Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-12-17
RAMPOLLA DEAD:
TALKED FOR POPE
Cardinal, Who Possessed Larpe
Wealth and Gave With
Liberaity, Expires.

| Rome, Dec. 17.-Cardinal Rampolla,
! formerly papa secretary OF state and
at the death of Pope Leo XIII. the man
| most widely discussed as possible sue.
! cessor, died here yesterday.
The cardinal was an Italian noble
man, being in addition to his position
as prince of the Roman Catholic
church, Marquis del Tindaro.
On his mothers side, though she
was a Spaniard. he was related to the
royal house of Saxony. Possessed of
large personal wealth, he was known
as liberal with it. An aristocrat by
birth, education and the holding OF
conspicuous positions, he for a long
time depended on an American-made
alarm clock to arouse him at o'clock
in the morning
AS papal secretary of state he was
ambitious for the extension of the
power of the church, but was known
to sympathize with much of the move
ment known as modernism" which
found little favor with Pope Plus X
The Paris Figaro said of him: m:-----..
He beheld the light Of fresh in
spiration irradiating the world and he
conceived the possibility of loving
communion between a faith as ancient
as the cross and a world modernized
by science"
The cardinal was born at Polizzi,
Sicily, is 1843 He was educated al
the Collegio Capranico, the Jesuit col
lege in Rome and later at the Accca-
demia Del Nobili Ecclesiastical, also
in Rome.
Before becoming cardinal in 1887 he
had been councillor to the papal en- |
bassy at Madrid, secretary of the
for eastern affairs, and in |
1880 secretary of ecclesiastical affairs. !
IL was he who suggested the pope as .
mediator between Spain and Germany
in the dispute over the Caroline Is
lands.
In the year 1887 he was made papal
secretary of state and was the papal
in negotiations with
Italy when Crispi was premier and
severe laws against the Roman Cath
Oiic clergy aroused the anxiety of the
Vatican.
The aim of the new papal secretary
Of state was to strengthen French
for the papacy and in that
andeaYor he antagonized Germany
and Austria.
At the time of the death of Pope
Leo XIII. Cardinal Rampolla had been
'eplaced by Cardinal Merry del Val
Is secretary OF state. When the col
ege of cardinals met, however, TO
:hoose a new pope Rampolla's name
ed on the first two ballots.
Since the election of Pope Plus y.
yardinai Rampolla had lived in virtual
at the Palace of St Mar
ha, just behind ST Peters Cathedral,
md has devoted his time to matters
# doctrine and internal administra-
ion of the church.
At the time of the recent illness or
'ope Plus X, when for time there
eemed but little or no chance for the
ecovery of the supreme pontiff, Car
inal Rampolla was again spoken OF
8 a probable choice for the papacy.
The death of Cardinal Rampolla was
ot made known to the pope until thls
1orning. AS recently as Saturday the
ope received Rampolla, who was ap-
arently in good health. The pope IS
ued the following statement: Ram c
ola was one of the greatest men In u
ne church. He had become even O
reater since he retired from state af- /
airs" his holiness ordered the high g
ST honors paid to the deceased car
inaI Death was due to angina pee
1ris .