The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1910-04-07

audience between ex-President Roose-
velt and the pope, which was known
only in certain circles, is expected to
create a tremendous stir here as well
as abroad, far overshadowing the i'm
portance of the incident in which ex-
Vice President Fairbanks was a prin-
cipal. Although the negotiations
technically were between Ambassa-
dor Leishman and Mgr. Kennedy, 1t
is well understood in Rome that Mgr.
Kennedy was acting under the in
structions of Cardinal Merry del Val.
The kilograms, therefore, were in
reality between ex-President Roose-
welt and the papal secretary of state.
When the correspondent called at
the vatican great surprise was ex-
pressed when it was learned that Mr..
Roosevelt had given out the text OF
the messages exchanged by Mgr. Ken
nedy and the American ambassador,
as they were regarded by the vatican
in the light of diplomatic documents.
Mgr. Kennedy explained that on
March 81 John w. Garrett, first sec
retary of the embassy, called upon
him to transmit" Mr.. Roosevelt's re-
quest for an audience with the pontiff
on April 5. He said that Mr.. Garrett
insisted upon the word transmit"
Mgr. Kennedy informed the secretary
that he would Immediately present
the request to the proper vatican au-
thorities, and promised a response as
soon as possible.
"The following day." he said, ~ was
authorized to send Mr.. Roosevelt the
first message. which is quoted in his
statement. The reference to the Fair
banks incident in the message was
intended by the vatican only as a
friendly intimation. | notice that my
second message is not fully given. 1t
ran thus:
"'His holiness will be much
pleased to grant an audience to Mr..
Roosevelt, for whom he entertains
great esteem, both personally and as
president of the United States. His
holiness quite recognizes Mr.. Roose-
velt's entire right to freedom of con-
duct On the other hand in view of
the circumstances for which neither
his holiness nor Mr.. Roosevelt is re-
sponsible, an audience could not oc,
cur except on the understanding ex
pressed in the former message
after this no further communica
ton reached me from Mr.. Roosevelt
o'LoughIin Intercedes.
1t further appears that it was John
Callan O'Loughlin, who was assistant
secretary of state in 1909 and great
personal friend of Mr.. Roosevelt's s
who attempted to intercede with Car
dinal Merry del Val. The following
semi-official version of what tran
spired at that interview has been fur
nished by vatican authority:
Cardinal Merry del Val said to Mr.
OLoughlin:
"'Can you guarantee that Mr.
Roosevelt will not visit the Method
lists here?'
Mr.. O'Loughlin replied:
II can not. Indeed, believe tina
Mr.. Roosevelt is just the man to g
there. He will do as he pleases."
at is indefensible," said the papa
secretary, "for any person to be askeC
| Ho ha rnoniund hU nnrCOf1 a
whose feelings he would be unwilling
to respect"
In the course of further converse
tion the cardinal declared that n
court in Europe granted unrestricte,
audiences.
"Mr. Roosevelt himself" said tn
cardinal, when he was president de
clined to receive persons unconditior
ally at the white house"
Without giving the names of tn
persons, the cardinal recalled cas-
i. where President Roosevelt, havin
been enormously informed that Gel
tain person was visiting him by tn
: authority of the vatican, immediatel
/ sent a cabinet officer to the apOstoll
delegate at Washington to inform tn
, delegate that he could not receiv
this parsonage, but he meant no di!
courtesy to the pope by his refusa
The pontiff, when informed of this
+ replied: 81 esteem President Roost
welt more than ever" Returning t
the present incident, Cardinal Merr
del Val remarked:
1T is not in any sense a questio
of religion. Mr.. Roosevelt Nigh
. have gone to an Episcopalian, Pre-!
= byterian, or any other church, exceI
the Methodist, and delivered an az
. dress there and he would have bee
Z received by the pope even on tn
D same day.
> Methodist War Offensive.
: "But he should not be receive
: when it was suspected that after tn
: audience he intended to go to tn
0 Methodist church in Rome, which
a carrying on a most offensive can
paign of calumny and detractio
against the pontiff."
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