River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1890-03-27
DECAY OF ROYALTY.
How Long Before tiis Kingdoms cS tn
Earth VIII BE Republics?


Earth VIII BE Republics?
There is always something romantic
and interesting about royal heirs and
claimants, but in the clear light of these
utilitarian days even the best of them
IS becoming little grotesque. RevOlu-
tons, it is said, never go backward, and
whether or not this is true in all cases,
one thing is quite certain, that the es-
tablishment of a great republic in Amer
lea was the beginning of new era in
modern government that has not known,
since then, moment of retrogresSion.
Its advance has been slow, but il has
been steady, and where it has not been
effective as yet to produce actual change
of forms, it has sown the seeds of free
opinion and new ideas respecting the
organization of the state the results OF
which the future will make clear, and
which are crystalizing into structural
changes in all civilized countries.
The proposition of representative
government, by the people, of the
people, and for the people, has pervaded
the consciousness of modern intelli-
gence; its logic is so common-sense and
irresistible that it fascinates every mind
it reaches, and convinces long in adj
vance of the power to realize it in form.
1t is not newt is very old, although
its true illustration is found only in
modern times. The Greek and Roman
states seized the ideal and for time
wrought it out in practical form, and al
though it faded into imperial domina-
ton mankind retained in memory the
bright and imperishable model for
future use and application. 1t is still
resisted and contested. but lives and
/ terminates in the thoughts even of
| those subject to autocratic rule. and has
/ its manifestation in all directions.
The first French republic went down
before the tide of a counter revolution,
but its spirit and purpose survived, and
now, reorganized and readiusted, it
stands before the world compact, har-
monious, permanent Pretenders and
imperial heirs exist, but only as sort
of historical bric-a-brac of curious in
| terest and needing little attention.
/ but of no serious moment.
In England the royal personages,
/ shorn of authority, continue as official
ornaments to the state, and Parliament
really rules the empire. Here, too, in
| advance of the complete dissolution OF
the old forms, a freedom of opinion
exists that is as killing frost to royal
aspirations. There will never again
be King in Britain after the old model.
| Germany still submits to military inn
| perialisIn, but only in a grumbling
| fashion and with a spirit Of criticism
abroad and a growing power on the part
/ of the representative body that form a
| prophecy of approaching change. Rus
STA alone of the great powers presents
| the spectacle of a pure despotism, but
/ it is maintained by force, and the pro-
| test against it has its representation in
silent and pervading conspiracy, which
affords an annual crop of martyrs in
proof of its desperate sincerity. In all
countries of consequence the same
| tendency is observable. In North
America the types of the old
order have wholly passed away
all states have adjusted their govern
ments on the basis of republican sim
/ plicity. In the Southern continent the
last Emperor has retreated with dignity
| before the implacable advancing tide,
and, from the Arctic ocean to Cape
| Horn, the two continents acknowledge
| but one principle of government.
There is always a certain pathos in
the departure of the old and venerable,
but in the decay Of royalty there need
be no regret Kings, Emperors, titles,
courts and costumes were never really
noble when they involved the denial OF
real civil and religious liberty. They
| had the romantic and chivalric glitter
of their own, but they obscured and per-
verted the simple, majestic outlines Of
the unity of a state founded on the
peoples will" And as they depated
there arises the calm and radiant forms
of liberty, equality and justice com
bined to represent the authority of the
state and the apportionment of equal
rights to all citizens, acknowledging nc
supreme ruler but the One who is al
ways inimitable.-St. Louis Globe-Dem-
| Ocrat