Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1908-09-18
MR.. TAFT AT THE VATICAN.
His Entertaining Account of the Au-
dience Following His Adroit
Settlement of a VeXatious
Philippine Problem.


II is exceedingly difficult to induce
Mr. Taft to discuss in pubic ms wv
mart in any of the deeds OF lIhpollen'
craftsmanship which he mas acco IN
nIiebad on his last voyage 70 ths
0,,osts voiced bv those who were
T,eaeurablv familiar with the adroll-
nass With which Mr. Taft conducted
4 tbe delicate business Of gaining inc
/ sesent Of the Vatican to the cedlns OF
/ tbe vich lands Of the friars, so solFlnS
40 If the most veXatious of the Fnll-
/ fnnines problems. He told OF ms Nl@ls
I ~ the Vatican and of his audlehce
with Pope Leo XIII. M. r-.gs
- had supposed, said Mr.. Iad u
that the Pope, who was lneu
,e9~s old. would have met us purely
ss matter of formality and enacteu
tbe MARI of a lay figure in the negotla-
tions To my surprise, it was o1heI-
,,,ieo When we were ushered INTO
tba nanal chamber, His Holiness re
,sived MS standing. He was UNDER
average stature, extremely Deht anu i
of waxen complexion, but eXceeulii -,
auick in his movements. Chalrs IA ~
been placed for us and to these enS
, Pope motioned us, while ne seaOsu
himself on a dias. 49, .,,.os+
/, -The POpe listened with the ciosesl
, attention to an address GOVERNS GOVERNS, ~ ~,
: subject which had been prepared DS
/ me and which outlined the purpose
r Of our visit. He then entered mo
s clear concise discussion of the mai
= ter which lasted for ten or htteei
r Minutes While he vouchsated hl
7 conclusion or final opinion, he IN I
: General way expressed sympathy VIII
: onr mission, and promised to snDlill
the matter to the congregation Oh eA
A. traordinary jurisdiction. n4..+.
Is "He turned to personal suD1eets
p and ehatted with us for some tllne
= II struck me that he possessed a wei
de6nad vein of humor. For INSTANCE
70 he said that he heard l had been IL
~ and carefully scanning my someWha
=" heroic proportions, he dryly remarke
Sc mat my physical appearance gave
Id Indication of the effects or any seflol
a ~The light in his eye, keen an
es scrutinizing, his expression ana d
al manner. caused it to be borne in upS
ed one that despite his age ana som
to what feeble appearance, ne kne
We what he had in mind, he apprecla1'
fullv the intricacies OF the SUBJECT
our errand, and had complete sra
If the matter. When he rang l
ball TO summon an attendant to sn'
ne ont. the cord did not operate rea
iIv. He grasped it with no uncerta
ia hand and pulled It so hard that
Inlly expected it to break.
,a, my inability to speak FreI
nc ne caused me more regret than It
nos when my lack OF knowledge OF u
10. lS language made it impossible Tor
,ias 10 converse with the facility l
aon eagerly desired with this ecclesia
70 cal gentleman and statesman. E
y. not doubt from what l saw OF
"a that leo XIII. was the greatest +
-. an many years. His statesmana
% was undoubtedly of the highest "
is he was a Latin poet of great pu
s+ and force. an italian nobleman
~ thorough education and a man
80 ~ controlled. Almost to the minut
tarC his death he was Pope in tact'
,,;+b Pone in control, Pope who car
= !, 70 70 ont the policies of the church al
20 thought they oughtto be carried o
- decorations which the Pope
"a ~, anvious to confer upon Mr.. Tart
. IL a. tho members of his party to sign
- - the visit were declined. One OF
~, Taft's most priced mementos OF u
tbe is bit of rare German enamel
tbe resenting St Ursula and her VIZ
e TO which the Pope gave her.