Note and Comment

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · May 5, 1910

A Gentle Hint With Much in It

A SPECIAL cablegram from Rome, Italy, to the Washington Post, dated April 16, conveys to the American people a very significant hint. The wording of the despatch indicates that it was prepared with scrupulous care in the inner circles of the Roman hierarchy, and, if carried into effect, would be what the Vatican has been seeking for years to bring about—an exchange of diplomatic representatives between the United States government and the Vatican. Referring to the visit of Hon. William H. Taft (then governor of the Philippines) to Pope Leo XIII, the writer of the despatch says:

Who knows how things might have turned out if the present President of the United States and Cardinal Rampolla, then papal secretary of state, instead of being animated by the most cordial spirit, had come to a rupture? No one can even say that much more important problems than that may not arise in the future between the Papacy and the United States, now that the latter is the fourth Catholic power in the world, having over fifteen million Catholics at home, besides those of the Philippines, Porto Rico, Guam, and Hawaii.

It is pointed out here that in the near future the United States will, peaceably or otherwise, find itself face to face with the whole of Latin America, where the influence of the Roman Catholic Church is unquestionable. Is it therefore possible, it is asked, that what may be very important interests for the republic should be left to the mercy of possible incidents due to misunderstandings such as that which marred Mr. Roosevelt’s visit to the Eternal City?

What is the remedy? is again asked. And the answer comes that the only way to avoid such friction is to see that between the United States and the Vatican there is an exchange of diplomatic representatives. . . .

In the case of Mr. Roosevelt, Ambassador Leishman, with all his good will, could, considering his official position at the Quirinal, do little to smooth out things. Indeed his participation in the affair could not help arousing the distrust of the Vatican. . . .

If the United States had had a representative accredited to the Holy See, he would have seen, it is argued, that the conditions required by the Vatican for the audience were fulfilled without their taking the character of imposition.

He who reads these propositions needs not to be told the source from which the suggestions sprung; and the Fairbanks and Roosevelt incidents Rome will now turn to her account in an endeavor to secure the exchange of diplomatic representatives which she so urgently desires. There is good ground for the belief that the Vatican officials permitted the deadlock over the audience of these two Americans in order that the United States government might be impressed with the necessity of recognizing the Vatican court, and placing a representative there. After reading a second time the second paragraph of the above quotation, we can not help feeling that there is in it a covert threat that Latin America, through Roman influence, will attempt to force upon this country an exchange of diplomats with the Vatican. One thing is certain: the Roman hierarchy has very definite plans concerning the future of the United States, and is determined to carry them out through the powerful pressure of the numbers she is able to control. They who read aright the prophecies of God’s Word know what this means, and how it will end.