The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-02-16

OF Denmark Il IS merely necessary 70
repeat what has so aften been SAID, name
". that its court Is pattern for The ~
mSinder OF Europe in matters Of teuiaSr-
aace as Wen as N every ether respect. and
x IS impossible 20 overesssnafs the good
achieved ~ the influence Of the aged
queen and king, the lagssr presenting an
agreeable contrast 10 rs predecessor.
whose court was such as 70 cause 4 70 Re
subjected throughout the latter part OF his
reign 10 something akin 20 ostr2cism by
the other crowned heads ef Europe. The
late King Charles OF Sweden was famous
as a bon v.yant. and while not drunkAra.
could by no means y regarded as a tenn
perate man. whereas the views OF hrs ste
ceSsor. King Oscar. are hsst shown by The
significant fact that he has permitted RS
queen 20 join the Salvation Army. and his
favoTtte son and namesake. Prince Oscar,
70 assume the presidency OF the temperance
movement n Sweden and Norway.
The young ezar.Ea % Russia. with her
strong, high-nrne!pled mind. added 10 her
cieverness and beauty, may be relied apen
to counterfeit any disposition that her hus-
band may have inherited from his anees-
tors in connection with taste for st-mu-
lantS- During his sojoarn OF several
months IA England prior to his marriage.
however. he surprised those with whom
he was brought into contact by his very
ua-Slavoaic aesteusoUsaess Russians be-
ing noted for their hard drinking propea-
sites. King Charles Of RoGmau,a. Ike
King Leopold OF Belgium. Is temperate IN
Tire extreme. beng far too cautious man
ever 10 permit his brain Ia become cloud
ed by stimulants. while the king Of Porta-
gal although ne delights n eonvivialiy
and enjoys the reputation OF being a good
fellow IN every sense of the word. has never
been known as a heavy dr.nAer- Win
regard TO the king Of Spain IL can only he
said that from his earliest infancy he mas
tlssx,laved "A pronounced aversion 10 the bot
tie. ana has objected 10 being brought up
.'by hand" as The saving :. II IS 70 be
hoped that this fll-wll toward the bottle
may continue throughout his HE Much
apprehension need not be entertained on
the subject, since the Rnurbons have al
ways been more noted for their excuses
in eating than in drinking.
Queen yictoria-s Influence.
But the sovereign to whose influence the
growth Of temperance is due more than to
any one else is assuredly Queen Victoria.
tho doyenne 81 All the monarchs II the
world. Her father and her uncies partien-
larry those who Immediately preceded her
on the throne. namely, King George ~.
and King William ". were typical six
bottle" men, and seldom II ever went 10
bed sober. Carlton house. the residence or
King George being the scene OF some or
present century. At the same time. the
British court was renowned for the many
scandals by which its atmosphere Was
tainted. No gentleman arose sober from
table, and no gentleman uttered "A single
phrase without garnishing il with the most
frightful and blood-curdling oaths. Queen
Victoria was young girl of barely II when
she succeeded TO the crown; yet, IN spite or
this, and of The influence by which she had
been enyironed since her childhood, she
quickly succeeded not only in purifying the
court but also in inauguratins an entirely
different tone in society. the coarse ness and
drunkenness which had flourished until
then giving away to refinement and alb
stemIousness. She was aided In her task
by her blameless husband. the late prince
consort. and since his death his good work
in this particular has been carried on by
his son, the Prince of Wales, TO whom
those interested I'm the cause OF temper
ance owe n far greater debt of gratitude
than most people would be willing 10 De-
Heve For no one is more intolerant OF IN
etriety and of the vulgarity which Il IN
variable engenders than England's future
king.