The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-06-18

W. HHfeF wv tHH CIV NV Naa INV
poftsi blms~if aad has hern fruafd~'I
~ Tho Caihulle sufhl ~ . pfispaef In
me- ftNt,n so mafies hnv urgently
r. ehahpe ~ atf may have eeH ~pfesrfiheHl
Nv H@lierl wirlesfs W. ther Ptfs ~
huf len WI suuhi ruNHrhf Nv leNve
~ fsai itteiv ~ ftH 1thrT haul II wa
rets1r'sl f.t' Ne present F1f~ p,ifipard
'o afHnd ihn Summer mnhfhs in hta
ao'fnffv faaf ~ tsstei NiaHdnife. aWi w
Authoritative rfaaH ~ he ta'ieau ne
Ossffrtlesf tfn1it. ~ Nllan esmment
ira ~ ~ rtmof detlafed that y muvN
Witch ton f'ara tr1 COULD have hnd only
n moaning mirht haw w. differently
rUtatftri uwina to ihr thttae whieh
'inno has Nf0ugti m tho Italian aiiuH.
iion ~ course y apiuufh ~ uHe works
~ months IN u rouhtfr rlnt" swuti not
neecaaafllv Involve n putiic tpnuhcias
tim NJ ,he rights sss~ftsl nv thu Papscyl
mneh ICES would n h. iahtamount ~ .
formal acknowledgement ~ The Kinedom
~ italy and a the Sacred College has
Iiai determined stnt, such n departure
from tho p%o-ition hitherto maintained
ihheNiblv would generally be looked
uppn NJ a stop, and not n shor, atep,
In the path leading IN reconciliation with
N" Quirinal and M acceptance NJ long
accomplished fao,s.
An official recognition ~ tho mon.
archy which for upward ~ three and a
half decades has been established In the
Italian peninsula would only be a logical
outcome NJ the course already pursued
hy the present occupant Of the Papal
chair, His two predecessors repeatedly
nverred that II Catholic voters were
authorized 10 take part 10 Parliamentary
elections the dc idcio, II not de jure,
right of the %Savoyard dynasty 10 rule
the territory formerly papal, as well as
the rest Of Italy, would he admitted by
implication. Nevertheless, although the
injunction. NIL orpodh. has not been def
nitely recalled, Catholic voters were
allowed at the last general election to
exercise the Parliamentary franchise.
In other words, Plus X. has accordedtha
practical recognition Of the authority
claimed by the Italian monarchy to
which LEO XIII. and Plus TX. we're un-
waveringly opposed. Having thus re-
pounced the substance Of it's protestant
attitude, why should the Vatican cling
any longer TO the semblance? Why
should the present Pope refrain from
occupying Castel Gandolfo. which be-
longs to him, if the state Of his health
should hereafter require it? We might go
further and ask, Why should he continue
10 reject the muniicent income awarded
TO him ONE thirty-five years ago by the
Italian Parliament, the arrears Of which
would now constitute IN enormous sum
of money applicable to works Of benefi-
cence?
From another point Of view clear
sighted Catholics must perceive that the
relations of the Papacy to the Italian
monarchy have been materially affected
by the drift Of events in France. So
long as the Concordat between France
and the Vatican existed a Pope could
still address the French Executive as
"the eldest son of the Church." whatever
might be the type Of the political
regime. Plus *, who had witnessed
the memorable occurrence, was not
likely to forget that Italian revolutionists
had been expelled from Rome by
soldiers of the Second French Republic.
MOI did LEO XIII. omit, when France
became estranged from Italy through
the entrance Of the latter Power into
the Triple Alliance, to court the good
will Of the French Republican Govern
ment by rallying French Catholics to it's
support. Now. on the other hand, the
which had lasted more than
a century, has been abolished, and the
last lingering hope Of recovering with
French arms at least a part Of the Papal
patrimony must have been extinguished. !
AS compared with the oppressive treat
ment which 1t now receives in France,
the Catholic Church may well regard
the behavior of the Italian monarchy
as respectful and sympathetic, not to
say trustworthy. May it not, indeed,
be- argued that as things are now in
Italy 1t has become the duty Of religion
20 strengthen the hands Of the civil power
it's desperate struggle with socialism
and anarchy?