Note and Comment

Review and Herald Publishing Assn. · Washington, D.C. · Dec 31, 1903

Is the United States government concerning itself in religious affairs at the Vatican? Such is the only conclusion to be drawn from the following cable dispatch from Rome to the New York Tribune:—

The visit of Ambassador Storer here, and his conference with several cardinals and the pope, is now learned to have been for the purpose of representing to the Holy See how indispensable is the nomination of Archbishop Ireland as cardinal, after so many promises, and after all the church has obtained through his influence.

Mr. Storer left the Vatican pleased, and it is said that he is almost sure that Archbishop Ireland this time will succeed. Vatican circles, however, are skeptical, and the opinion prevails that although the most discussed candidates are Archbishops Ireland and Ryan, the pope will choose an outsider, who is likely to be Archbishop Farley. This belief is based on the feeling that if one American See must be honored by the conferment of the purple, New York deserves it most, because it has the largest Catholic population.

This, says the New York Christian Advocate (Methodist) which reprints the dispatch, “if correct, is a portentous affair.” It adds:—

When our ambassadors get to running after the pope and his cardinals to represent to the Holy See how indispensable is the nomination of Archbishop Ireland as cardinal, after all the church has obtained through his influence, it appears as though a political party is paying its debts to the archbishop.

And when representatives of the United States government directly concern themselves with religious affairs at the Vatican, how long will it be before representatives of the Vatican will be directly concerning themselves with political affairs at Washington?