Evening star., 1914-08-20
orthodox in purely ecclesiastical prin-
ciples and ultra-conservative in temporal
Opposed to Woman Suffrage.

An instance of his well known uncom-
promising attitude against advanced tend
encies was afforded in his opposition to
woman suffrage. as voiced by the Pope
upon the occasion of his reception of a
delegation of Italian Catholic ladies'.
woman can never be mans equal" he
told his fair visitors. land cannot there
fore. enjoy equal rights. Few women
would ever desire to legislate, and those
who did would be classed as eccentrics.
Scripture. and especially the three epistles
of st. Paul. emphasizes womans de-
pendence on man..
His now famous apostolic constitution
was considered as embodying the most
sweeping reform ever attempted by a
Roman pontin since the celebrated Coun-
Gil Of Trent in the years from 1545 to
1853 in that 1t dismissed the entire con-
gregation of the council. committee of
cardinals charged with the Interpretation
of the Council of Trent, and placed all
affairs in the hands of separate tribunals
and courts of appeal.
BY virtue of one of his documents,
known as the "Sapienti Consilio," the
congregations composing the Roman
Curia of the Catholic Church have been
completely reformed and the American
hierarchy has been accorded recognized
voice in the government of the church.
In fact. all Catholics outside Italy have
been granted a new ecclesiastical stand
ing by the order, whereunder 200 bishops,
25,OOO priests and 10000 900 Catholic lay
men in the English-speaking countries
will have their affairs examined and
passed upon according to the general law
Of the church and by ten different con-
gregations, instead of one. as heretofore.
Another reform was that effected by
the papal bull requiring the return OF
sacred music in use by the Roman Cath
olic churches throughout the world to
its austere and suave purity. And still
another bore upon the revision Of the
catechism, a move dear to the heart of
the late Leo XIII, whereby instruction
in the catechism Is no longer regarded.
as In years past. the adjunct to a basical-
ly religious education, but Is now held to
replace everything-mother, the school
master. the general mental environment.
Was a Man Of Peace.
Pope Plus was in every respect a man
of peace, and the clerical troubles in
Spain and Portugal during the latter
years Of his life greatly affected his
health. When Spain and Portugal. fol-
lowing the lead Of France. broke away
from the church. he refused to take any
decisive action against them.
He held stead astly to the purpose that
governed his every move during his tenure
in Office and chose the middle course.
Standing strongly for the rights of the
church. he refused to use the doubtful
diplomacy with which some of his pred
ecessors accomplished their ends, and when
the smoldering volcano Of public senti-
ment in Portugal broke, and the revolu-
ton which had SO long been hanging fire
in that country deposed King Manuel and
took the form Of active warfare against
the priests and nuns. he decried the situa-
ton, but refused the word that would
bring to arms thousands OF his support
ers and plunge the country in a bloody
religious war.
This campaign Of peace has earned for
Pope Plus X the love Of the church's
devotees the world over and will make
his memory one that posterity will honor
as that of the great prelate IN the his
tory Of Catholicism.