The Pope’s Growing American Influence
The pope understands how to adjust his sails to all winds of earth. The Kansas City Star of June 14 notes the following:—"A brief despatch announces that the pope, through Cardinal Rampolla, has authorized Archbishop Chappelle, of New Orleans, to consecrate the Rev. Francis de Paula Barnada archbishop of Santiago de Cuba, and Bishop Blenk of San Juan de Porto Rico. The incident is of the greatest importance, as meaning the ecclesiastical severance of Cuba and Porto Rico from Spain. With an American as papal ablegate—to whom the pope looks for information and advice—and the prelates and the first see in importance in Porto Rico and the second in Cuba in the hands of Americans in sentiment, the end of Spanish influence in the church has begun as a natural consequence of the end of Spanish rule in the State." But it means more and more the influence of the pope in America. Neither would the pope have taken this step had he not been morally sure of the friendliness of the American Government. The incident is of importance, and with many others is highly significant.