Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-07-03

The rumor that Cardinal Merry Del Wal is to retire from the office of the secretary of state for Pope Piux X. is mot new, for, during the troublous days which have followed the carrying out of the Vatican's policy in France, and flor which the cardinal is said to be largely responsible, it has been ire quently heard, but the present. report, coming through private sources, seems to indicate that this important change is one of the certainties of the near future, and when it comes it is thought that it will, in measure, al- ter the present policy of the pope.
 Cardinal Merry Del Val was just en- tering his thirty-ninth year when he ibecam. secretary of the apostolic see, and because of his scholastic attain ments and his theological training it was considered that he was peculiar ly well-fitted to discharge the vast and ,wide-extending duties of his office. At that time he was already distinguished as theologian and deep student of church history. Latin was to him all most like mother tongue; he spoke and wrote like an educated native Eng fish, French, Spanish, German and Italian. But while some regarded him as fine product of the English schools of Slough. Ushaw and Stony hurst, as youth grown into manhood under the liberal ideas of an English mother, as a rational Catholic of the Manning-Newman type, others remem- bered him as the son of Spanish dip 1omat, and recalled the years he had spent in the most aristocratic ecclesi- astical circles of Paris and Madrid, with all their inviting Teactionary in- fiuences, and recognized in him a son. Der Spanish prelate below his veneer of English training.
 By no means the least to be consid- cred of the cardinals qualifications is his address and bearing, in both of which respects he has enjoyed an ad- vantage over the leaders of other Flu ropean chancellories. His knowledge of the languages of different countries has been an ever present aid to him in his official communications with the leaders of the church in thought and government in various parts of the world, and it has also facilitated his intercourse with all with whom he has been brought in contact from foreign lands. Being in the very prime of life and possessed of good health, he has shown power of application and a zeal and devotion to the interests of the church which have surprised his friends and been the cause of much worry and trouble to those who have opposed him and the things for which he stood.
 Few papal secretaries, perhaps. have been so severely criticised as has been Cardinal Merry Del Val. for 1t has been thought that he. even more than the holy father himself is responsible for the encyclical of last August de- nouncing the French separation law and forbidding Catholics to obey it. The powers of the papal secretary of state are considerable. The office has been evolved from the time when the pope had representative at nearly all the courts of Europe, and so at the present time the duties and responsi- Utilities of the office are about halfway between the German and the English ministries of foreign affairs
 If the cardinal does resign his office and relinquish this vast power, 1t is certain that 1t will come as a result of dissatisfaction on the part of the pope with the policy pursued. In fact it Is said that as long as two years ago the pope felt displeased over the papal note which his secretary had framed /protesting 10 France and the Cathcfic powers against the proposed visit of President LOubet to Rome. To those who are familiar with the in- side history of things it is known that Plus K did not wish to send 1t: but allowed himself to be overruled by his secretary of state.
 When the effect of the note was realized by the pope, change in the secretaryship of state was hinted at, but of this many were skeptica1, for it was pointed out that Plus X. was very determined in matters in which he was sure Cf '-s- --oHud but where he