The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1914-08-26
POPE Plus X.
DIES AT ROME
Death Attributed 10 HeaTibTeaE
Over Great War
WAS SON OF PEASANT PARENTS
Rose to Eminence Through Scholar
ship, Tact and kindlness-opposed
His Own Election to High Office

ship, Tact and kindliness-opposed
His Own Election to High Office
One of the first victims of the great
war now raging in Europe is Pope Plus
Y, whose death is officially announced
today. A recurrent attack of his old
enemy, bronchial catarrh, came upon
him at a time when he was weakened
by worry over his inability to prevent
the war which ia now devastating
Europe. He spent many sleepless
nights worrying about the conflict
which he could not avert and Illness
found him unprepared to resist its on
slaught.
For some hours before he became
unconscious the pontif realized that
his end was near. He had final in
terview with his brother and sisters
and then the papal secretary of state
had his final secret audience.
After ceaseless allnight vigil OF
physicians 1t was admitted that the
condition Of the pope was critical. II
was thought best to summon his per
sonal family. His two sisters in
nearby convent, his brother, Joseph
Sarto, to his bedside. At the same time
word was sent out to all cardinals
who had left Rome wherever 1t was
possible to get into communication
with them that the pontiff was gravely
i'll.
Joseph Sarto, the brother, was ad
mitted to the bedside and a little later
the sisters arrived all to depart weep.
ing. Then came Cardinal Merry Del
Val, papal secretary of state. Even the
physicians and the nurses withdrew
at this conference, which was In abso'
lutte secret. 1t is believed then that
the pope told Cardinal Del Val that he
was about to die, for the viceroy
emerged from the sick room and i'm.
mediately thereafter was put into mo.
tion those ceremonies which only mark
the passing of the august head of the
church. The messages went forth to
all the cardinals of the crisis in the
Catholic capitals Of Europe and to
America.
The sacrament was exposed at ST.
Peters, which was the shrine for
thousands of pilgrims during the day.
In many churches special candles were
lighted before which the devout prayed
for the recoveryof their pope.
Pope Plus X, who was Joseph Sarto,
was born at Riese, near Venice, June
2, 1885. He was the child of poor
peasants. He rose to a station con.
sidered by millions of persons the most
exalted in the world.
His grandfather was a soldier in
the papal army under Gregory XVI.
Pope Plus father worked in the fields
and as communal carrier, struggling
to maintain two sons and six daugh.
ters. A cottage was the birthplace Of
the pope. He attended the parish
school at Riese. His aptitude induced
the family to send him to a school mt
Castelfranco, seven miles from home,
He was a faithful student, and by
winning laurels justified the wisdom
of the family in making sacrifices to
further his education. Joseph won a
scholarship which enabled him to en-
ter the seminary of Treviso and after
ward that of Padua. In 1858, when
twenty-three years of age, he was or.
dained priest.
Until he was thirty-one he was
country curate. Then he occupied
successfully the positions of canon Of
the cathedral at Salzona, chancellor
of the diocese, spiritual director of
the college, dean of the chapter, vicar
general, suffragan.
In 1882 he passed TO the diocese OF
Mantua, where for two years he was
rector of the seminary. He attracted
the attention of Leo Kill, who in 1884
created him bishop of that city. The
diocese of Mantua which had been
noted for its turbulence, became a
model.
June II, 1892, he was created a car.
dinal and three days later patriarch
of Venice.
When the patriarch left Venice to
attend the conclave called to elect the
head of the church the people hailed
him as the next pope. In the conclave
he was urged for the high office, but he
put aside those who proffered their
support and begged that they find an.
other candidate. He was chosen on
the sixth ballot.
Pre-eminent among his character
lstics were his democracy, his utter
defiance of convention and his disre.
gard of precedent. or peasant parent.
age, he was peculiarly the pope of the
poor. Peasants were as welcome to
the vatican as princes, and he gave
them his blessing without favor, His
charities We're proyerbial. His pres
enca pgryaued ID VATICAN witt new
atmosphere.
It is an assured tact. that th.
clave Of cardinaIs win meet olCGS
'enth day. Every effoft Is being
o obtain the presence Of the fo -
dlgnitaries, but if conditions mai ~
impossible for them 70 arrive in M
there can be no delay A.anajorityV E
the cardinals can make d selection a.
with onehalf Of the sixty'six,'in Itak
five in Spain, two in Portugal an
one i'm Holland there Is no doubt Ma