The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-06-14
PRINCE

PRINCE BACCARAT.
A curious combination is his royal
highness, the prince of Wales. His es-
capades and his proprieties ought to
make him a valuable under study for
the dual part OF Jekyl and Hyde, if other
occupations ever fail him. For many
years now he has been winning golden
opinions from all sorts and conditions of
his fellow countrymen. He has per-
formed with admirable tact a great
many of the functions peculiar to royal
ty itself. He has presided over all kinds
of meeting and gatherings, philanthropic
and artistic, scientific and educational,
his addresses have displayed no in
considerable fund of study and good
sense, and men had almost come to be-
lleve him a worthy son of a worthy
father. He had sown his wild oats.
Every one was aware Of that fact, still
allowance was made for the tempta-
tions OF his position. But his latest per-
Torrance has knocked down the house
of cards that has taken years to build.
Either Sir William Gordon Cumming
cheated at cards, or he did not cheat.
That is the position in a nutshell. If
he was guilty of violating the hospitality
of the house in which he was an invited
and honored guest, If he fell SO far as to
rob the man whose intimate friend he
had been for years, the prince OF Wales
ck~~l, oorfoorol oc ,y,,f1fu nf ~Ocf o,,1-
pable weakness in wishing or consenting
to retain in the service, Ct which he is
field marshal, an acknowledged rogue
and swindler. In all conscience, that
was bad enough, but what are we to
think of the man and the prince who
binds himself to q solemn promise Of
secrecy, and then violates it in a way
that suggests another unsavory scan
DIAL? They were fearless words Of truth
that the solicitor general sent ringing
and palpitating through the fashion
crowded assembly. The court that con
dennis the plaintiff condemns the prince
Of Wales. If Cumming is an innocent
man, a foul wrong has been done to a
gallant soldier, whose career has been
wrecked to save the paltry honor, for
sooth, of the royal gambler.
Still we believe that he would be a
rash man who should predict the down.
fall of English royalty even in the nea
future. 1t is true that at present pub
lie opinion is in a state of ferment, and
that from religious dissenting bodies all
over the country come strongly-worded
expressions of protest. That is their
especial privilege, and they dearly love
to exercise it on those in high places.
The queen herself comes in for a most
pronounced snubbing, when she SO far
forgets the idiosyncrasies OF her dissent
ing subjects as to travel or a Sunday.
But the English people are essentially
conservative. They move slowly. They
are not enamored of political expert
ments, and to them a republican form of
government still shows itself in the light
of an experiment. They enjoy the lib
critics they desire, and they believe that
even in the United States no greater
freedom is possible. They recognize the
necessity OF a tigure-head in matters of
government, and they are prepared to
assert their opinion hat less power is
lodged in the hands of the royalty Of
England than in those of the president
of this country. They have heard wild
stories about corruption in the high
places of republican America, and they
are content to let we'll alone. 1t will be
no easy matter to root out the monarch.
ical faith from the English bosom
Queen Victoria has done much in the
course of her reign to foster their belief.
In her home circle she has proved her.
self a good wife and a good mother. Ir
affairs of state, she has always beer
ready to sacrifice her own %inclinations
to the expressed will Of her people. She
has led a blameless life amid the "fierct
light that beats upon the throne" anc
her influence has always been welded
in the interests Of lofty morality ant
social purity. She is not without hel
faults, but the English seem to recog-
nize in them the touch of nature tina
makes sovereign and subject akin. The
mantle of his mothers virtues has savet
her scapegrace a %trouncing before, an(
is likely to do him the same kind office
again.