IS IT CANOSSA? by S.

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Aug 20, 1902

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 28, No. 34.

IS IT CANOSSA?

By S.

The Springfield Republican, in its issue of July 25, discusses editorially the results of Governor Taft’s “business” trip to Rome, and in its discussion gives voice to some ideas which we are certain many others have felt if they have not expressed.

“It is hard to make out,” says the writer, “that the negotiations have amounted to anything, except to introduce the United States Government to the subtleties and many-centuried smoothness of Vatican diplomacy.” But in accomplishing that, something has been accomplished—not for America, but for the Vatican. An official representative of the great republic of the West has gone to Rome to treat with the self-styled king of kings respecting affairs within his jurisdiction. This is pleasing to the Vatican, for it can be used and will be used in the future for an entering wedge in bringing about other negotiations of a business or diplomatic nature. Thus will the American people become educated to the idea of diplomatic intercourse with the Holy See until a diplomatic representative at Rome will not be the impossibility that it would be now.

The Vatican has been pleased with the complications that have brought about this intercourse, pleased to negotiate with a representative of this country by whose fundamental law Church and State are declared separate, pleased with the gift of the President, pleased with the interest which European nations have taken in the progress of the negotiations, pleased with the opportunity for an exchange of letters between the papal Secretary of State and the Secretary of State of the United States which has established a precedent for official negotiations between the Vatican and the American Government. Commenting on these developments, the Republican says:—

“Developments of such interest in our history, however, cannot be passed by without some notice. The American people have not gone to Canossa, but something certainly has happened that can scarcely be said to have ever happened before. No one can read the various notes that have passed between Cardinal Rampolla and Gov. Taft and not have some dim consciousness of the fact.”

The Vatican, it may be repeated, has been pleased by the visit of a high official of the United States

Government, and practically speaking it has done nothing to meet his requests. It has made no promise to withdraw the friars from the Philippine Islands, the farthest extreme to which it would go being a proposal to introduce, “little by little, ecclesiastics of other nationalities, especially American.” This is not particularly surprising perhaps, in view of the tendency of any church to stand by its own missionary organizations, but it marks failure upon that part of Gov. Taft’s mission which contemplated the early withdrawal en masse of the Spanish friars from the islands. All other questions involved are postponed, and will be considered at Manila by a papal delegate and the American authorities. That this is an unsatisfactory outcome of the visit to Rome can not fairly be denied. The policy of the Vatican in this matter is evidently one of delay. Such would naturally be its policy, viewed from a certain standpoint, yet it had been expected in this country, perhaps overconfidently, that the church authorities would not postpone a settlement which can not be avoided in the end. Meanwhile, however, the Vatican will surely enjoy the experience of having the United States to negotiate with. For the transactions must increase the size of Rome in American affairs.”

And that has been Rome’s purpose from the outset, to enlarge her place in American affairs. Her ultimate purpose is to establish diplomatic relations with the United States as she has with other countries. This has furnished the opportunity to insert the entering wedge, and it has been inserted. Nothing was accomplished in Rome except to agree to negotiate in Manila. So much could have been done without a representative of this government going to Rome, had Rome chosen to have it so. She did not so choose, for the reason that, in bringing America to Rome, there was greater opportunity to make her influence felt in the affairs of men and nations. It is literally true that these transactions “must increase the size of Rome in American affairs.” Altho Secretary Root was explicit in stating that the mission was a business and not a diplomatic one, Rome will use it to increase her negotiations with government officials of this country until diplomatic relations, or their equivalent, are established. America has not “gone to Canossa,” says the Republican; but Rome is doing all in her power to bring her there, and some day it will be seen that she was nearer Canossa than we thought.