The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1910-04-06
NOT TOV|S|T THEPOPE
Col. Roosevelt Found II lnexpe.
dient to Accept Conditions.

On March 23 Ambassador Leishman
Cabled to Cairo That the Holy Fa.
ther Would Be Glad to Grant an
Audience to Mr.. Roosevelt and
Hoped Nothing Would Arise to Pre-.
vent It-RooseveIt In Reply Declin.
ed to Make Any Stipulation.
Colonel Roosevelt will not be re-
ceived by the pope, according to the
Ontlook, Of which the colonel is a con.
tributiDg editor.
In its issue Monday morning the Out.
look says that Plus TX, who is lately
in possession of a complete set of
Colonel Roosevelt's works, endeavored
to impose conditions before Colonel
Roosevelt even thought of taking
steps or making engagements that
might have been distasteful to the
Vatican.
II Is gathered from the cablegrams
that passed between Minister Leish-
man and Colonel Roosevelt, the pope
feared repetition of the Fairbanks
incident and desired to utter a gentle
hint in time. The Outlook states
though that It is authorized to say
that Mr.. Roosevelt had not directly
or indirectly communicated with the
Methodists or any one else and had
not made any agreement to speak to
or receive anybody.
HE entered Rome" the Outlook
says, with no arrangements of any
kind save an audience with the king.
so that the Vatican, in endeavoring to
impose conditions upon him, actei
before he even thought of taking
steps for any engagements whatever
AS soon as Colonel Roosevelt left
the jungle at Gondokoro in February
he wrote to Ambassador Leishman at
Rome saying that he would be glad
Of the homo. of presentation to His
Holiness. At Cairo he received a dis
patch from Mr.. Leishman as follows:
Rome. March 23.-The rector of
the American Catholic college, Bishop
Kennedy, in reply to an inquiry which
caused to be made, requests that the
following communication be trans.
mitted to you. 1t begins: The Holy
Father will be delighted to grant an
audience to Mr.. Roosevelt on April
5 and hopes that nothing will arise
to prevent it. such as the much re-
gretted incident which made the re
ception of Mr.. Fairbanks impossible" :"
Mr.. Roosevelt replied in a telegram
dated March 25 in which he said:
"Please present the following to
Bishop Kennedy: 1T would be a real
pleasure to me to be presented to the
Holy Father, for whom entertain
high respect, both personally and as
the head of a great church. / fully
recognize his entire right to receive
or not receive whomsoever he chooses
for any reason that seems good to
him, and if he does not receive me,
shall not for a moment question the
nropriety Of his action. On the other
hand |, i'll my turn, must decline to
make any stipulation or submit to any
conditions which would in any way
limit my freedom of conduct. trust
that on April 5 he will find it conven.
lent to receive me.
Theodore Roosevelt"
This reply was communicated to the
Vatican on the same day and on March
% Bishop Kennedy was instructed to
send the following communication:
His Holiness would be most pleased
to grant an audience to Mr. Roosevelt,
for whom he entertains high esteem,
both personally and as the former
president of the United States His
Holiness recognizes Mr.. Roosevelts
entire right to full freedom of con-
duct. On the other hand, in view of
circumstances for which neither His
Holiness nor Mr.. Roosevelt is respon-
sible, an audience could not take
place except on the understanding
expressed in the former message"
Mr. Lelshman telegraphed this to
| Mr.. Roosevelt at Cairo, and the latter
on March 29 telegraphed to the am
hassador:
"The proposed presentation is Of
| course now imnossihle"