The Alaska daily empire., 1914-09-02
VETO POWER OVER
 PAPAL ELECTION

To supplement the able paper that appeared in last Saturdays issue of The Empire few remarks on the well known Veto or Exclusion ques: ton would be in order.
 During the past two hundred and sixty years three countries, Austria, Spain and France, have claimed and repeatedly exercised the power to ob- jeet efIieaciously against the can didacy of some one cardinal when the Sacred College is in conclaye for a Papal election. This power is known as the Veto or Exclusion. In practice the Veto was communicated to the cardinals by cardinal specially ac- credited by the sovereign and sup ported, if necessary, by the soyereign's ambassador near the Holy Sea.
 Although the Veto, as understood and exercised in modern times dates only from 1644, traces of 1t are found at much earlier date. Since 1644, how ever, the eficicacious power of ex- cludlng from the Popedom has been arrogated to themselves by the Gov ernments of Austria, Spain and France. If the matter were not so intimately connected with the good of religion, one might be tempted to laugh at the arguments upon which each country founds it's fictitious pre- rogative. Austria is the heir in this point of the old German emperors, the advocates and protectors of the Church; France claimed the power as coming down from the days of Charlemagne; and Spain inherited itI from her King Charles V of Germany. The truth seems to have been that the three countries, being the three great Catholic nations of the period, thought they had a good reason for in- terferring with Papal elections; and the cardinals tolerated their meddling for fear of the evils that might other wise come upon the Church.
 During the past hundred years Aus tria has excluded three cardinals. Inl 1S46 she had directed Cardinal Gays. ruck to veto the election of Cardinal Mastai-Ferretti; but before his Emin- ence reached Rome the election was over and the subject Of the veto was Pope Plus TX.
 The Veto pronounced by Cardinal Puzina in the name of Austria again st Cardinal Rampolla del Tindaro in 1903, it was said at the time, was re- Quested by Italy as a member of the triple Alliance.
 Under date of January 20, 1904, Pope Plus x signed the Constitution "Commissum Nobis." He orders 1t to be read to all the cardinals at their first meeting after the demise of the Roman Pontiff, to be read again to them when they gather in conclave to elect his successor, and to be read to each cardinal at his creation, when he shall swear to observe 1t. The paragraph in question Is as follows
 Wherefore, in virtue of Holy obe. dience, under threat of the judgment -of God. and under penalty of the greater communication, without fur ther declaration and specially reserv- ed to the future Pope, We prohibit the cardinals of the Holy Roman Church, each and all, both present and future, and also the Secretary of the Sacred Congregation of Cardinals and all oth- CT persons taking part in the con. claye, from accepting under any pre- text from any civil power the charge of proposing the Vet, or Exclusion, even asa simple wish; or from mak. ing known to the assembled Sacred College or Cardinals or to the cardin- als singly. either in writing or by word of mouth, either directly and personally or indirectly and through others, Veto or Exclusion that may have in any way come to their knowl- edge"
 The famous Veto belongs to past history.
 DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM