The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-07-25
THE FUND.

If an American were asked to define
the uses of a ''reptile fund.-" he would
probably confess that the request pre-
sented points of considerable difficulty.
If pressed to a decision, he would hest
tate, perhaps, between the claims of the
creeping element in geological gar
dens and those of the creepy" element
that takes refuge in hospitals from an
attack of delirium tremens. In neither
solution would he be near the truth.
The citizens of the fatherland are better
posted. They know that to the reptile
fund was indirectly due the recent dis
affection in Hanover during the kaiser's
absence abroad, and, as they are sympa-
thizers with Guelph or Hohenzollern,
the applaud or condemn it's use.
Between the Guelphs of the royal
house of Hanover and the Hohenzol-
lerns Of the imperial family Of Germany,
there never has been much love lost. In
the famous seven years. war, Hanover
espoused the cause Of Maria Theresa,
and as late of 1866 the standard of the
H%anoverians was raised against the
Prussian arms. In the course OF the
short but effective campaign that ter
minated on tho field OF Sadowa, the
Hanoverians suffered defeat at Langen-
selZa, and as the final result the king
dom was annexed to Prussia and finally
Incorporated in the German empire.
For a thorough comprehension of the
present trouble, we must revert to the
year when Victoria assembled the British
throne. Until that time Hanover had
been an appendage of the British crown.
But the operation of the Salic law, re-
stricting succession to male descendants,
then placed the crown upon the head OF
Ernest Augustus, a brother of the first
gentleman in Europe" and Of the "~sailor"
king. When his dissipated son died an
exile in Paris, the direct line became ex
tinct, and the succession reverted to the
English branch Of the family in the per
son of the duke of Cumberland. After
the battle of Langesalza, a personal
agreement was made between the kings
of Prussia and Hanover that the latter
should surrender his kingdom in consid-
Grafton of the sum of 100000 thalors
The royal title, however, was still to
stand. After vehement opposition in
the Prussian diet, the personal influence
of Bismarck and the intermediation o.
the British government prevailed, anc
it was agreed that the interest of the
capital sum, remaining in the hands o
the Prussian government, should be a
nually paid as compensation for the alb
Dictated kingdom.
The next stage of the political game
began when the duke of Brunswick dice
in Paris and the duke of Cumberland
succeeded. In a manifesto to all the
German princes and to the free towns
the latter asserted that, while conten'
for the present with the titles Of Cum
berland and Brunswick, he refused tt
over. Neither Bismarck nor the en-
peror, he maintained, could constitu
tionally appropriate his regal rights
The German government Responded
promptly by confiscation of the compen
%sation fund. Since that event, it has
been largely devoted to substituting Ger
tain newspapers to assault the claims o
the Guelph faction within the empire
The advocates of Hanover have bee
quick to take up the gauntlet, and tn
"reptile fund" has become one of thei
f~avorite terms Of inyective. During tn
years of SUCCESS that followed the reno
walton of the empire, the Guelphs re
manned comparatively loyal, but the re
cent troubles between Bismarck and tn
kaiser seem to have excited new hope
Of the Hanoverian royalty, Secret cluE
and reasonable correspondence are tn
inevitable results OF a fund ostensibl
devoted to corruption.