The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-06-05
DARK RUMoRs ABOUT THE QUEEN


Once more the London clubs are dis
playing anxiety about the health of Queen
Victoria. 1t is said that her relations
with MIR. Gladstone are marked by fits of
eccentricity which are difficult to explain.
Under the English system certain APP
pOintments are nomnally vested In roy
atty, but are really filed by the Prime
Minister for the time being 1t seems that
the Queen has on one or two occasions
broken Mr. Gladstone's slate. especially for
high appointments in the army. Rumor
states that she insists on the appointment
of members of her family who are noto-
rinusly unfit for command; and gossip
credits Mr.. Gladstone with a purpose to
insist on his rights-not because he cares
about the appointments, but because he
feels 1t duty TO oppose the Queens incli-
nation to drift into Tudorism.
Queen Victoria is 70 years of age. No
sovereign of her times has reached an
equal age but the Emperor William the
First of Germany At 30 years her grand
father, George the Third. went mad,
after having paralyzed Parliament by
opening it with words which betrayed his
unhappy condition. He recovered in
year. and had lucid interval which lasted
eleven years. Then he went mad again.
The attack was brief, and was succeeded
by period when the King was able to
transact business after fashion. Finally.
at the age of Is. the monarch's reason
became hopelesSly clouded and a regent
was appointed to conduct the Govern
ment. 1t has not escaped public notice
that the Queen has just reached 70. Up to
this time she has had no decided attacks
of lunacy, such as her grandfather had,
but the condition of her mind when
Prince Albert died gave her friends IN
eaSness.
No member of her family except her
grandfather ever had to be placed under
restraint; but George the Fourth, one of
her upcles, led such a life when be be-
came regent that his friends made the
excuse for him that he was not right, and
certainly at times two other uncles,
William the Fourth and the Duke of Cum
beriand, were queer. The Queen herself
he's alwavs-SO far as the public knows
been a leVel-headed, sensible woman, not
prone to fits of passion or eccentricity.
Her father was quiet, inOffeusive man,
who never did or said anything which
attracted attention.
The British sovereign takes so small a
share in the conduct of public affairs in
England that the abdication of the Queen
would involve o disturbance. Tie Prince
OF Wales Is there ready to take her place,
and he is so we'll known that 10 anxiety
would be felt regarding his probable
course of action. He promises to be
quiet, inoffensive constitutional sovereign
who would in all matters offer a contrast
TO his brother-in-law, the Emperor of
Russia. aud his nephew, the Emperor of
Germany. lie is cast in the same mold as
the King of Belgium, who, when his
people rose in Instruction, begged them
to let him pack valise, saying that they
could d OF be half as anxious to get rid of
him as he was to get rid of them. Yet
there is no doubt that personal regard and
admiration for the lady who has presided
over England's destinies for over half a
century have had much to do with tenn
perng the aspirations of the British Radi-
Gals, and that English Republicans who
have RETAINED from assailing the Queen
wonld have no such computations at
making war upon "Tummy."
The English say little about the out
groupings of personal government, the
folo VI GlOO,OoO Il year W tIe LUKE OIL
York to reward him for having taken the
trouble TO be born. or the honors and
emoluments bestowed on the Battenbergs.
But they must think about these things,
especially about the time the taX-gatherer
comes round. They cannot help contrast
ing their burdens with those of people in
this country. who, If they are sometimes
oyertaxed, at any rate have. or think they
have. something to show for the money.
That portion of the English people whom
General Booth has described in Darkest
England" will be apt to do a good deal of
solid thinking if the crown passes from the
head of Queen Victoria to that of her son.
There is no danger in England of revo-
luton cut On the Ere lch pattern. Prop
erty-Owners are too wide awake for that.
But the obvious drift of English opinion
toward universal suffrage is likely to make
Parliament the place of danger. especially
after Gladstone passes away. A Paria-
ment imbued with the notion that the
time has come to place the Government
on purely utiitarian basis might make
the reign of a new king a troubled dream.