The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-08-02
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The rumor that Queen Victoria contem-
plates an early retirement from the throne
is again i'm circulation. this time with some
possibility OF having a foundation In fact.
Her wish, 1t is said. is TO spend the rest
Of her days in quiet. freed from the bur-
dens and cares OF official life. 1t would
not be strange If this were true. She is
now s~eventy-seven years old, and her reign
has lasted fifty-nine years. Men and wom-
en- who serve the public in more humble
capacities feel themselves justified in with
drawing from active duty before reaching
such advanced age. while in private life
the individual who does not. at least, light
en- his labor at seventy-seven years. even
IL he does not give it up entirely, is the ex-
eeption. In the Queens case il is impossi-
BILE to delegate official duties TO any great
extent. at least the serious ones, which in
volve the heaviest responsibilities Social
obligations and some of the lighter cares
may be and have been transferred to the
Prince of Wales and other member OF her
family. but only by complete abdication
can she be relieved of the most important
functions OF the sovereign. Being the con-
scientieus, high-principled woman that she
is. these duties can never have weighed
lightly upon her. and when the burden Of
advancing years is added to them, it is not
a matter for wonder that she should wish
for freedom. She has had a wonderful
reign. There have been wars and CONNER
cial panics, there have been mistakes of
policy and government blunders, but on
the whole it has been a period of great
progress in morals, education, science and
commerce, and her influence, official and
personal, has been for the best in all these
directions. The actual official power of
even the Queen of Great Britain has WELL
defined limitations. but she has not been a
mere figurehead, a puppet in the hands of
her advisers. She has been a queen in
reality-a woman who by sheer force OF
character as well as by her position has
impressed herself upon the century. Her
| retirement would remove a grand figure
from the public arena and would cause re-
! gret In many quarters of the world. out
side as we'll within the British domains. a
regret growing out Of individual admira-
ton quite as much as from dread Of politi-
Cdl results. bul there Has pIODdDiy never
been a time when the transfer of the
| crown could be effected with as little Of
political agitation or evil consequence. At
one time in the career of the Prince of
Wales the possibility of his immediate ae-
cession to the throne was met with open
talk of rebellion among British subjects,
his personal reputation, whether justly or
unjustly, being such that he was not re-
garded with popular favor. But all that
has changed. He is no longer a young
man. and has gained wisdom and popular
ity with years. His frequent appearance
in public. his gracious manners, his tact
and his memory of names and faces. have
| combined to make him a favorite with all
classes Of people. While Victoria would be
mourned, 1T is not probable that political
leaders or the common people would object
| TO the Prince as her successor at this time.
Doubtless many would favor such a move
on the ground THAT his contact with the
world puts him in closer touch with mod
ern progress than is possible TO a woman
of the age and secluded life of the Queen.
The transfer of power. If il takes place.
will certainly be an important move on the
political chess-board of the world. and will
attract universal attention.