Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-01-26

her son. It is not in human nature
10 share it-stiN less in KingIy or
Queenly nature. There Is none too
much to be welded by a single person.
The Queens authority is, IN SEINE high
matters, much more great and mud
more Vlg1lantly exercised than is COM
monty known. But it is. of course.
very narrow to what Elizabeth's was,
or her grandfather's. our friend George
Ill, and much less even than Will
lam still possessed at the time of the
Reform Bill in 1892.
whatever 1t may be 1t is largely
personal. The accumulated exper-
fences, the slowly ripened sagacity
which Is the growth of long acquaint-
ance with affairs. the wisdom and
good sense of the Queen-these she
could impart to nobody. She may or
may not have desired to associate the
Prince with herself in some OF the
cares of rule which have burdened her
life. The contrary Is believed in Eng
| land to be true
Be that as it may, and be the rea-
son what it may, the Prince of Wales
has thought it his duty to stand apart.
The stream Of public life has flowed
past him as he gazed from his SELL
| tude on the shore upon its swelling
| In the councils Of Queen or Minister'S
He did not succeed to the position his
| father held. Prince Albert was the
| Queens trusted adviser in matters with
reference to which her ministers, often
thought they, and they alone, had the
rights and the duty of advising the
| sovereign. Prince Albert's attitude
was not perhaps unconstitutional, but
| 1t was extra constitutional Whether
| irah Ia
| succeed him may be left open to ques-
ton. 1t is certain that at the time
of his death his son was far too young
! to take up his mantle and wear. 1t.
Another five years would have made
a great difference.
But man, they say. is judged by
the company he keeps, and the popu-
| lar idea of the Prince of Wales sur
rounds him with dukes and duchesses
and other such ornaments OF society
| and of life. In actual life the case Ia
| different. We have here an idea of
| rank which Is not the English idea, or
not that of the classes which make UP
| in England what is called society. It
| does not follow that man Is Of high
social position because he Is OF high
position in the peerage. Still less 10
he chosen as an associate of royalty
for that reason. The most that can
be said Of the peerage is that /, affords
o presumption and offers o chance.
The possessor of a good title may take
advantage Of 1T socially or he may not
AS for the Princes Set" to use a
Phrase long in vogue In London, it
is very Variously composed II is the
Prince himself; of course. who COM
poses it, and his choice depends on.
reasons very different from those
which connect themselves with rank
Like other men, he likes hose about
him who share his own tastes 1t rnay
! be in whole or in part, Otif. set iR Lon
don, another at New Market a third
| at Cowes, a fourth at Hamburg and
at Sandringham a company chosen ON
different. principles. For Ills aznuse-
ments he chooses amusing companions
For the true business Of life he is to be
found cOnversing with Lord Salisbury
CT Lord RnSebery-in tiTGr@ cast with
Mr. Gla, stoue. to whom IL lis darkest
days he never failed in consideration,
or with Mr.. Dsraeli, always a favorite
with the Queen and with many Of her
children.
Whoever has talked with the Prince
Of Wales on such topics knows shat he
has u clear view Of affairs ard of his
own position, and of the relation of
the sovereign to the State and the pao-
pie. In the fullness Of time h will
be called upon to act on the knowledge
he has acquired and the opinions he
has formed. His Punishment from
public life and from the councils
Of State and OF the Empire pre-
disposes people to believe that he
may have no adequate preparation
for these responsibilities in the future.
His liking for the turf, for yachting,
for the theatres, for many social diver
sions is often alleged against him.
if man were to be judged by the re
laxations of his mind.
But it win surely be found that
when the Prince of Wales becomes
King of England he will be q good and
capable King. Beside him viii sit a
new Queen who five and thirty years
ago was welcomed from over the sea.
and for whom English men and Eng
lish women ha re ever since. felt and
feel to-day as strongly as ever a loyal
affection.
It is generally understood that the
Prince of Wales will start for America
next June and that he will remain in
this country 1T least three months.
during which time he will visit all tho
principal cities and places Of interest.