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Show 1 NEW FACTS ABOUT PIUS X. Under the caption, "Pius X. the Vatican and the Quirinal," a writer in a recent number of the Independent produces some new facts which strengthen the claim that Pius'X will turn out to be even more of a democratic pope than his predecessor. prede-cessor. Regarding one incident in Cardinal Sar-to's Sar-to's administration of the patriarchate of "Venice, which, the writer avows, is a true version, some doubt has been cast on its authenticity. This is the reported disobedience of the order of the pontiff pon-tiff to the cardinal to absent himself from Venice at the time -of King Humbert's visit. Writing of the cardinal while patriarch of Venice, the author of the sketch in the Independent says: "He was appointed cardinal in June, and was sent, soon after, as patriarch, to Venice. It is a mistake a mistake repeated in all the journals jour-nals to say that Cardinal Sarto was the choice of Popo'ljoo for the Venetian patriarchate. The candidate at first selected by the Vatican for the post was the general of one of the religious ordcYs. As he was not an Italian, however, the Italian government gov-ernment declared that no exequatur should be granted to him under any condition. Another name was substituted by the Pope, but the new nominee .met with no favor, cither from the peo ple or from the government. I hen recourse wa had to Sarto, who had given proof of great tact, politic temper and savor faire generally at Mantua, Man-tua, especially in his intercourse with members of the royal family, who possessed an estate close to the city. There was no opposition at the outset out-set on the part of the government. But an important im-portant question arose as to the right of patronage. patron-age. The King claimed that, as heir to the re- public of Venice, he was privileged to nominate j a candidate to the Holy See. The Pope insisted that this right had lapsed when Venice lost its independence. Commissions were sent- to Vienna to investigate the archives, but tl;e question was never solved. .. It. was a pretty quarrel, although the matter had no real importanr-e, as the royal patronage had by this time been reduced to a mere fiction over nearly all of Italy. Cardinal Sarto got his exequatur, and the storm that set the quiet waters around the Lido raging for a while is now chiefly remarkable because it brought him for the first time into prominent notice at Rome. He showed immense ability and energy in safeguarding safeguard-ing ihe rights of the Holy See and repelling the assaults of the Italian ministry. He proveel also that he could be as indepeiulent of the Vatican as of the Quirinal with respect to questions which had to be decided by his own conscience as the ultimate tribunal. When it was known that King Humbert was about to visit Venice. Pope Leo intimated inti-mated to him forcibly that he should absent him-, self from his episcopal city on the occasion. The Venetian patriarch, though comprehending the delicacy del-icacy of the situation, determined riot to obey! lie took the first opportunity . to pay a formal visit to the Italian monarch, and explained his position posi-tion frankly and the instructions he had received. Some portions 0f the dialogue between prince and prelate leaked out and were much, discussed. The Vatican was discontented, and Sarto went to Rome to justify himself. His vindication of his loyalty as a churchman must have been eminently satis-, factory to Leo, for it is believed that after that interview the late Pope first entertained the conviction con-viction that Cardinal Sarto would be his successor. suc-cessor. "The present King of Italy seems to have inherited in-herited his father's esteem and affection for the Patriarch of Venice. On his visits to the citv he has issued orders that, no matter to whom he was giving audience. Cardinal Sarto should be at once ushered into his presence on his arrival. But the Cardinal, with equal good sense and good taste, has always disregarded the entreaties of the court ushers, and remained in the anteroom until the King's visitor had taken his leave: a mere affair of, deportment, but perhaps supplying the key to a character whose elemental basis is simplicity and veracity. His dislike to display of every sort was exhibited immediately on his accession. He refused flatly to be carried to the Sistine chapel in the sedia gestatoria. a breach of ancient custom so portentous that to some venerable chamberlains of the - Vatican it must have foreshadowed the downfall of the Papacy or the coming of the last judgment. lie took his first walk in the Vatican gardens entirely alone and unatteneled, creating, it is reported, a feeling almost of consternation in the gardeners and workmen, aceustomeel to see the Pontiff accompanied by a long file of attendants, attend-ants, Swiss guards and Noble guards a cortege, one must fancy, better adapted to the state than to the comfort of the central figure. Evidently a democratic Pope, not only in sentiment, hut in ! every turn and twist of his mind, and, above all, in lis Jiabits. From some anecdotes recorded of him he would seem,- like his namesake, to possess the . saving grace of humor a priceless gift to every one. but especially so to one who will of necessity have to meet a great many wearisome people. "We have said little of his administration in Venice, but all acquainted with it appear to agree in regarding it as faultless. "He has made Venice the rose garden of the church." says one cardinal. He found the city a seething hotbed of anarchy (and anti-clericalism; before his patriarchate had lasted a year the bridges aud quays would be covered cov-ered with cheering crowds whenever he appeared in his gondola. The liberals werp as enthusiastic in his favor as the blackest of the blacks, proving perhaps that whatever irrcligion there is in Italy it but skin-deep, and due to the faults of many of the upper clergy in the past rather than to the people. It would take pages to enumerate all the changes he introduced into tho organizations for the care of the poor and for the education of the Pellle- Thc modern and progressive spirit he infused in-fused into the numerous institutions of his own creation jras at first rather startling to the worshipers wor-shipers of routine; even they had in the end, however, how-ever, to acknowledge its beneficial results. A more daring adventure of Cardinal Sarto was his inter-' ference with some of the pet superstitions of his people; but the destruction by his orders of several least0113 rCHCS Shakfc popuIarity in tho "With all his amenity of manner and perfect goodness of heart, it has already become evident that I mis X w.il be as intractable on questions of principle as either of his two preZT refusal to give the blessing ubi rt j Loggia of Raphael, the refusal fM , T'c Quirinal of his accession, and the , " . fusal of the Italian government, t,, ;t? '.''nt x cials to take any part in c-b-l o,-;, r j !; ,jf " accession, all foreshadow the iittiin-j.. ,- r'':'"F. can. at least for some time to e.,.,,,. (, -Vatican will still remain anhi-,, ,;.,, ','"' ''A antagonists, but antagonists all t). have got into an imassc from ' ' '"''n to be no issue for either. A ci,:!ir... ',, sonality on the throne of Italv - ,. , ,j !,0r-Pcter !,0r-Pcter may result in an armi-ti,-,-, ;, '',;!;i'''" commodatioti. but will not prcm.-- , ,. l'"' tion. Thc successors of Humbert j i, !' of all their good will and person -i I "' ,' not forget the quarrels of their rr, .; "' '" not even rind the terms of a oompn--:--..,. . .', to both the hostile forces. Rett.-,..-., . , ' state there would, seem to be .; ;;-modus ;;-modus vivendi respect for r j it ; , , , , . ; ;,...' '' part of the state, ami a tacit a.-..,.,.t. which Providence, for some dark .; "7"' purpose, has allowed to ho ae.-,. ( : ' '' ':,;" part of the church. The pojjtiti. , .- " '' tainly demonstrated how verv e , . ,.' ' " can accommodate i t - 1 1 ? ae.-,;, -, .: . , '" derive the utmost possible advauv ,,,,, while at. the same time re-i,tiu.- , ; . " ',"' aud protesting with horror t'; - , -. . r"'l.-iuO,a iniquity. |