New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-14
ROYALTY IND MORALS.


at the Ascot races and the outspoken comments
of the press will do something to convince him
that he has delied the moral forces OF public
opinion. He has been accustomed for many
wears to breathe the incense of fiattery ana
eulogy wherever he has gone. His popularity
among all class Of English society has been
unclouded by political partisanship. Whlle the
Queen has shown during recent years strong
bias in favor of Conservative craftsmanship and
has not taken pains to conceal her distruSt OF
Mr.. Gladstone the Prince has remained on ex-
cellent terms with the leaders on both SIDES
and has kept himself free from political en-
tanglements. His services have been constant
ly required for civic. social and court functions,
and he has had the art of making hlmseu
agreeable to all with whom he has been brought
into contact on public occasions. For Prince
who has always been greeted with ehuslve 10y
atty and almost fulSome aduIation to be hooted
at on racing-tracli, to be roughly pelted with
insults as he drives through crowd and to
be oontemptuously asked by rowdies if he has
his baccarat-counters with him, is most humili-
ating experience. The cauStic lectures which
have been read to him by the daily news
papers and the moral homilieS on a princely
raleS progress which have appeared in the
religious press must have been exceedingly gall
ing to the heir TO the throne who has always
considered himself at liberty to diSport himself
as he liked in private life so long as he laid
the cornerstones of public buildings with royal
dignity and grace.
The adverse criticism to which the Prince has
been subjected in England will surprise those
who have never paused to consider how little
the mass of the English people has known about
his private life Among the London clubs and
in fashionable circles competing FOR his favor
it has been no secret that he is a gambler, that
he has often been overwhelmed with private
debts. that he has been most reckless in his
sporting career as a patron of the turf that he
has sought pleasure wherever he could fnd II,
and that he has led fast and dissoute life.
The masses have not known so much about all
these scandals as the classes. The newspapers
have been silent, or have only named him in
order to offer obSequOus praise. 1t is only
when he has been dragged into court, as in the
Mordant case and in the baccarat quarrel, that
the general public has any opportunity OF know
ing what is going on in the country houses
where he is entertained by aspirants for his
favor and by social rivals and money-lenders
in the world of fashion.
| The moralists of the press who are featuring
and reprimanding royalty with sudden ardor
| and an OstentatiouS display of virtue have not
| been ignorant of his manner of life. They may
not have known that he was in the habit OF
carrying a private set of counters about with
him and of playing baccarat in houses where
his hosts have diSapprOved of the game, but
| Tod v how har IF
bling excuses. fast life and financial embar-
| easements. But while they have not them
selves been blind to his faults they have known
that the masses throughout England have not
been cOnversant with the facts, and that the
Princes popularity was grounded upon igno-
rance of his reputation. The revelations of the
courtroom have shattered that popularity, and
| brought a storm of criticism and even fusil-
ade of insults about his head. The moral
lists, being confident of enstng the sympathy
of the audience, turn upon him and rend hin
with a fine show of virtuous indignation.
Royalty has suffered in popular estimation
because its private recreati0ns have been eX
posed TO public view. All the Straitlaces OF the
religious assemblies are denouncng the i'm
morality of gambling, and the Radicals in tht
Commons are planning a political demonstia
ton that will warm the cookies Of the NOncon
formist heart The Prince is subjected to the
modification Of being sneered at. affronted ant
despised by his future subjects; but he is q
man of the world, and knows how readily soci
ETY. has condOned his previous offences. The
baccaiat intrigue at the worst is trivial in com
parison with the Mordaunt scandal, and Eng
liShmen were quick to forget that melan
choy exhibition. Probably the Prince is al
ready conSOling himself with the reflection tina
the baccarat trial will be forgotten in week
1t may be so: but in these recurring spasms o
virtuous indignation over the vices of rOyalt!
England is startled to find how democratic i
has really become from the silent operation O.
political forces and popular enfranchlsement. 4
bac1stairs compact over an unseemy card table
brawl seems small thing, but if it helps Eng
land to understand that it is democratic re
public in everything but in name, and that tn
people reign while spendthrift royalty is dis
grazing itself, it is political event of real mag
nitude