The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1907-01-05
French War.
The Government Against Pope
and His Cardinals,
Full and interesting Account of the
Historic Movement Written Blu
VIM. E. Curtis.


Rome and the government of Franc
have been closely allied. During tn
French revolution of 1889 there wa
temporary dissolution of those re
lations and the government confis
Gated all property, real and persona
which was vested in the religious es
Refreshments. writes VIM. E. Curti
from Washington to the Chicago
Record Herald. After the restora
ton Napoleon made peace with TIN
Vatican IN order to secure the sur
port Of the Catholic population ant
entered into what is known as con
cordas-a term commonly used t.
designate treaties with the holy see
Under this agreement the church
property of all kinds automatically
went back into the possession of the
ecclesiastical authorities, although
there is a dispute whether it was
legally restored.
The government of France agreed
to pay the salaries of all the parish
priests, bishops, archbishops and
French cardinals, provided it was al
lowed to nominate the bishops. From
this time until recently when a bish-
Opric in France has become vacant
the government has submitted a list
of candidates from whom the popes
have made their choice, and about
$S,000,000 year has been appro-
priated from the public treasury to
pay the salaries of the clergy in active
service. A few years ago, shortly
the election of Pope Plus X, the lat
ter refused to appoint any of the
nominees of the French government
to several vacant bishoprics because
OF their alleged liberal views and
friendly rela tions with the republican
party. This rejection of the govern
ment candidates for the first time in
history was attributed to Merry del
Val, the papal secretary of state,
a Spaniard, who is opposed tn the
Uuited States for the same reason
that he is to France-because they
are republics. II he could have his
way he would return to the customs
and conditions of the fifteenth cen
tury.
Pope Leo XII was one of the ablest
Statesmen and diplomats of his time. |
Cardinal Rampola, his secretary Of
state, has the reputa ton of being the |
ablest statesman and diplomat in !
the Catholic Church to-day.
Plus x, the present pope, is neither
a Statesman nor diplomatist and |
has no taste for politics. Realizing
his lack of knowledge and experience
and the unpopularity OF his own dem
ocratic ideas, he has left the foreign |
relations and political affairs OF the
holy see entirely to his secretary of
state and other advisers, who have
entirely reversed the policy Of the
previous pontidcate.
Leo XIII and Cardinal Rampolla
intimate relations with
the French republic, much to the SOL
row Of the old monarchical party in
France. They had the foresight to
realize that the republic is permanent
and that the monarchy can never be
restored. Hence they made friends
with the republican leaders and won
them over to the support of thechurch
because France is the most impor-
tant country in the world from an &C.
,lesiastical point of view and has al
ways been the chief source of the rev.
niue of the holy see. But as soon as
the present secretary Of state Assumed
control Of affairs at the Vatican, the
Did policy was reversed and the
,rouile commenced, first because the
pope, under theadvice of his secretary
u state, would not appoint the cam
iidates for bishopsnominnted by the
French government, and, second,
|
over a visit Of President Loubet to
he ing OF Italy.
TIE gulf that separates the Vatican
md the Quirinal at Rome il SO deep
hat President Loubet decided not to
ross it and being there at the irvi-
alton and as the guest of the king,
'e did not call upon the pope. The