| Show THE presidents GIFT TO lleti POPE thim pope of rome recently celebrated brat edthe the fittl fiftieth etla anniversary of his entrance to he priesthood of the catholic church perhaps we ough to say that his friends and fellow churchmen celebrated it for him since they made all the arrangements perfected all the plans and let his holiness more a looker on in venice than otherwise not only those of disown his own faith bat many who were even protestants te earled j dined in making it a lemur able occasion not merely for tile tae papacy but for leo individually all the civilized sovereigns of europe forwarded some kind of substantial montal to be presented to him on the occa occasion stoil and considered intrinsically they aggregated a considerable value it was not to show a leaning to catholicism necessarily but simply as a mark of ef respect for the spiritual ruler of pore souls than any physical ruler nuil numbers beis in his dm dominions inions and as a ten tender der of respect to the pope as an educated distinguished gentleman on his arrival at toe jubilee year in a calling which embraces all allot of his rewards of merit on earth and his hopes of reward for faith in the world to come nothing was solicited and what was given was presented as a voluntary tender so that each consulted his own taste and circumstances cum stances as to the kind quality all and d valna of the present he sent our president mr cleveland had a copy of tile constitution of the united states specially printed in large type and with open pages conveniently arjang arranged ved and splendidly bound and this comparatively cheap and aim pie testimonial was forwarded just as one gentleman of good breeding a and d lofty instincts always presents pre seats a thing thing to another without witt ioui apologies or excuses and as though it were intrinsically the most valuable gilt in the whole collection the way in which the presidents gul gift would be received was a matter of some aume little speculation if not curiosity saturday last was designated as the day clay on which the formal should be made and on that day in the throne room of the vatican ryan of the american delegation presented the gift accompanying accOmpany ipg it with a little in anica love of our country and its institutions blended harwant enough with respect and veneration for the holy father ane popes reply was quite fenc felicitous itous he said he had received presents from numerous sources and aad of great value but none that afforded him the pleasure witt tha that hat one did he tx expressed pressed his gratitude to the people of the united states and his high regard for their president and concluded by bestowing his blessing upon them a asking aking king theirs in return this was all simple enough and yet as dignified and impressive as the most potential circumstance could require the pope afterwards ordered the american gift placed on exhibition af tile the kings and other potentates ten tates now this was all simply an expression of friendliness to not have done it would have made our president take on somewhat the semblance of a boor and bigot while to have sent something costly and gaudy would have looked tot too much like the action of a sycophant and snob he is neither one bor the other but an american thoroughly with american principles and having a sense ut of a of the dignity and importance of his position and he did factly going neither beyond the mark nor 11 coming tardy off yet there here be papers and people who have set up a wail and a protest loud and deep over his action some people are only happy when they are miserable apparently and when every everything tiling seems to be progressing pro properly erly t K 0 far as others can see that class class will fish out sorrow and tribulations dark and dismal from the placid waters they can only see that president Clev elands action is a 0 us as as citizens of a secular republic and a blow in the face of the goddess ot of liberty it is useless to reason with that class the proper thing to do la Is to let then them croak it out when they come to and find things going on pretty much as they were ware when the fit struck them that leo has not established his bis throne in america and that the president has not embraced the catholic laith faith they will then look about them tor for some other matter laden with apprehension to brood and groan over |
