The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-04-17
GETTING READY FOR
THE BIG JUBILEE
London Already Preparing to Honor Vic.
tOria's Diamond Anniversary.
BUT THERE is ONE JARRINd NOTE
The Bcggarly Pittunco Subscribed by
the Queen for the Rciiei of the
Famine Sufferers in India Has
Caused Many Loyal Subjects to
Blush tor shame.


| premonitions of the queens diamond
jubilee celebrations are already to be
heard, felt and seen at almost every
turn, although these same rejoicings
will not come off until June, at the
height of the season. as June 20th
Will be the date upon which her grac-
ious majesty will have reigned over
her people for fully sixty years.
But already arrangements Of all sorts
are being made. People are suggest
ing ways, some times more ingenious
than wise, of celebrating this wonder
full length of reign Of "England's great
est one as they are beginning to call
the venerable old lady; "commemora-
tion ribbon" like our red, white and
blue Fourth of July ribbon, is being
sold by the thousands of yards at all
the Diapers shops, as we call the dry
goods stores over here; commemora-
tlon medals, in all different metals
have already been struck and are SELL
ing at a lively rate; and special cor
respondents from countries all over
the world sent to England to be in
plenty of time for the whole affair,
are being unloadeG by the bulk upon
the arrival of every incoming steam
er. The papers toem with suEges-
tions for the procession, the lire of
march from buckingham Palace to st.
Paul's Cathedral having already been
chosen by her majesty, and so on TO
no end Of indications.
VICTORIA'S KINDNESS.
Anent this line of march the queen
has decreed that part of it must lie on
the other side of the Thames, so that
the poorer class of her London sub
jeCts may also have a glimpse OF her
in all her glory, as she rides past IN
her state coach, drawn by the wonder
full eight "Hanoverian creams and
surrounded by her body guard OF
crowned heads of Europe. This kindly
impulse, however, is already on the
high road to defeat, as the speculatOr
in futures has already gone abroad
and bought up all the available win
dows, balconies, doorsteps and house
tops at enormous prices, for the pur-
pose of sublctting during that jublant
week in June. Whole blocks of houses
have in some cases changed hands,
and the poor tenants given notice to
leave lat once or sooner"
Indeed cvictions so unmerciful have
already taken place over there that
the matter has been placed before the
home secretary, who threatens these
sharpers with reporting their dOngs
to her majesty herself, and so having
the route changed entirely, up to even
a few days before the procession
passes. This has brought matters to
somewhat of a standstill, and some of
these sharp spectators are wondering
a bit where they are at" | dare
say the poor folks across the Thames
will be no more likely to see their ven
cradle sovereign than if they called at
the front door Of buckingham Palace,
for all the good her kindly wish has
done them.
There will, of course, be a great
Victorian exhibition" at Earls Court
throughout the season, and prepara-
tions are already actively in hand.
| doubt if it will be anything half as
fine as oul worlds fair, being begun
so late in the day. but no doubt all
that Englishmen, Scotchmen, Irish
men and Welshmen can do will be
done to make it great success.
ONE JARRING NOTE.
Yet in all this hum and hustle of
gladstone and joyous preparation there
rings the jarring note. There are those
among her majestys subjects who took
note of the queens beggarly contri-
button of five hundred guineas to the
fund for the starving millions of her
Indian subjects, and who openly sug-
gested in the newspapers that surely
a queen, be she ever so stingy, could
give as much towards the relief OF
the Indian empire-the source OF two
thirds of her wealth and glory-aS
some of her subjects themselves gave
Whether or not these grumblings We're
spoken of to her no one knows, nut
it is true that she soon subscribed hVe
hundred more. one open letter Whlcn
| saw not long ago, pointed out the
enormous difference between one thou-
sand guineas, given to the starving
millions of India, and the ten thou-
sand guineas spent for her SIX weeks
stay on the continent this month"; III
a very significant manner. KNOW
lady who. upon receipt OF le''V'
soliciting subscriptions for one OF the
many beautiful and costly Sltts 10 pe
presented at the Diamond lu"llcV'
wrote the secretary of TINS patlicu''r
gi1t-fund that she considered the queen
by far the most selfish woman IN All
the kingdom, and she preferred 10
spend her spare funds where 'hey
would do some good and not upon h'r
already too rich queen. She is a loyal
subject, too, but what great many
people only think, she had also the
courage TO say. l was most amused
when her friends told me Of this, and
assured her that she really deserved to
have been born an American.
THE LONDON SEASON.
Although the gay and festive London
SeasCn--with a capital S-does not
commence until May, the London mus
cal season, proper, opened the other
lieht with a flourish of trumpets, at
lie first philharmonic concert of the
cries. OF course there have been con-
,erts of all sorts during the year, but
the First Phil" as it is called, is al
ways the signal for a general "perlSing
up" in the musical and social worlds,
and from now on musical affairs of the
first magnitude multiply and increase
until things culminate in the opening
of the Royal Concert Garden Opera
season in May, after which London Is
always one grand swirl of eNcitment
and dazzling brilliance, until the heat
OF August drives people 10 Switzerland,
Norway and all over the continent, in
fact. with the great agitation that
there will be I'm court circles this year,
consequent upon the Diamond Jubilee,
the coming season is confidently eX-
pected by all those who know to be by
far the most brilliant and momentous
in all English history.
The first philharmonic concert the