The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1906-04-12
RICHES 0F THE VATICAN
For Sixty Years Rothschilds
The Financial Advisors.
SOURCE OF INCOME
Priceless Treasures of Jewels, Tapes
tries, Act Works and Plate Stored
in the House or Eleven Thousand
Rooms--Present Pope Distributes
More Charity Than Predecessor.

in the House or Eleven Thousand
Rooms--Present Pope Distributes
More Charity Than Predecessor.
Considering the mass Of inIorma
tion possessed OF the reigning Pontitt
--of his personal characteristics, ap-
pearance. dress and manner or liv-
ng-the meagre knowledge generally
uad oil the Vatican treasures is sur
prising. How few people know ex-
actly how the Vatican is financed and
maintained as foremost court OF
Europe!
For nearly sixty years the Rotns
childs have been the principal imam
cal advisers OF the Vatican. Pope
Leo regarded the great European
Banking house with such favor ,-lat i.
had absolute supervision OF his PR
vate fortune and gave carefully heed
ed advice about investing the Papa
moneys. But it is rumOred That Plua
x. is tar from being satisfied with
tine per cent revenues derived from
these investments. Indeed, the attl
tude of His Holiness recently inSplr-
ed the report that a prominent Ameri
can banking house had been invj.eo
to remedy the situation. Additional
color was given the report by the
cordial reception Pope Plus extended
to J. Pierpont Morgan when the lat
ter was in Rome.
Aprcpos OF the Papal income, i. Is
not generally known that when the
church and state were separated i'll
Italy thirty-tive years ago law was
passed guaranteeing His Holiness and
his successors forever, besides the
Vatican and Lateran palaces and the
Gandolfo villa, an annual income Of
3,225,00O lire Plus TX. and Leo XIII.
have been followed by Plus x. in ig-
noring this allowance, which still
remains unclaimed and unpaid. Its
arrears, if not lapsed by prescription,
amount now to nearly s22,000,000.
By strict economy the Vatican bud
get of expenses was reduced during
the year 1905 from $500, 900 to about
S1,000,001 even. This was made pos
sible. notwithstanding the sudden
diminution in the contributions from
France for the Peters Pence Fund
and the expense of restoring the
churches and seminaries damaged BY
the Calabrian earthquake, by a gen.
eral reduction in the salaries of pre-
lates and nuncios abroad and by the
abolition of several sinecures In the
Curia.
Several months before beginning to
economic in minor household items.
the Pope decided that there were too
many Cardinals Of the Curia, or Car
dinalS resident in Rome. Each of
fnese resident Cardinals receives a
yearly income Of $4,000 and their
number may be gathered from the
fact that Pope Leo paid out to them
100000 in salaries during the clos
ing year of his reign.
While Pope Plus is economical in
administering the affairs of his house
hold, he gives more in charity, consid-
ering his resources, it is said, than
did his great predecessor, who was IA
nous for his henevolences. Plus x.
keeps practically nothing for himself.
and his way Of living suggests a coun-
try curate more than a sovereign
Pontiff. His dress costs him nothing
nuns, make his robes and esteem it
an honor and privilege, and pious la
dies see that his wardrobe is never
lacking in white sill1en calotes, in vel
vet shoes worked with pure gold and
in girdles embroidered with his arms
in jewels and gold
Nor is any of the money received at
the Vatican kept by him. What one
hand takes in the other sends out in
payment Of the Vatican expenses, to
the free schools ni Rome, to the poor,
even to the CatE-4ic press.
The Vatican income has triple or
igin. Plus TX. Left in the pontifical
treasury a capital which for many
years has yielded an income of $780,
900. This has been invested in Ital-
ian bonds, but the income is, though
sure, not SO large as Plus x. desires.
Hence. for a year or more the Vat1-
can has been Kidding itself of taese
securities and buying solid English
bonds.
Another source of income is the
Peters Pence. which, though consid-
erably run down since the French Sc
cession, amounts to about $75O,OOO
year, a substantial portion coming
from Germany. An average Of $500,
600 a year is derived from the real
estate rentals in Rome and another
100000 comes from the Dataria tax
on bulls and briefs.
The third source of revenue is used
for the extraordinary budget. 1t
comes from the apostolic chancellery,
and amounts to about 100000 annual
ly. This total is not overmuch for
the spiritual head of nearly 25O,O0O,-
300 souls.
AT stated periods-usuaIIy four
times a year-the Project of the Pa
pal Palaces receives special dele
gate from the ROthSchilds. freouent1v