Bisbee daily review., 1911-08-19
.RAMPOLLA MAY BE SUCCESSOR
If Present Pope Should Die the Popular Cardinal Is Thought to Be Next
 Choice
FRIENDLY TO AMERICANS


 ROME, Aug. 1S.-That Pope Plus X cannot last much longer is be-
 coming a matter of conviction in all quarters As a consequence the pos sibihty of the imminent conelave is In the thoughts of all persons connect
 ed with the Vatican, though there is not the slightest sign as yet of can wasting or intrigue among the cardi- nals for the chair of St. Peter. Ney- | ertheless prognostications as to the possible successor to the present pom [ tiff are being made.
 The Sacred College now has only | forty-nine members, twenty-eight ltal- | ians and twenty-one foreigners The ! Italian majority is strong in number, i but it is stronger still in influence. | Nearly all Of the Italian cardinals re- | side in Rome and direct all the af- | fairs of the Papacy. As heads of con | gregations they have the power ex- ercised elsewhere by cabinet minist- CTS Their views are carried out by | Italian subordinates. All the Papal nuneios are Italian, depending from an Italian cardinal secretary of state. | The majority of the Vatican officials
 are Italian, from the high chamber | lain of the apostolic palace to the ! lowest menial employed about the premises. All these people, with their influence, which is strong, have noth- | ing to gain and everything to lose | from a foreign successor to Plus x. ! Win Be an Italian.
 Foreign cardinals being thus out ! of the contest, the choice of the next i pope will be confined to one of the 1 twenty-eight Italian members of the | Sacred College. The best Cathoie l sentiment in Rome at the present ] time seems to be unanimous in it's | expression in favor of Cardinal Ram ! polla as successor to Plus X. Car | dinal Rampclla came near being sue | cessful candidate in 1909 when the | present pope was chosen. It may be ] assumed that the cardinals who voted ' for him at the last conclave will ! again support him, while it is well ! known that many of his former ad- l yersaries are now his supporters. Plus | K himself is reported to have said 1 that he felt that his successor should ! be Leo XIV, thus clearly designat- ing Rampolla, whose policy would | have been a continuation of that of 1 Leo XII.
 The election of Rampolla at the 1 last ccnclaye was prevented only by ! Austria's veto. There will be no men i ton Of a veto at the next conclave, ] for one of the first acts of Pope Plus | x. was the promulgation of consti. ] tuition abolishing the veto power of Austria, Spain and france in the Pa { pal elections and prohibiting cardin- als under the pain Of exc -mmunica- ! ton from receiving even in the form ! of a simple desire any demand for ! their good offices in presenting a ! veto or making it known in the con 1 claye regardless O. whatever manner ! it may come to their knowledge
 Rampoila Notable Figure. Cardinal Rampolla is without ex- ! ception at the present time the most notable figure of the Sacred College 1 lie is a Sicilian by birth and it was just siyty-eight years ago yesterday ! that he first saw the light of day. He was educated at the College Capra- nica and the Academy of the Noble ! Ecclesiastics in Rome, and in 1875 1 became attached to the nunciature at
 Madrid
 In 1877 he became secretary Of the i congregation of Oriental Rites. In ! 1882 he was created titular archbish- op of St. Heracles and sent to Spain as nuncio. He was created and pro ' claimed cardinal, March IA, 1887, talk | ing the title from the church of St. ! Cecilia, and a few months later was named secretary of state. Since the f 4aa.h Of bfs Forprar chief PrupD co | XIII. he has lived as head priest Of 1 St Peters.
 The distinguished family connec- tions of Cardinal Rampolla. his in ' timate acquaintance with Spanish and | English affairs, and his abilities to ! cope wth political statesmen are well
 known. Also he Is quite as famous | for his learning as for his ability. He ! has written the best works extant upon the traditions of the Gretk ' church, and upon the infallibility Of the rope. aud he is the author of a | notable volume on the historical ac- T curacy of the story of the Maccabees. Another advantage possessed by the cardinal as a candidate for the
 chair of St. Peter is his patrician an Y cestry. for it is a. tradition of the church that the pope should be a man
 of patrician birth.
 Rampollas view are quite as hber-
 al as those of any of the hierarchy and he has often expressed warm admiration for Cardinal Gibbons, Arch
 bishop Ireland and other members of the liberal party of the Catholic ]. church in America.