New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-03-05
SHAM OF THE PRETENDERS.
ASPIRANTS TO EUROPEAN THRONES
WHO DO NOT WANT THEM
THE LIFE OF A PRErENDE:R AN EASY ONE. WITH
PLENTY OF HONOR AND NO WORK.


claim to something to which one has right
while the other Interpretation Of the word Is
the affectauon and the pretence of something
that does not really exist and that is sham
Both of these meanings may be applied to the
monarchical pretenders of the Old World, the
last Illusions concerning whose good faith must
have been utterly destroyed in the minds Of all
sensible people by the events of the last few
weeks. For they have one and all shown that
they prefer the irresponsible, untrammelled and
luxurious existence Of king In exile" and OF a
sovereign de jure to the burdens and numerous
restrictions entailed by the actual occupation
OF throne: and what Is more, their principal
adherents equally anxious TO maintain the
present condition OF affairs and TO defer as
long as possible that mythical day when. ac-
cordng to royalst phraseology. "the King shall
come into his again"
The bulk OF the parties Of the pretenders is
constituted by the old aristocracy, and by new
rich people possessed of social aspirations, who
expect by affecting egitimist opinions. to curry
favor and to secure the friendship Of the old
royalist nobility. The latter, well their
parvenu imitators, are perfectly ready 10 pro-
claim their allegiance to this or that pretender
and to pose as his principal counsellors and
supporters SO long as he is content to make no
further call upon their services But they are
the last people in the world TO wish him to de-
part from his passive policy TO abandon
words for deeds, since they readily perceive
that were he 10 cross the frontier and TO raise
his standard they would be placed face 10 face
with the dsagreeable alternative Of having
either to join him. and thereby to incur the risk
Of imprisonment. confscation of property and
exile, else to desert in the hour OF action and
Of danger the cause which they have always
chamuioned
In olden times and even down to the close OF
the last century. governments were in the habit
Of hunting down and driving abroad the pro-
fessed and even suspected adheronts Of pre-
tender and but little more than one hundred
years have elapsed since the trivial act of hold
ing ones winegass just over the finger bowl
when the customary toast to the sovereign was
given in England suficed to bring about the
arrest. the Imprisonment and the Punishment
of a nobleman, it being taken for granted that
by thus holding his glass over the finger bowl
he meant to drink the health of the King lover
the water" namely. that of the young stuart
Pretender in France, rather than that Of the
reigning monarch King George.
ADHERENTs LET ALONE.
To-day the authorities wiser. They con-
tent themselves with exiting the pretender, but
and adherents for their political opinions so
long as they obey the laws Of the land. The
French Government tolerates on French soil
partisaus II the Duke Of Orleans. Of his cousin.
Prince Henry Of Orleans Of Prince Victor Bona
parte, Of the so-disant Duke Of Anjou Of the
Duke Of Normandy. VINO processes descent from
thai ill-fated DaUphin who the Of King
Louis XVI and Of queen Marie Antonette. The
Spanish Government leaves undsturbed the
well-to-do champions Of Don Carlos and even
allows them 70 maintain Carlist newspapers and
Carlist clubs at Madrid Portugal displays the
same liberation with regard 10 the adherents Of
the Pretender Dom Miguel while Emperor Will
lam makes no objection whatsoever to the pro-
fessions 81 allegiance that are offered each year
by tine members OF the so-oalled Guelph party
10 the Duke Of Cumberland who is pretender
to the crown Of Brunswick. King Humbert Of
Italy goes even further. for he not only allows
the Duke Of Parma and other former sovereigns
OF Italian States VINO denounce him as a usurper
to live IN his dominlons but ne actually goes
to the length Of helping them to maintain their
poor relations number Of the less wealthy
members Of the Italian branch OF the royal
house q Bourbon being his pension list
The wisdom Of this policy lies hercin-that
every body IL interested in the maintenance Of
the status quo. Those Of the adhercnts Of the
various pretcnders who are possessed Of any in
nucnce and as such might Toe dangerous TO the
De facto government men OF property who
have much t. lose and but little 70 gain by any
haIe-hrained attempt 70 bring about the advent
to the throne ~ their particular pretender. And
they may be relied upon g. abstain from taking
part in any enterprise in his behalf unless il Is
absolutely assured Of success beforehand. Fail
ure as stated above would merely entail upon