THE SITUATION IN ROME

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Sep 23, 1889

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 15, No. 37.

THE SITUATION IN ROME.

IN replying to an inquiry relative to the probable policy of the Italian government, the Catholic Review of August 31, said:—

"A correspondent writes to ask the Catholic Review, if, in the event of the Pope's departure from Rome, the Italian government 'would dare to occupy the Vatican.' To this we answer that the Italian government under M. Crispi would dare do anything which its needs demand and circumstances justify. To know just what it would do under certain circumstances, one must know something of Italian matters, and much more beside. M. Crispi is a Crispian, that is to say, he is anything which will serve to keep M. Crispi on the top of the heap. To do that, he would cheerfully surrender Rome to the Pope to-morrow, if it were necessary, and he had the power. He is just now a Monarchist in league with the Radical faction. To please Bismarck and other European powers, he must keep the Radicals in order; to hold his own in Italy, he must keep the Radicals in good humor. If the Pope leaves Rome, it will be because of a war. He will leave behind him care-takers of the Vatican, but as he is only a citizen of Italy, according to Italian law, there is nothing to hinder the government taking charge of the Vatican, the law of guarantees forbidding it to do more. Austria and Germany would also forbid the violation of the same law. So the case stands, an irritation to the powers, a menace to Italy, a grief to all Catholics. At present the situation does not give sign of change."