NOT A GOOD SIGN OF THE TIMES.
THE Tribune prints the following despatch from Rome which, if correct, is a portentous affair:— 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, altho 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. 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 tho a political party is paying its debts to the archbishop.—N. Y. Christian Advocate, Dec. 17, 1903.