The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-05-04
Three CARDINALS
ARE ALL-P0WERFUL
I'riumvirate Rules Catholic
Church During Illness Of
Pope Plus.
MERRY DEL VAL UNPOPULAR
He Has Made Many Enemies
Since Assumption OF Great
Authority.
MERRY DEL VAL UNPOPULAR

Especial Cable to The Times Dispatch.]
Rome, May 2.-Three powerful car
.dinals are In control Of the affairs of
the Roman Catholic Church during the
illness of His Holiness. the Pope. This
triumvlrate of cardinals is composed of
Merry del VAL papal secretary of state;
Wives y Tutto and Cajetan de Lai.
1t is the general belief that the
Sacred College of Cardinals manages
affairs of the church in the event of
the illness OF the Pope, but this is not
so. 1t has been the custom for the
Pope to turn his authority into the
hands OF triumvirate. of which the
papal secretary of state is usually n
member. If the Pope should die. how
ever. the authority of the triumvirate
would cease instantly and pass to the
College of Cardinals until tho election
OF successor to the pontificnl office.
For the present all must bow to the
wishes of Cardinals Merry del Val
Tutto and De Lai. There has been con-
siderable Ill feeling among the car
dinals since the ascendancy of those
three members of the Sacred College.
Most OF the cardinals are Italians. and
there WAS n tendency to resent the au-
thority thus vested in Merry del Val
who is halfSpanish and half English
1t is said that the cardinals feel that
the triumvirate has exceeded its au-
/
with regard TO the secrecy with which
the illness Of the Pope was surround
ed 1t has been practically impossible
Tor any but his physicians to visit him
in his rooms in tho Vatican palace.
Even his own relatives have been ex-
cluded at times.
1t is tho general opinion in Rome
that If any one OF these three cardinals
ever was likely to election to the
papacy, this likelihood has been de-
stroyed since their control OF the
church.
: It is not believed, however. that His
Holiness would be inclined to inter-
fere with Merry del Val. even if in
formed that the latter had assumed
an authority not his 1t is we'll known
that the Pope thinks great deal of
Merry del Val. The secretary OF state
has been more powerful under Pope
PiuN y. than was Cardinal Rampolla
as secretary under Pope Leo XIII
From the very moment of his election
Pope Plus bestowed his favor upon
Merry del Val,
When the Sacred College elected
Cardinal Sarto to the papacy the new
Pope's first act was to drop his own
red hat upon the head of Merry del
Val. who was not then n cardinal, thus
signifying that Merry del Val was
soon to be raised to the cardinalate
Shortly thereafter Merry del Val
donned the scarlet cap, and within n
brief time was made secretary of state
AS a secretary of state il Is almost
impossible not to make enemies. MANY
of the most unpleasant duties fell upon
the shoulders of the secretary. Car
dinal Merry del Val, during his tenure
as secretary, doubtless acquired his
quota of enemies. but If he did not
there is no doubt but what he has ac-
CURED them since his increased power
IT is asserted that in addition to
Ge1 nj oh
he granted such power because of his
foreign birth. that the cardinals resent
the authority OF a man so young as he,
for Merry del Val is the most youthful
member OF the Sacred College. having
The cardinals who call to make in
Quiry regarding the Pope's condition
instead OF meeting Cardinal Merry del
Val and the physicians in the papal
ante chamber, are received by minor
official, who merely reads the bulletins
to them. Cardinal Merry del Val rare
ly sees any of his colleagues.
During the illness of Pope Leo XII.
Cardinal Rampolla, who was then