Omaha daily bee., 1909-04-11

at least six cardinals. For more than ten
years past the American press has. at reg
ular intervals, alluded to the probable apr
pointment of "a second American cardinal
and rumors as to the identity Of the pre-
late selected for this honor have found
ready publication. That nothing has thus
far resulted is due to many circumstances,
not the least of which may be that Amer
lea land in this it is unlike ITSELF in being
too modest, in ~discounting its fair claims,
has had to make way for more insistent
interests"
Mr.. Desmond recognizes that the &C.
clesiastical constitution has no necessary
relation to taxation. numbers or geographic
cal area, but he thinks that the facts that
the United States is second in the amount
of its contributions to the Society for the
Propagation of the Faith. and that it ex-
cells all other countries but one in its con
tributions to the Peters pence. giving four
times as much as Italy and Spain combined,
are entitled to some regard. He says that
distinction in churchmanship is usually the
pathway TO the dignity Of the cardinalate.
but that requisite distinction Is far more
easily earned in Italy than elsewhere. lie
points out that:
present there are IS cardinals, Of
whom "a are Italian, OF the 21 cardinals
graciously allotted to the rest OF tho Cath.
Ollie world, . are Spanish or Portuguese and
4 French, so that the Latin countries
Italy, Spain. Portugal and France-have AZ
of the IS cardinals.
Latin preponderance in the government
Of the church is not divinely prescribed:
yet It has come about in the nature Of
things. We would not see 1t rudely as
sailed, in a spirit either Of schism or ma
tionalism. But, with all respect. for things
as at present constituted, we do not over
look the facts OF human nature. It might
be felt as a guarantee Of wiser policies If
the welfare Of the church were not so
overwhelmingly in the keeping of Latin
prelates; if the counsels Of the rest of the
Catholic world were reasonably valued and
more adequately sought, so that the senate
Of the church should resemble, in its fair
ness and fullness of representation, a great
council of the church"
After summoning up the duties and func-
lions of the cardinals, Mr.. Desmond con-
tends that the reasons for Italian predom-
nance in the college no longer exist. He
says that the pope has ceased dc facto to
be a temporal sovereign, and the condi-
lions Of travel have so changed that Balti-
more is now nearer to Rome than Venice
was a century ago. And he goes on t.
remark that:
"A legislative or administrative body.
composed almost wholly of men similar in
race and environment, trained and edu-
Gated under the political, social and eco
monte conditions of the Latin countries,
must, humanity speaking, have a different
outlook from hat OF a body Of men com
posed OF Latins, Germans, English and
Americans. And, IL the affairs to be dis
cussed and settled are world affairs rather
than Italian affairs, the body that is
cosmopolitan in its formation is apt to be
wiser and safer"
In conclusion. Mr.. Desmond voices some
criticisms Of Latin leadership and ex-
presses the opinion that Tin the church OF
today 1t would do no harm 10 call in. the
counsel and aid Of the missionary captains