The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-11-14
SECRET TOLD
BY THE Pope
Why He Appointed Van Rossum as
Papal Lesate Instead Of
One Of the Older
Cardinals
HIS REASON WAS GOOD
Appointment Made Merely Because Of
the Fitness Of the Man and
Perhaps to Please
the Austrians.
ssBy Henry Wood. Rome correspondent
Of the United Press


ROME, Nov 14.-Pope Ping has re-
Gently taken it upon himself to ex-
plain the one mystery Of the recent
Eucharstic congress at Vienna, name
~, Why 1t was that Cardinal Van Ros-
sum, cardinal of less than a years
standing, was appointed to the extra
ordinary honor of papal legate. From
the moment Of the appointment to the
close OF the congress practically every
paper In Italy at some time occupied
Itself with the question and SO many
theories. generally of political ma,
ture, We're advanced, that the vatican
finally considered an Official explana-
ton necessary.
Previous to the meeting of the con.
gress 1t was known that it would be
the most important Catholic occasion
lot perhaps decade 1t was known
also that the papal legate would be
received by Emperor Franz Josef and
the entire imperial household with
honors which it is doubtful would be
accorded even to the crowned heads
OF Europe. Why was 1t then that for
this most remarkable of modern Cath
olic occasions Pope Plus should Sc
lect as his personal representative a
man of whom, before he was created
cardinal. nothing whatever was known
by the public, and of whom, after his
standardization even less was known
were it possible
The question assumed all the more
II Importance because in naming Car
dinal Van Rossum. Pope Plus releeat-
ed to the rear Cardinal vincezo
Vannutelli, one Of the best known
members of the sacred college, who
Tor years past has represented the
pope at all of the Eucharistic con-
crosses, including that at Montreal
Two years ago, following which the
cardinal became the guest of Arch
bishop Farley of New York
In stating frankly his reasons ror
having named Cardinal Van Rossum,
Pope Plus is given credit for another
demonstration of the new order OF
things which he is admitted to have
established in the vatican, reward
and promotion for service only. In
other words, he stated officially that
Cardinal Van Rossum was sent to be
the guest of the emperor Of Austria
solely because Of his fitness.
At the Eucharistic congress. in spite
of the fact that some fifteen langu-
ages were to be represented, ii was
stipulated that the addresses and ON
cial communications should be con-
fined to five of the more common
languages. In each of these languages
Cardinal Van Rossum was perfectly
at home. This, 1t is stated at the
vatican, was only one of the reasons
why he was considered by Pope Plus
as especially fitted for the high honor
Again, 1t is also admitted at the
vatican that Pope Plus, in naming the
legate. had IN mind delicate com
pliment to 'fe Austrian capital. The
great modern saint of Vienna Ia Gle.
ment Maria Hofbauer. century ago
he is declared to have worked almost
miracles in the spiritual regeneration
OF the city, and his memory is still
deeply revered there by all Catholics
SAINT Clement was a member of the
order of the redemptionists. Cardinal
Won Rossum is also redemptionist
and his appointment, It was believed
by Pope Plus, would, as result, be
especially pleasing to the court and
people of Vienna from whom his holi-
ness was well aware great honors
We're to be extended at the congress
to the church
One of the peculiar traditions that
ever prevailed in clerical circles in
Rome and of which there is no limit
is that cardinals always c.e by threes.
This has again just been verified.
Following the consistory of last
fall, when the membership of the
Sacred College was renewed to sixty
five there was a general belief that
this membership would have reas.
enable chance of remaining unbroken
until II might be called upon to elect