The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-02-11
COURSE
| If TO ACT AGAIN
| Mr.. Fairbanks Says He Would Not
Change His Course to Please
the Pope.
FEELS NO RESENTMENT
4 Assumes that the Vatican Appre-
ciates Nescessity fo- Its Rules.
=, Cranston to Ireland.
FEELS NO RESENTMENT

ROME, Feb. 1t.-''My feelings
have not been hurt in the slightest
by the vaticans cancellation of my
said Charles w. Fairbanks, former
vtce-president of the United States.
to-day as he busted himself with
preparations for his departure to-
morrow for Berlin.
II look upon the incident as trif-
ling" Mr.. Fairbanks continued. land
would really have dismissed 1t alto
gether were 1t not for the fact that
the press has taken up the matter
and thereby aroused general discus
sion. / think ] appreciate the posi-
tien in which the Pope was placed.
and i am not at all disposed to feel
resentfuf over my failure to have an
audience with him.
Were the whole thing to do over.
/ think would act just as / have
done. certainly would not have
paid the great Methodist Church and,
its representatives in Rome the gra-
tuitous insult of refusing to address
the local church, after making an
appointment to do so. merely to pre-
serve what might be called my eligi-
btlity to call at the Vatican.
Il am sorry that the incident las
resulted In stirring up feeling be-
Vatican has certain rules that 1t
deems to be proper regarding the
Pope's reception to public men. and
/ think we should assume that 1t
knows what rules are best in the
government of its actions"
How 1t All Occurrf.
Several versions of the incident are
in circulation. but Mr. Fairbanks
gives the following himself:
"When on Sunday I raarhod tho
American College Mgr. Kennedy said
| that he had been advised from the
Vatican that 1t would be impossible
for me to have papal audience Ii
delivered my contemplated address
at the American Methodist Church.
l replied that i had agreed to make
an address. and was obliged to keep
the agreement: that had always
exercised the privilege to speak to
Catholics and Protestants alike when
| ever they desired and whenever 1t
was possible. and therefore the ar
| rangement for the audience I regard
ed as ended.
II spoke TO the students of the
American College along patriotic and
| moral lines, giving the Catholic
| Church a full share of the credit
for the great work accomplished by
| all the Christian churches. The sub
| ject of the papal audience was sug-
gested again by Mgr. Kennedy little
later. He had received further in
structions in the meantime, and said
that II did not speak at the Meth
| odist Church the audience would hold
good. ! replied that appreciated
the intended courtesy. but the alterna-
| tive was impossible. I would speak
as announced. and thus would be
| obliged to forego the audience with
the Pope. When advised DR.. Tip
pie. the pastor of the Methodist
! Church. he said that he was ready to
release me from the engagement, but
l answered that that was impossible.
Under the circumstances. felt
| obligated To speak in fuifillment of
a promise made before the papal au-
| dience was arranged
Now Roosevelt Comes
The statement Of Mgr. Bisleti papal
major domo, that ex-President Roose-
Welt has notified the vatican of his
desire to call upon the Pope, has
| awakened fresh interest in Mr.. Roose-
velt's coming. He has been invited
to address the Methodist church In
| Rome, but in view OF the Fair
banks incident" 1t is assumed that
he will pay his respects to the Pope
before appearing before the Metho-
| dists.
Mr.. Roosevelt. however, will have
| to give the Pope precedence over
King Victor Emmanuel who will also
receive him In audience and enter
tain him at the palace. The Vatican's
rules forbid an audience by the Pope
to any one who first honors the
King. Emmanuel has no objection to
receiving those who pay their first
respects to the Pope.