The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1910-08-26
FAULT IS LAID To
MERRY DEL VAL
Cause of Rupture Between
Spain and Vatican to
Scheming Cardinal.

pOLHe, aug. lo.-lHe rupture De-
tween the Vatican and the Spanish
government has served to bring Car
dinal Merry del Val, the Papal Sec
rotary of state, once more into the
limelight. Americans will recall the
fact that it was Merry del Val who
conducted the negotiations for Colonel
Koosevelt's proposed audience with
the Pope, and who was afterward
blamed, by reason of his Spanish
blood, for the Vatican's faux pas.
And now it is the same Merry del Val
who is charged with maneuvering to
overthrow the existing overnment in
Spain because of the latters alleged
hostility to the Church of Rome.
Ever since he became Papal secre-
tary of state seven years ago, the
Cardinals course has been tempest
uous. Over and over again it has
been reported that he was about to
resign, and once indeed his resigna-
tiOn was at least offered His posi-
ton is naturally very difficult and
labOrious one. 1t demands the great
est amount of tact, common sense and
executive ability. The secretary of
state has nothing whatever to 90 with
spiritual matters, but stands between
the Pope and the rest of the world
to see that his will is carried out, and
all the departments and subordinate
organizations of which the Church is
composed are directly responsible to
him.
Merry del Val is the son of
Spainard, who for many years filled
the post of Spanish ambassador to the
Vatican. He was born in England,
and educated there, which has led
many to suppose that his mother was
an English woman and that he is
partly English in his sympathies
This is a mistake, as both his parents
were Spanish, ana he was educated
in England because his father was at
that time an iron merchant in that
country
Both the cardinal and his father
played an important part in the late
war between Spain and the United
States. AS is well known, the SYM
pathies of the Vatican were entirely
ich ct Of -
which was only natural in view of the
close relations then existing between
Spain and the Vatican. Merry del
Val and his father, the Spanish am
bassador, made every effort to have
the influences of the Vatican exer-
cised in favor of Spain. But as the
war proceeded it was realized in
Rome that the American Catholics
would resent any interference so
strongly as to make it dangerous to
the welfare of the Catholic Church
in the United States and the Vatican
remained neutral, outwardly, at least
Several years later Merry del Val was
selected to succeed Cardinal Martin
ELI as Papal Delegate to the United
States, but the appointment was never
made, probably because of an intima-
ton from Washington that it would
not be acceptable.
In 1896 the present secretary of
state was sent to Canada as a spe-
cial legate to settle a dispute over
what was known as the Manitoba
school question. He remained for
six or seven months, visited the prin-
cipal cities of Canada and the United
States, and so conducted his investi-
cations that both the Manatoba gov
eminent modified its action and the
Catholics became reconciled to the
new regime and ceased to fear for
the aggressions against their religion.
The Pope's encyclical letter, sent
after Merry del Val had returned to
Rome and reported to him, closed the
controversy, evidencing a signal tri-