| Show THE POPES HEALTH AND POLICY A GOOD deal is being said about the precarious condition of the popes health if the majority of the state ments made in that regard are true it is evident that the days of the present pontiff on earth will be but few he to is very old and his hia physical machinery must be so far worn down that he will be able to stand but few more of the fainting spells with which he has been of late afflicted he has proved himself to be during his incumbency of his bis high office in the catholic church a man of great ability fore sight eight and industry he belongs to a classow class of characters who never rust out he insists on working as aa long as the lamp holds on to buru burn the present pope is evidently an opportunist this is indicated by his policy throughout his shrewdness and penetration enable him to see the drift of the times which to is in the direction of the popularization of tern tem power the masses are becoming assertive and aggressive and the 1 logical result of the tendency Is to make them the masters of the future As a consequence those who are able to obtain a controlling influence over the great bales balies of the people will be the leaders of the situation hence the popes encyclical on the labor question out of which have grown numbers of pilgrimages of workmen to the ve vatican irany showing that the leaven of the interest taken by the head of the catholic church in the he masses is operating some countries have taken steps to prevent these pilgrimages which tend to give the priests control of the people and the pontiff has expressed his indignation at this action to circumvent his policy which he declares shall continue tobe to be pur sued doubtless the course taken by the present pope will be continued after he shall have passed away as it is clearly in the direction of widening and deepening the influence of the catholic church which is the leading COD consideration with its devotees already there is speculation in reference to the probable successor to the present head of the great organization the likely candidates are now being narrowed down to only a few individuals among whom is cardinal gibbous gibbons of new orleans one writer in a leading magazine stated something less than a year ago that that gentleman had of all others the best prospect of attaining to the position but the papal mantle may after all fall upon the shoulders of someone not now in sight eight should the new orleans dignity be elected to the post tion hb however wever it would cause a profound sensation in this country where Itle it is claimed the catholic church has no fewer than members such an event would doubtless have a powerful effect upon public affairs in the states for reasons that must be ap apparent to those thos who have given any thought to the subject |
