The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-04-05
Differences Between the Vati-
can and Methodist Church
in Rome Responsible for
Trouble With Col. Roosevelt
STATEMENT is ISSUED BY
PAPAL STATE SECRETARY
Colonel Roosevelt Declines to
Promise Not to Visit Meth
odiSt Church and Begins In
cident That AgitateS World.
ROMAN NEWSPAPERS BUSY

Rome, April 1.-The determination
OF Mr.. Roosevelt to forego an au-
dlence with Pope Plus x rather than
subscribe to the conditions imposed
b the Vatican has created a sensa-
ton.
This unfortunate and unexpected
incident overshadOws every other fea-
ture of the distinguished Americans
visit to the Eternal city.
Mr.. Roosevelt sought an audience
with the Pontiff through American
Ambassador Leishman and received a
reply that the Holy Father would be
delighted to receive him.
The answer was coupled with an
expression of the hope that the au-
dience would not be prevented by
such a regrettable incident as made
an audience for former Vice President
Fairbanks impossible.
Mr.. Roosevelt in return said that he
could not accept a stipulation limiting
his freedom of conduct. To the latter
message the Vatican made answer tbet
me audience could not take place except
ing GA the understanding first une,Se
known. On. March q Mr. Roosevelt sent
10 Ambassador Leishman the folIo1uiner
caDiegraln; Proposed presentation Is. az
course, now impossible"
Mr.. Roosevelt insists that the s,cf4sr,+
be treated as purely personal and earn
estiy hopes 1t win not give rise to anv
bitterness He appreciates the attitude
OF the Vatican, but feels. as free
American citizen, he cannot consistently
take any action that might be construed
as involving limitation of freedom OF
his personal conduct He had made no en-
gagement to address the MethOdists. or
other religious bodies of Rome h5lt AT
the same time, he thinks he should not
make promises as TO what he Will or will
not do.
Incident is Closed.
1t would appear today that. so far as
the Vatican and Mr.. Roosevelt are con-
cerned. the incident is closed. The news
that the former President had abandoned
his proposed visit TO the Vatican reached
the morning papers very late, but made
q very deep impression. The KessagerO
an anti-clerical organ, alone comments
editorialiy on the matter
This paper says: When the news was
spread II was received with incredulity,
many regarding il as a malicious fabri-
cation of the enemies of the Catholic
cHufcns out Wlcn CONTINUATION came II
produced comment disastrous to the
Vatican. Men of every religion daily
visit the pope without first giving the
itinerary of the churches which they in.
tend to visit. Why should the Vatican
require Mr.. Roosevelt to ignore the
churches of his own religion during his
short stay in Rome? The incident will
not add to the diplomatic fame OF the
pope's advisers. Mr.. Roosevelt, as the
head Of the great American republic, fol-
lowed the principle enunciated by Premier
Luzzatti-a free church under a sovereign
state"
TheMessageTO places the responsibility
for what ii terms a ''blunder" on the
pope's encourage and, continuing: For
II was a blunder to ask a certificate of
aeceptability from a man ilustrious
everywhere for his intelligence and the
nobleness OF his life. The liberty which
Mr.. Roosevelt is defending for all he
could not renounce for himself"
After pointing out that non-possumus
Continued on Page Two.)