New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-05-05
ABANDONING THE THRONE.
KINGS WHO WANT TO RETIRE TO PRI-
VATE LIFE.

cratic tendencies Of its rulers have there been
go many regning sovereigns who declared
to be on the point Of abandoning their thrones.
In 1S4S the monarchs were mostly princes born in
the previous century and reared within the influ-
ence ofits traditions utterly incapable therefore,
Of comprchending such new-fangled notions as
popular government and national constitutions.
Sooner than lend their names II any such sub
versive ideas. which they regarded as syn
onymous with sanguinary revolution Of the char
acter that brought Louis XVI and Marie Anto-
nette to the scaffold. they preferred to abdcate;
and II during those two eventful years that
the thrones of Austria. Sardinia Bavaria. France
and Holland were vacated by their occupants.
If to-day half a century later their successors
desire in their turn to abdicate. 1t Is that they.
too, have become firmly convinced that popular
legislation is Incompatible with good govern
ment-that is as viewed from the throne-and
that II Is impossible TO reconcile any longer TWO
such Numerically opposed institutions as
Crown and Parliament. In this. perhaps. they
are not far wrong; for there is no doubt that
the development of popular government In the
direction of democracy must naturally tend to
diminish the power and the prestige OF the
throne. Every new prerogative and right secured
by the people or by their constitutional repre-
sentatves is much taken away from the
monarch; and as time goes by IT is becoming
more and more apparent that, from popular
point OF view, kings and emperors are super
fuous an anachronism mere costly hgureheads
whose very weakness and lack of power render
them an object Of ridicue rather than Of rcvcr-
ence or that they constitute serious obstacles
10 political commercial and intellectual
development. Indeed there seems to be no place
left for them In the coming century unless 1t be
that OF mere social arbiters whose power Is re-
stricted 10 the decreeing Of the laws Of fashion
and Of conventionality. and whose authority t.
exercised not by virtue OF any written law. but
merely by means OF tact. In one word, the
Prince Of Wales. he IS now, the ruler Of
English society. Is the only man who answers 10
the idea Of notwithstanding sovereign.
OF the soveregns reported to be on the eve
OF abdication have in the first place King
George Of the Hellenes who declares himself SICK
and tired of his uncomfortable throne. and does
not hesitate t. declare that. the very atmosphere
of Greece having ceased to be congenial to him.
he is anxious to surrender possible
his sceptre 70 his son Constantine He Is no
longer in touch with his subjects. has no friends
at Athens save visitors from abroad and is
constantly forced by the somewhat disreputabe
policy Of the Cabinets that succeed one another
with such rapidity in his dominions 10 place
himself In en- awkward and embarrassing po-
sition with regard to those foreign courts TO
which he is bound by ties of close relationship.
King Oscar is likewise talking of resgning his
crown to his eldest In his case there Is not
one but two Parliaments with which to contend;
and as that at Stockholm is always in direct
opposition to that at Christiania he cannot con-
tent the one without offending the other. the re-
suit being that Norway and Sweden are now. &C
cording to his own assertions, on the point OF
civil war. He Is convinced that the coniilct
between the two countries is bound TO culninate
in an armed struggle. rather than countenahce
which he has determined to abdicate. He de-
clares that he has done his best like King George
Of Greece, to live up to the terms OF the Con-
stitution by virtue Of which he holds his sceptre'
but that 1t is absolutely impossible to do so any
longer and that 1t is question with him either
Of violating his coronation oath OF Oh stepping
down and making way for his SON.
Then, too, there is King Christian OF Den
mark who at the age OF eighty, finds himself as
the result of the recent general election face To
face with a National Legislature in which the
ultra Radicals and Socialists, hostile 10 the
Throne, possess an overwhelming majority out
numbering the moderate Liberals ana the III
finitesmal Cons arvative party combined by 'hfee
10 one. He had been led t. believe that the bit
ter conflict which has been raging between
Crown and Parliament ir Denmark for nearly
twenty years had come 10 an end last summer
and that, after he had maze many cohCeSSioA9
with the object Of settling all differences. every
thing would henceforth be plain sailing. Instead
~ t,is he now finds arrayed against him an
overpowering majority in Parliament. which has
already announced It's intention Of enforcing
,yha, 4, regards as popular rights and OF exactng
coronuance on the part OF the Crown with its
concention of the terms OF the CONSTITUTIONS
Proken by age and infirmity shaken py 'he
illness of his strong minded wife, VINO mas "e'n
his chief moral support throughout ms fe's" anu
denrived too Of the powerful backing OF MS SON
,n-law. the late Emperor Alexander OF husS'a'
he feels himself no longer capable OF coping VIII"
the situation. and announces that he Is about 70
make way for his SON.
To these three Kings must be added the name
~, x,no Humbert Of Italy, who Is forced TO sub
NIT 10 n Prime Minister personally ap"o''o"'
10th 20 himself and TO the Queen. and to lena MS
s 40 Motley Of which ne disapproves at
heart. but which accords with the views OF the
Y.,s,.,ur. II IA no secret that the whole OF MS
,,,y.,. fortune II already invested ABROAD III an
.,,..,,on ~ his abandonment 81 IN" lh'l'"
throne and that he nnds more in'ol"r"b' '""''
.ver n situation which comp"ls MN 10 h"''""''
himself with people unccngrn'ni 70 M" ""' ~
bia consort. and 10 remain IN u poS'''o" ''""''
tho Church which II not only nI""'"""s W.
,osnd 10 the sincere religious i''hhRS " Wv
o,ee, and Of himself. but likewise places '"'
,e,pninR house OF Italy in "A very h"h""u NV
embarrassing position with regard 10 al 'p'
o,,or cour,s Of the Old World. King iiuInDe'' ~
a very sensitive man and keenv awe - ~"
many sights TO which he has been suD'ec''' ~
all those foreign royalties who on coming 10
nome have pointedly abstaincd from Gaining al
H. o,,,rna, for fear OF offending the Natica"'
uad q not been for Queen Marie Am"he u
por,uga, a strong minded woman Ike h''
mother. the Countess of Paris. KING 'a''o'
would have long since relinqulshed his 'hro"e -
his gon. with his younger brother as i'rs'"''
while King Charles OF Runan'a ana 'ne '''".
poo.r, NJ Bavaria are each credited with pei"B