Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-03
MERRY DEL vArs POSITION IS SHAKE

ROME, Feb. 1-Cspecial. )-Having faith
fully attempted TO give the situation from
the pro-Cstholic view point, then from the
Ant-Ciericu1 point OF view endeavor
Will be made 10 give the American public
20 understand things as the middle OF the
Readers who are neither Catholic
nor Rnti-Catholic-see them: In other words.
from straight news sources.
There is no doubt but that the pope is
growing more and more depressed over
the situation In France. and in Germany
and until recently IN Spain. Though It Is
not fair to picture him as a tOttering old
man with one foot in the grave, some
aof the French newspapers have delighted
70 make him appear. on the other hand
there Is no doubt that he feels the weight
Of advancing years more and more; and
there is no doubt but that a man with
strong physique Ia required TO cope with
the situation. more perhaps than at any
time since the Italian troops marched
through the breach OF the walls OF the
Eternal City and the temporal power was
at an end. Not even Plus TX could have
faced the present situation without b.
coming depressed and ali Of the diplomacy
OF a Leo XIII might have been expended In
vain. It was undoubtedly something OF
Allt lNtilNk lnAl CAusCu popt 10
while receiving a mid-winter crowd Of pill
Erims recently. mostly from America. that
America was great section; that the
condition OF the church in the United States
had greatly encouraged him during the
past few weeks.
Money d. Scarce.
One OF the chief anxieties at the vatican
Is the want Of money. The resources at
the disposal Of the pope are yearly decreas-
ing. while the claims upon him are grow
ing daily Peters pence. which is the
main source OF revenue. does not yield a
quarter OF what IL used to do. Formerly
France was the chief contributor. but now
that the church In that country is passing
through troubled waters It has all that II
can possibly do to make both ends meet.
and Is not sble 70 send a centime 10 to
Rome. On the contrary the French clergy
are even appealing TO Rome for financial
aid the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. between
France and the pope has deprived the
French church at one swoop OF an annual
income Of 30ooo.0O francs and has left
5000 village priests face to face with star
walton. All the church property has been
seouestrated by the government and in
vested funds amounting to sl0.0ooooo have
seen tied up as result OF the disputes. II
does not require man to be Catholic or an
Plus X came TO the throne. fearless to cause
these troubles have wearing effect upon
the pope and that the effect upon his health
, ts not good.
One curious result Of all OF these papal
, troubles is that Pope Leo XIII will be de-
prived Of many funeral honors- The pOpes
are all finally inferred in the church Of St.
John Lateran. The first burial in St.
Peters Is only temporary. The transfer
ence o. the remains Is generally made the
object Of a gorgeous ceremonial But since
Plus X came 90 the throne fearing 20 Gauss
a revival OF discussions over many subjects
the remains Of Leo XIII. will. II Is under
stood. be transferred to the church Of 81
John Lateran with as little pomp and
ceremonial as possible.
Conflict a Mistake.
Even the clerical organs admit that be-
hind the apostolic palace silent walls
there is a feeling that the present eontro-
veTsy with France has been a mistake
The most prominent cardinals. Including
\ AgiiArdi- satOlh. Ferrata. the brothers
vannutem and even the aged ~Oregiia. DC
not restrain their attacks upon the secre-
tary Of state for his policy concerning
France. Even Cardinal Merry del Val. Il
Is said. feeling his position shaken. hai
lost his calm. Certain polemical articles n
attributed 10 him and as q eonsequenc,
considerable feeling has been manifested
the idea being that no matter how bittel
these attacks OF the radicals against IN,
secretary OF state. the secretary OF stat,
ought not 20 have dignihed them with
reply
Even Cardinal Merry del VaPs friends
admit that IL things do not change for tn,
better q change In the post OF secretarJ
Of state viii be inevitable. When tn,
present pope was selected the absolute In
dispensableness OF Cardinal Merry del Va
was his force. Plus X accordingly baeke,
him up through thick and thin TIE pos
sessor OF the most charming manners
speaking half a dozen languages nuentl,
4 (his Eminence was born In London. son o
the Spanish ambassador. was educated Il
Trance and Germany and has been for az
teen years past an inhabitAnt OF ROme)
he was a morel OF what the elegant mod
srn model priest should be. As secretar,
Of the OOnelave he was a model OF devotion
20 duty. and when Cardinal sarto was mrs
elected pope his hrst idea appears to hav
been 20 assure himself Of the support Q
the brilliant secretary Of the cOnclave.
\ NStrenEth of Secretary.
During khe first week or two his holmes
ANAA1 neNN ~%N~AAANN aAAyAuAAAM III D1Uu
way without az nrst consulting his secrs
tary Of state- For Cardinal Merry del Va
possessed mstny o. the things that the pop
felt was ladking IN his- own personality
lie had assurance and self-cOnndence 4
his relations with foreign diplomatists,
far-reachinE knowledge Of the workings c
\ the various Catholic organizations
Rome. and even great experience in IN
complicated etiquette Of the papal eour'
The Madrid oSurt. Of which his father ha
been 50 distinguished member. had bee
an excellent tfaining Tor precisely this sol
of thing. No one wondered. thsrefor'
that Plus X insisted upon his being n
tained IN bis present position
The cardinal secretary OF state has on
powerful protection IN his present onhcs
and that 4 the absolute indifference Of n
pope 10 errors Of diplomatic nature An
= Z LLlLl.---Ll Il =. Ii -. A.