevertheless extremely lib
eral In dealing with his Catholic subjects,
and during the past year or two has mani
Tested disposition to rely upon the support
of the clericals to repel the advances of the
socialists.
An interesting story regarding the boy
hood of Father Wernz has just been pub
llshed by the Roman newspapers and sue
Cessful career is accordingly being predicted
for him as the general of the Jesuits. Ac-
cOrling to this story. when very small
child an old gypsy woman predicted that
lie would be greater than king or pope
There is the man of the future she
said raising her hands above her head.
He will command men,. 49,
''Will he be made king OF the gypsleS!
asked one of her hearers.
He will be more than that, was the
reply Others may be king of the Syp-
sizes but he will be pope Of the gypsies.'
strange and exceedingly unique cohoI.
ton OF affairs is reported from Madrld. II
templating a visit to the holy father iii the
near future. At the time of his marriage
and because of his well-known democratic
and liberal tendencies, TO say nothing OF ms
marriage to Ena of Battenberg. a Protest
ant princess, fears were expressed here that
King Alfonso might grow lukewarm III the
faith of his fathers. On the contrary, &C
Cnrding to adViCeS received mere lIoIi
Madrid the young king appears more stead
fast in the Catholic faith than before. while
Queen Victoria, his royal bride. has all or
the zeal of convert and is behind the
decision OF the king 10 WISH Tue holJ lalhei
and the holy city.
Nevertheless. advices from Spain also In
dictate that there are possibilities or crisis,
so far as the king, the cabinet and the cor
teZ are concerned. The chief question 10 De
solved Is the matter of the abolition of Arti-
Gle III of the constitution, when prohlots
every external manifestation OF non-Catho.
lie cults. II is laid down in the Concordat OF
1871 that three religious orders shall ENJOY
certain privileges. while the rest. like asso-
Citations of a civil character, shall be SUBJECT
to the common law The Concordat; now
ever Is not carried out there being IN
Spain a multitude of religious orders which
enjoy privileges and control public educa-
ton This is the actual bone of contention
with Rome because the government wishes
to fix clearly which shall be the three priv
LEGGED orders and bring the rest under the
common law associations. Moreover the
government desires to seculariZe the Gem
eteres and TO give greater solemhlty 10
civil marriage, which inTeality does not ex-
ist, since canonical marriage Is obligatory
for all Spanish Catholics.
The Spanish government, according to all
accounts has decided to give way to the
Vatican in nothing and the papal nuncio'
who has seen the danger, has recourse 10
the accustomed delays of vatican dlplo-
macy These, he says, are matters winch II
IL not within his province to decide: they
must be negotiated direct with the Vatican
In this manner he gains time, While the
Cericals in Spain hope to see the return TO
. l. Vat
leader Senior Maura, would respect the
status quo. =
Some persons opine that. in the event of
a crisis arising 1t will be resolved in
sense even more radical. the crown calling
upon Senior Canalejas who is the leader OF
the extreme demoCratic-radtcal lett an on
shoot of the republican camp This party
advocates extreme measures with Rome,
even to the extent of denunciatton of the
Concordat which they regard as quite out
Of date. Here in Rome 1t is believed the
government is really marking time, and
when the proper moment arrives KING Al
fOnso will support the policy or the liberals
Gen. Lopez Domnquez Senior CanaleJas ana
Senior Gullon all say the government main
taius an energetic attitude. Senior Amallo
Jimeno minister of public instruction. is
studying the problem in its educational as
pect is preparing legal measures for re-
stricting the facilities which the congrega-
tions atspresent possess for founding schools
and colleges. Before leaving Madrid the
Condo de Romanoues stated that as minis
ter of grace and justice he was disposed 10
resign rather than give way. He added that
he would make cabinet question Oh the
matter of civil marriage
Another rema rka BILE and interesting story
regarding the relations existing between the
Vatican and France has just been printed
here. According TO this statement 1t has
beeu learned from an Italian parsonage of
high standing that Cardinal Merry del Val,
the secretary Of state at the Vatican, will
shortly be replaced by a prelate more con-
CiIiatory TO France. The reason for the car
dinal having fallen into disfavor was as fol-
lows: His emnenCe did not submit 10 the
nope an authentic report of the meeting OF
The French bishops but only very incom-
picte one. and X was upon this report that
Plus Y based his well-known pronounce
ment. Ii was since he had realized the
mistake which he had been led 10 make
that the pope thought of replacing Cardinal
Merry del Val.
There is no suggestion that this will read
TO any marked change in the strained rela-
tons existing between France and the Nati-
can but the suggestion is made that greater
care will be exercised in the future. and
modern methods will be introduced to rem
der impossible anything of this nature In
tie future
Cardinal Merry del Val. who is staying
for mis- vacation at the papal villa of Costel
Gandolfo, however, visits the pope every
week and discusses with him at length
current affairs.
Although persistent rumors are circulated
depicting the pope as seriously Ill, the truth
Is the pontiff Is so well that DIR. Lapponl
left a month ago on a holiday, and Will not
return till October. left no substitute.