The Irish standard., 1907-05-04

When Cardinal Sarto was elected to
the chair OF Saint Peter nobody was as
much surprised as the Cardinal him.
self, says the New York Sun. In fact
that the thought Of his being chosen
Pope was far from his mind is shown
by the reply he gave to friend on
the eve of his departure from Venice
to attend the conclave. He was asked
if he thought the election would be a.
laborious one.
NO." he answered, II think the elec-
ton will be short one. We will put
Peter in chains perhaps on the very
first day, crown him Pontiff as soon as
possible and hasten back to our dio-
ceses."
All this took place almost as he had
prophesied, with the exception that the
Patriarch Of Venice never returned to
his diocese, but remained and will re-
main until death releases him, a vol
untary prisoner in the Vatican, a SOW
ereign, styled Father Of princes and
kings ruler of the orb of earth and
vicar of our Saviour Jesus Christ but
whose kingdom has dwindled to a pal
ace and a garden.
Piux X, has been a, much mlsun-
derstood man. His chagrin at being
elected Pope was apparent especially
on the day of his coronation, when
born aloft in the sedia gestatoria. To
a. man who has lived for fifty years
a quiet life. performing his duties to-
ward his flock with patience and SIM
plicity, the sudden rush into public
notice was nothing short of paralyzing.
And even now, after three years OF
pontiflcate he continues the simple
trend Of his earlier days. Under Leo
XIII. the Papal court felt that all hopes
of restoration of temporal power were
not lost, Leo himself was the person.
ification of these hopes. and at all pub
lie functions one felt that he looked on
a king in exile.
FOp6 t>luS, olI IliO IclAIioA - |iA~ H,-'
gle minded peasants son. was known
to have worked for spiritual influence
rather than temporal power while
Patriarch of Venice, and hence at first
he was regarded as favoring and wish
ing for a, peaceable understanding be-
tween the Vatican and the Italian gov
ernment Such a. surnise was supposed
to be so well founded that a compro-
mise of the vexed Roman question is
still expected. The Pope is apparent
ly plant, but the Vatican encourage
know better. Many have regarded the
Pope and some still regard him as en-
tirely relying for his opinions on the
Secretary of State. Cardinal Merry del
Val. This may have been quite true
in the beginning Of his pontificate, but
is no longer so.
Piux X. has a will of his own. he Is
practical and an enemy to political
cobwebbery Behind his kindness Of
demeanor he has firmness of pur-
pose which once aroused cannot be
changed. The first instance when the
Pope asserted his independence of ac-
ton occurred, shortly after his election.
in regard to the dispensing of tickets
for the functions in St. Peters. For
merly it was the custom to erect tri-
bunes or boxes on both sides OF the
high altar during Holy Week and other
solemn functions. Tickets were much
sought after, and often it was posi-
BILE to obtain them for a consideration
from hotel porters. The sale Of tick~
cts proved highly profitable to many
a needy prelate, and the bartering for
them amounted to nothing less than
a scandal. Piux X. abolished the tri-
bunes and made it a rule that when
any function was to take place in the
Basilica all alike should have the same
privileges.
The choice of the Secretary of State
was entirely the Pope's. Cardinal Mer-
ry- del Val represented to the Pope