The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-04-04
CLASH AT ROME.
CONTINUED from Page One,

1
| federation but the heartiest good will
and sympathy between sincere and
| honest men of different faiths-good
will and sympathy so complete that in
the 1nnumerable daily relations of our
American life Catholics and Protest
ants meet together and work together
without thought of the difference of
creed being even present in their minds
This is a condition so vital to our
national Wei being that nothing should
be permitted to ieopardize it. Bitter
comment and criticism acrimonious at
tack and defense. are not only profit
less, but harmful. and to seize upon
such an incident as this as an occasion
Tor controversy would be wholly in
defenSible and should be froWned upon
by Catholics and Professionals alike, and
all good Americans"
The failure to arrange an audience
between ex-President Roosevelt 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 import
ance of the incident in which former
Vice President Fairbanks was the prin-
cipal.
Although the negotiations were tech
ptcally between Ambassador Leishman
and Monsignor Kennedy, it is we'll I'M
derStOOG in Rome that MonSignOr Ken
nedy was acting under the instructions
of Cardinal Merry Del Val. The tele-
grams therefore were in reality between
eX-PreS1Gent Roosevelt and the papaI
secretary of state.
When the correspondent called at the
Vatican, great surprise was expressed
when it was learned that Mr.. Roose-
welt had given out the text OF the
messages exchanged by Mgr. kennedy
and the American ambassador as they
were regarded by the vatican in the
light of diplomatic documents, Mgr.
Kennedy explained on March Fl, John
w. Garrett, first secretary of the en-
bassy, called upon him to transmit"
Mr.. Roosevelt's request for an audi
ence with the pontiff on April 5. He
said that Mr.. Garrett insisted upon the
word transmit" Mgr. Kennedy in
formed the secretary that he immedi-
ately would present the request to the
proper vatican authorities and promis-
ed a response as soon as possible.
Merely a Hint.
1.-THE following day. said Mgr. Ken
nedy, 81 was authorized to send Mr..
Roosevelt the first message, which is
quoted in his statement The refer
ence to the Fairbanks incident in the
message was intended only as friend
ly intimatiOn. I notice that my second
message is not fully given. 1t ran thus:
His holiness will be much pleased
to grant an audience tc Mr.. Roosevelt,
for whom he entertains great esteem.
both personally and as president OF
the United States. His holiness quite
recognizes M. Roosevelt's entire right
to freedom Of conduct. On the other
hand, in view of the circumstances
for which neither his holiness nor Mr..
Roosevelt are responsible, an audience
could not occur except on the under
standing expressed in the former mes
sage
ton reached ne from Mr.. Roosevelt
1t further appears taht it was John
Callan OLoughl fnS SsTho was assistant
great personal friend of Mr.. Roose-
Welt, who attempted to intercede with
Cardinal Merry Del VAL The follow
ing sen1ioff7cial version of what tran
spired at that interview has been fur
nished to the Associated Press by a
vatican authority:
Cardinal Merry Del Val said to Mr..
O'Loughlin:
Roosevelt will not visit the Methodists
here?'
''Mr. O'Loughlin replied:
"'I can not. indeed 1 believe that |
Mr.. Roosevelt is just the man to go |
there. He will do as he pleases.'
1T is indefensible,' said the papal |
secretary, for any person to be asked |
to be received by a great parsonage
whose feelings he would be unwilling |
to respect
In the course of further conversa-
ton the cardinal declared that no court |
in Europe granted unrestricted audi |
ences
'Mr. Roosevelt himself said the
cardinal, when he was president de- |
clined to receive persons uncondition-
ally at the White House. Without |
giving the names of the persons the |
cardinal recalled a case where Presi- |
dent Roosevelt, having been erroneous
ly informed that certain person was
visiting him by the authority of the
vatican, immediately sent a cabinet
officer to the apostolic delegate at !
Washington to inform the delegate
that he could not receive this person
age, but he meant no discourtesy to
+ he NV The mont tiff |
when Informed of this, replied:
"I esteem President Roosevelt more
than ever"
Applies Only to Methodists.
Returning TO the present incident,
Cardinal Merry Del Val remarked:
"It is not in any sense question of
religion. Mr.. Roosevelt might have
gone to an Fpiscopalian. a Presby
Methodist and delivered an address
there, and he would have been re-
ceived by the pope even on the same
day. But he could not be received
when it was suspected that after the
audience he intended to go to the
Methodist church in Rome. which is
carrying on most offen sive campaign
of calumny and detraction against the
pontiff."
The papal secretary even recognized
Mr.. Roosevel+'s right 10 claim the priv
i1ege of visiting the Methodists the day
after the audience on condition that
he, Merry Del Val, receive private as
surances that he would not actually do
SO. The vatican emphasizes the state
ment that it did not receive from the
American embassy any notification of
Mr. RooseveIts final message that an
audience had become impossible.
After being apprised of the contents
Of the Vatican's statement it was ex-
planned on Mr.. Roosevelt's behalf. that
his final message had not been COM
municated to the Vatican because Mgr.
Kennedy's second telegram was all of
the matter SO far as he was con-