Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-09-04
TACT FOR HIGH PLACES
Cardinal Merry Del Val Becomes
the Subject of Many Rumors.
HAS MUCH NAUGHTY RESERVE
Youngest Pair of EstranRed Mates In
the world II Playing the
Game in the Courts of
Abyssinia.

ROME, Sept 3.-(Special to the Bee)-
The report is again current that Cardinal
Merry del Val is to retire and Cardinal
Rampolla is to become papal secretary OF
state.
1t has doubtless about as much founda-
ton as similar reports which have gone
before. There is no question that the
Rampolla element in the curia is growing
stronger daily. The spectacular blindness
which has marked the secular history of
the church during the last few months has
caused a strong feeling that more tactful
man should be at the head of affairs.
Cardinal Merry del Val is one of the
youngest Of the cardinals. lie is barely
As. and is imbued with all the fiery dog
matlsm Of the middle ages. coupled with a
naughty reserve Of manner to all except
his intlmates,
Ambitious for the Church.
His ambition is immense, an ambition
not altogether personal, but bound up with
what he honestly believes TO be the welfare
Of the church, an ambition amounting to
open tolerance of any opinions which he
may consider Instantaneous to his set
plans. Hence his attitude of blank refusal
! to consider even the requests of the Spanish
government hence the publication OF the
Borromeo encyclical at precisely the wrong
moment; hence the unpleasant incident OF
ex-President Roosevet's visit to the pope
| Plus X, as captain of the ship OF ST.
Peter, has to accept the responsibility and
blame attached to any OF these incidents
but In reality the fault lies with the car
dinal secretary of state Consider these in
discretons separately.
A little tact and little diplomacy would
have assured a meeting between the pope
and the American ex-president. 1t Is an
open secret that Plus X was greatly
chagrined. He was particularly anxious to
meet the wishes of his 100000 American
spiritual subjects, who had set their hearts
on this meeting, but to save the face Of
the cardinal secretary he had to accept
the situation.
RapRl Diplomacy a Failure.
To sum the whole matter up in few
words, papal diplomacy has latterly proved
itself frightful failure, and on Cardinal
! Merry del Val rests the responsibility. Leo
| Mi, the present pope's predecessor was
faced with tremendous difficulties on all
sides, but as secretary Of state he had an
acute diplomatist, Cardinal Rampolla while
he himself fully realized that more was to
be gained by patience and a certain spirit
of cordially. coupled with. quiet dignity
than by aggressive difiance.
That the cardinal has failed casts no
moral reflection upon him. On the con-
| trary, he lis a man Of unblemished char
acter and Is most popular among his In
timates. But as secretary of state, who has
the welfare of honor Of a great church In
his hands he has shown an almost mar
| velous inaptitude.
Murderess Eases Her Mind.
According to kilograms received from
Venice the Countess Larnowski has grown
so violent in her hysterical fits that 1t has
been found necessary to confine her at
times In a straightjacket. 1t is feared that
she is losing her sanity, and her condition
has been made worse by the news of the
tragic death of her cousin recently. which
the doctors vainly attempted to keep secret
| from her. 1t will be remembered that the
countess was sentenced about two months
ago to eight years Imprisonment for her
completely in the murder of Count Kama
rowski, who was shot by one OF her lovers.
Young Royal Pair Divorced.
! The youngest divorced couple in the
world is to be found in the court of Abyss
sinia on May 16 OF last year the Princess
Remnants Onesk was married to the Prince
| IAdj Eyassu, the heir apparent the bride
being then years of age and the bride
groom H. Now they have been divorced.
| IL is not a question Of fault on either side,
no incompatability OF temper, none OF the
causes which figure so frequently in d.
vorces The princess happens to be the
niece of the Empress Taitu, and this lady
is not popular with the regents of the coun-
/ try SO to prevent the empress exercising
any baneful influence upon the future
rulers wife, the statesmen have required
the prince to divorce her.