Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-19

"L - ~ Il III
| honors upon him. making him president of
| the College OF Mobiles in Rome. at which he
| was educated. The official title of that in
| stitution is Academia Pontifice del NObili
| Ecclesiastical. Mgr. Merry was actively en-
gagged In the performance of his duties until
about month before the death of the late
pope. when he was appointed nunciO at
| Vienna. but the Austrian government re-
| fused to receive him because he was con-
| sidered the personal representative of Car
| dinal Rampolla. who is hated by the Aus.
| trfan emperor and government. You Will
| remember that Rampolla might have been
! elected pope but for the protests of Austria
! The objections to Mgr. Merry's appoint
| ment as nuncio were communicated TO the
Vatican by Count Szecsen. the Austrian am
| basSadOr to the Vatican, who is now labor
ing under the painful embarrassment Of
| finding the gentleman to whom he objected
at the head of the foreign department Of
the holy see His position at Rome is
practically untenable. Neither the pope
nor Merry del Val has made any motion
| in that direction, but the Austrian govern
| ment will be compelled to recall Count
| Szecsen. If 1t has not already done so. That
| gentleman has not been in Rome for sew
| eral weeks. 1t Is stated in the most posi-
| tive manner, although have an official de-
| NAL. that Count Szecsen also protested
| against the appointment of Mgr. Merry as
secretary of state. which, of course. makes
| bad matter very much worse.
Mgr. Taliani the papal ambassador to
Vienna. was also used as medium for
communicating to the Vatican the protests
| of Austria against Cardinal Rampollas
election as pope and Merry del Vafs APP
pofntment nunCiO.
And it is also declared that when the
suggestion of the latter appointment to
the Office of secretary of state was first
| intimated he notified the pope that it would
| be considered an affront to the Austrian
government This report is also denied.
but there is some foundation for it. and
when Mgr. Taliani was recalled from Vi
emma ten days ago everybody assumed that
the business of retaliation had begun. Tall
ami has been a powerful and popular ngure
at the Austrian court for nine years and
has enjoyed intimate personal as well as
official relations with the emperor and the
imperial household. He expected to re-
main there indefinitely and had made his
preparations to do so. He came to Rome
to pay his respects to the new pope and
was received with great cordiality His
recall: therefore, created a decided sensa-
ton, but instead of rebuking him. he was
hOnored by elevation to car dinalate.
which demonstrates that the gossips OF
Rome are often entirely wrong in their
theories.
Nevertheless the new pope has created
a very remarkable situation. He has be-
gun his administration by a defiance of
Austria. the most important of the Cath
Ole powers. and. also Germany, which was
even more positive in its objections to the
selection of the new secretary of state.
An Accidental Selection.
1t was confidently expected that Merry del
Val would be appointed to succeed Cardinal
Vaughn as Archbishop of Westminster.
London. and he undoubtedly would have
been but for the death of Leo XIII. His
lection as secretary of the conclave was en-
tirely accidental. You will remember Mgr.
Volpini, the old secretary, died very sudden
ly from apopleXy while Leo XIII was his
deathbed and Merry del Val was selected
for the vacancy by Cardinal Rampolla with
out consultation or reflection, because he
was the most competent as well as the most
available person for the emergency. At the
close of the cOnclave the new pope asked
him to take charge of the office of secretary
of state for a few days until he had time to
select permanent incumbent. Then no one
dreamed that the young man would be ele-
waited to such honors and responsibility. The
position first offered to Cardinal Agli-
ardi, who declined it on account of his age
being seventythree years old. 1t was then
offered to Father Carvagnis an ordinary
priest who is now professor of law in the
seminary or Bergemo, little city in north
ern Italy, and he declined it because he real
lied his unfitness, and the duties and re-
sponsibilities were not to his taste. Father
Carvagnis is an old and intimate friend of
Plus x, but has never been outside of Italy,
speaks no language but Italian, knows moth
ing of the world. has had no experience as
an executive or in diplomatic affairs and is
III,
ly contented in his cloister He is said to
have told the pope that he could not render
him greater service than by declining the
honor.
Cardinal Satolli and Cardinal, .v,ncepzo
Vanuteli were urged for the office They are
among the most active and prominent men
IN the sacred college. and are supposed to
hold views similar to those of the new none
upon matters of church policy They are
responsible for his election. They managed
his campaign in the conclave and brought
him out as candidate, as we say in Ameri-
can politics.
Vanutelli was himself the candidate of
the liberals against Rampolla, and when il
was seen that he could be elected he used
an MS influence and energies in Sarto's be-
hal1: Hence 1t was supposed that Sarto
would reciprocate by making him next in
power and bestowing upon him the highest
honor in the gift Of the pope But evil
gently PluX X came to the conclusion that
Vanutelli is too big a man to fill subordt-
nate position, and preferred to select for his
chief adviser and executive one who Is less
positive in his convictions. less eminent
and influential. one who is outside Of the
jealousies and intrigues, and who can be
trusted to carry out the ideas and wishes
of the pope rather than his own.
But he has not taken the trouble to give
his reasons for refusing to make Vanutelli
secretary of state. nor has he considered it
necessary to apologize for or explain the
appointment of Merry del Val. He picked
his own man. and one whom he evidently
pcAicNc CD VIII NC liic HioSl uSCiul u MIN ana
the church, regardless of the hostility OF
Germany and Austria and the entire college
of cardinals. with two exceptions.
The appointment was made without rec
concentrations from anybody. During the
last three months while Merry del Val has
been filing the position temporarily his
holiness has studied him closely, and has
had opportunity to observe his methods
and test his efficiency, and was apparently
satisfied. The only persons consulted con-
corning the appointment In advance were
Cardinal Oregla. dean Of the sacred coll
lege, and temporary pope, and Cardinal
Rampolla This hos caused great sunrise,
and people are asking: Why should the
new pope in making his first important
appointment consult the leaders of the OPP
position and accept their advice while re-
jecting the counsel of the men who elected
him?
Work Of Deepening Channels.