New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-02-25
sALUTING ROYALTY.
u,r RIGHTEOUSNESS OF BOY KINGS
pEA1ING wAYs-MoBB1NG THE PRINCE
OF WALES.


:. would be difficult to imagine anything more
calculated to bring royalty into contempt. and
" Give force TO the arguments of those who
,o,.or the abolition of monarchy, than the absurd
,.,c,res Of the boy kings of the Old World
uis seventeen-y ear-old Majesty Of Servia. who
cmancipated himself from the control of the Re-
c.nts last year ago. mainly because they per-
sisted in supervising his menus and interfering
with his commands the weighty subject of
nuddings. has now. by his conceit. his mex
nerience and his susceptbiliyto flattery. brought
his kingdom to the verge of civil war and ma
tional bankruptcy. Nor is the eighteen-yearod
1<hedive. or King. of Egypt much better. Not
content with denouncing as "disgracefur' the
highly trained troops who alone preserve the
southern frontier Of his dominions from inva-
sion by the SOudanese deryishes-troops which
hut two weeks before had excited the most en-
tbusiastic praise of so competent a critic that
fine old Turkish Field Marshal. Mutkar Pacha-
he has Still further distinguished himself by
causing perfectly inoffensive foreign tourists TO
he run in by the police at Cairo on the sole
ground that they had not been sufficiently quick
and deferential in their obeisances when
meeting him in the streets OF the Egyptian
capital. Were it not for the authority given in
"The London Times for this astounding in
stance Of the young Khedive's bumptiousness, it
would be absolutely incredible. AS it is. it has
served to strengthen the rumors current for
some time past to the effect that the young po-
tentate is not altogether right in his head. and
that we may be called upon before long to wit
ness his deposition on the same ground that led
n the removal from the Turkish throne Of the
jemented Sultan Murad. who. ever since his
brothers accession. has been kept closely con-
fined in one of the gloomiest palaces that line
the shores of the Bosphorus
Cairo has become much of winter resi-
dence for members Of the great world of Paris.
London, Vienna and Berlin that It is far more of
, European than an Oriental city. And yet
there is no Asiatc ruler that would venture
nowadays upon such piece of despotism as that
IF which the young Khedive has been guilty. IN
causing foreigners to be arrested because they
did not take off their hats low enough to him.
II is all the more objectionable when one re-
members that young Abbas received his educa-
tion in Europe and that. at any rate up to the
time of his accession to his fathers throne. most
Of his life had been spent in Austria and in
Switzerland. Certainly in none Of the coun-
tries that he visited did he ever find the
sovereigns royal personages calling upon the
notice 10 assist them in eXtortng unwilling greet
;nes from people whom they passed in the
or foreigners. On the contrary. one of the pc
cu,iar feature Of modern royalty in Europe
Is that obeisances of this kind are either ac-
cepted as a boon. with demonstrations of graft
tude by the great personages to whom they are
addressed or else are shrunk from and avoided
nv the latter as If from excessive modesty.
Thus the late Duke Of Clarence. his mother the
Princess of Wales: King Oscar Of Sweden King
Leopold Of Belgium well as every member OF
his family. and King Christian Of Denmark
and his sons. are never so happy as when they
are able to move about unobserved treated ao-
solutely as ordinary citizens by those whom they
mass in the streets and only saluted by those
who enjoy the honor of their personal acquaint-
ance.
In some other countries the sovereign ap-
pears to invite in a deprecatory nay, might
even add undignifed. manner the salutauons OF
his subjects often recall the impression created
mon me the first time that Witnessed the usual
Saturday state procession of the late hihS
Alfonso Of Spain, from the Church Of the At
toccha back to his palace at Madrid He was
seated in an open carriage. and although the
weather was bitterly cold and the wind piercing
he remained bareheaded during the whole time
that the cortege passed along the Puerta del Sol,
which was crowded with people. not one of whom
appeared TO take the slightest notice Of His
Maiesty's sautations. He was howing from side
to side with what seemed to me al the une
a species Of appealing expression on ms FEATURES
as IL entreatng some response; but not one head
was barred among all that immense crowd save
nv own. that is 10 say. that of foreigner as yet
new to Madrieene ways II was very painful.
and appeared on reflection extremely illogical.
For what Is the use OF setting man up as King
and taxing ones resources to maintain him in
luxury If one declines to accord to him the most
ordinary token Of public courtesy and recOgni-
ton? Much the same spectacle may be wit
messed at Rome, nearly every time that King
Humbert drives his mail-phaeton up 70 the
Pincic He is SO accustomed to have the MEM
bers Of the old Roman aristocracy (Which consti-
tutes the majority Of the afternoon promenaders
there) avert their faces when he drives by. on
the pretext that their ancestry is infinitely more
ancient and more illustrious than that Of the
house Of Savoy. that he always seems quite
grateful 70 anybody who doffs his hat; and If one
is at all slow in doing so. he appears TO look at
you inquiringly not knowing whether he Is gong
10 expose hmelf 10 the. am sorry TO say, pretty
frequent indignity Of the cut direct. King Chris
tan Of Denmark may be seen nearly any morn
Ing when he happens TO be in town. stroihnS
about the streets OF Copenhagen with his Two
great dogs generally arrayed in soft FELT nat
and an old gray jacket, AMI relatively unnouced
by his subjects-indeed the only people VINO
salute him are the military, the police and those
with whom ne Is personally acquainted Ine
same may be said of King Leopold OF Belgium.
who makes point Of walking every day when at
Brussels and os fat King Carlos at Lisbon.
who endeavors in vain 10 reduce his grth by
morning constitutionals on foot. arrayed in the
rather inelegant costume Of frock coat and
derby hat Even the Car may sometimes
be seen walking about the streets of st. Peters
burg unattended by his dogs or by his
son, the Czarewtch. and nobody. save official and
court people, dreams Of saluting him.
Strangely enough. the Prince Of Wales is an
Infinitely less familiar figure as a pedestrian in
the streets Of London than the Car in those or
81. Petersburg True. he will occasionally
Yenfura ncrorr Dali Nall In front Of MarlbOrOugh