The record-union., 1898-01-25
KEEPING HANDS OFF.
THE PRINCE OF WALES INVA.
RIABLE RULE.
He Learned It From His Parents
and the Queen Still Rigidly
Adheres to It.

Although there appears to be ols-
position both in England and abroad
to condemn the action of the Prince Oh
Wales in declining to intervene IN the
great labor war which has been raging
for some time past between the enSl-
neers and the trades associated there
with on the one hand and federation
composed of their employers on Inc
other. yet there is no doubt that IN re-
fusing the assume the role either OF ar
bitrator or of mediator in the matter
he has manifested both sagacity ana
tact. 1t is perfectly true that any one
who could bring about a settlement of
the conflict in question would be con-
ferring a lasting benefit upon his fei-
low-countrymen and upon the nation
at large. For the fight has paralyzed
not merely one branch of the industry,
but a large number, forcing the con-
sumner to seek foreign sources of sup
ply. to which he will probably in future
adhere. thus decreasing those markets
for British manufactures that are an
nually becoming more and more re-
stricted by American and German COM
petition Besides this, the strike, which
has lasted already several months, has
merely the more than half a million
men who are out" but, what is far
worse, their wives and their little ones;
that is to say, taking it all in all, a
community of people numbering consid-
erably over a million. The Princes s
critics draw attention to these circunn-
stances, and point out if ever there was
an instance where his acknowledged
pre-eminence as peace-maker might
be turned to profitable account it is IN
the present case.
The reasons which have prompted the
Prince to decline are due, in the first
place, to the fact that, no matter what
the award of the arbitrator or the char
acter of the compromise effected oy
the mediator it is certain to be equal
ly unwelcome to both parties of the
dispute, since neither one nor the other
obtains he full measure of its demands
and VIII consequently be disposed to
bear a grudge against the individual
who has by his reasonings induced it
to recede from the stand yhich 1t had
made. The unpopularity thus reaped
by the Prince would rave reflected not
only upon himself personally, but like
wise upon the throne which in these
modern times must look to the good
will Ct the masses as the principal
source of its strength and foundation.
Secondly, the Prince has made prac
fice throughout his public life-that is
to say, since he came of age, almost
forty Y ears ago-to steer clear of every
public controversy or dispute where ne
would be required to take sides.
LEARNED FROM PRINCE ALBERT.
OF all the lessons taught to him by
his wise and clear-Sighted father, the
late Prince Consort, there is none that
has more firmly impressed itself upon
his mind than that of the necessity of
absolute impartiality on the part not
only of a constitutional sovereign, but
also on that of the latter's heir ap
parent. The crown to-day is not the
despot, but merely the executive, the
servant, so TO speak, of the will of the
nation, and in order that the latter
should have absolute confidence in the
occupant of the throne it is necessary
that the people should feel assured Of
the sovereigns readiness TO conform to
their wishes. These are sometimes
voiced by one political party and some
times by the other. Only if the people
can feel that their monarch is abso-
lutely impartial, that there is on the
part Of the executive no preference for
one platform more than for the other,
can they repose that blind trust in their
ruler which is indispensable to senti-
ments of loyalty and affection.
Prior to Queen Victoria's marriage
she showed tendency to follow the