The United States and the Vatican
By Editor
A CABLEGRAM to the New York Sun from Vienna says: “A journal here declares that the United States contemplates accrediting a representative to the Holy See, in consequence of the large increase in Roman Catholic American citizens resulting from the annexation of Cuba and the Philippines. There is often delay, the paper says, under existing circumstances, in diplomatic intercourse between Washington and the Vatican. It is said that the pope is personally desirous of a resident American envoy, and that he will facilitate the latter’s task.” Of course the pope is desirous of such an arrangement as that; and of course he would do all in his power to facilitate such an undertaking. But what business has the Washington Government to be having “diplomatic intercourse” with the Vatican? Other nations, it is true, are pandering to the pretensions of the pope by sending representatives to the Vatican; but what business has the United States, founded upon principles designed to keep us from being led back to Rome, to be accrediting its civil representatives to the throne of an ecclesiastical power? We do not expect an answer to the question, but simply desire the reader to ask himself the question, and then think about the course which this country is taking now, and what the meaning of it is. There is a meaning in it, and it is fraught with the weightiest consequences. This announcement is simply a feeler thrown out to educate the mind to the idea of such a possibility, so that when the matter is really pressed home, it will not be so great a shock to the people. Such a proposition is in perfect harmony with the recent trend of this country toward the mingling of civil and religious things. The nation has started on a backward track, and it is going fast and far.