The chronicle=news., 1913-04-18
Hy IL Veteran Diplomat.

Ey veteran utplomht.
My life has been strangely rui-
ed by the figure nine" Plus y. Ii
said to have remarked to II friend
shortly after ihs elevation 10 the
Chair OF st. Peter. For nine years
! WAS II school boy ut Rcisc. for nine
years II student ut Patiua: for nine
years II curate at Tcmboic: for nine
years IL priest at Salzane: for nine
Years II canon at Trcvise: for nine
years u Bishop ut Mantau: for nnc
years Cardinal Patriarch at Venice:
and now am Pope-as long as God
wiiix-pOssibiy nine years
Nine years OF his Papacy have Just
come to II close.
Now the chief topic OF discussion
not only In the Eternal City but the
world over IL the choice Of u success
sor TO the Triple Crown. The most
likely candidates are described In
Rome as Papabiic.
The Conclavc. when II takes place
Will be of particular interest to I,co-
pie on this side OF the Atlantic by
reason OF the fact that II Will he the
first occasion OH which the United
States will lie represented In n Papal
election by three members Of the Sa-
cred Colicgc-Cardinals John Farley.
Archbishop OF New York: James
Gibbons. Archbishop OF baltimore.
and william II. O'Conncll. Archbish-
op OF Boston. On the occasion OF the
last Conclavc. held about nine years
ago, Cardinal Gibbons. the only
American Prince OF the Church. took
part and helped to place Plus Y
upon the throne.
True. at the time ot IT,, election
of leo Kill. In 1878. the Sacred Col
lcrc comprised another American
member. Cardinal McCfoskcy. Arch
bishop OF New York. But he arriv-
"d In the Eternal City two days too
late to caste his vote. hut In time
however. to attend the coronation.
His secretary. who WAS also present
ut that ceremony. then Mgr. Farley.
I. the Cardinal Archbishop OF New
York today.
or course. the question that will
occur to AmcrIcasn before any other
In considering the conclavc. is. What
chance their three countrymcn oc-
'upyinr scats In the Sacred College
ahvc Of being elected Pope?
Small Chance for an American
ted States being raised to tn. Chair
Of st. Peter as the supreme head Of
n church that embraces nearly :OO.-
noo.0oO OF the human race II one
that appeals not nlonc to Roman
Catholics but TO Christians OF other
denominations on this side OF the
Atlantic.
rs-r7frrr n -rrry fttir likelihood OF
hnWaGnr Tn 1Hx,1t har
IL q SPECIES OF ccntury-old tradition
Of the Holy Scnt--a sort Of nm un-
written law-that the Pope mus. be
an Italian. and this H. made more
certain by the fact that the Italian
Cardinals always outnumbcr the for
cign members OF til. Sacred College.
Aside from the prcjudiccs Of the
Italian majority OF the Conclavc
against foreign Pope. 1t would be
too much to expect the Italian Gov.
,rnmcnt to submit to the presence At
tho Vatican. In the very centre Of
the national capital. OF n prclRtc Of
alien birth. belonging to some nation
that might or might not at some mo-
mcnt be hostile to Italy. and yc, who
It's Pontiff would be able. through
the Italian clergy. to influence an
immense portion OF the Italian cleo
tOrntc. There would always he the
suspicicn-thoush little actual risk
that In the event OF any quarrel
between italy and the country to
which the forciHn-born Pope be-
lonScd. he would use his great pow
cr. abroad and In Italy. against he
latter. and in behalf OF the land OF
his birth. Were he to surround him
self with is countrymcn. in prefer
cncc at Italians, the Vatican would
end by being regarded, in Italy at
any rate. as Il hostile camp. within
the innermost limo OF defcnscs of the