Arizona republican., 1900-08-18
WIDOWS IN
 FOREIGN COURTS

Queen Marguerite constitutes very notable addition to the extraordinarily long list of royal and imperial widows. In fact, it may be asserted that there is hardly court in Europe where widows weeds do not form a conspicuous fea- ture, destined in a way to remind it's members that above all the brilliancy. the pomp and grandeur which charac- terize it there hovers always the sha- dow of death. In Russia we find the widow of Emperor Alexander III. play ing an important political role. while the mOrganatic widow of the murdered Alexander IL. Princess Yourieffska, lives in exile abroad. In Germany there is the widow of Emperor Frederick, whose political influence has become impaired by failing health, and who, indeed, is reported to be- critically ill with Bright's disease. Spain is wisely and carefully governed by a regent, who is the widow of King Alfonso XII, while in the neighboring kingdom of Portugal the widowed Queen Pia may be said, like the widowed czarina at St Petersburg, to head a species of oppo- sition to the court and government of her son. The widowed Queen Emma of Holland surrendered little more than year ago to ner now grown-up daughter, Queen Wilhelmina, the reins of government which she had held as regent during the minority of her child, and near by, confined as a lunatic in the Belgian chateau of BOuchOut, is the widowed Empress of Mexico, who has been bereft of her reason ever since her husband was court-martialed and shot in Mexico thirty-three years ago. The court of St. James has sometimes been described as "The Court of Widows" owing to the fact that not only Queen Victoria and two of her daughters, as well as a daughter-in- law, but likewise the majority of her ladies waiting, are widows, while among other royal and imperial widows may be mentioned the Empress of the French, the Empress Of China, the Khe- diviah mother, and the widow of the relgning Prince of Servia, who was murdered in 1868.
 
 Lord Hopetown. the newly appointed governorgeneral of Australia, is pay ing very great compliment to Lord and Lady Curzon by breaking his jour hey to Australia at Bombay. when he leaves England with the countess at the beginning of October. for his avow- cd object in prOCe eding to his post via India is for the purpose of paying I months visit to the court of Lord and Lady CurzOn in order to obtain from them various pointers and hints con cerning the conduct of a ViCe-regal es- tablishment. True, Lord Hopetown has already served a term as governor of the Australian colony of Victoria, but he realizes that the position of gov ernor-general of the immense continent Of Australia is a position of immeasur- ably greater dignity and importance. and that things that Were all right for a mere governor would be altogether out of place in the cast of a governor general.
 The latter's attitude is one which re- puires not only an immense amount of tact, judgment. and delicacy. but like wise of experience. since he is obliged to steer midway between regal pomp and state on the one hand and the re- membrance that he is not a sovereign but mere government official on the other. He cannot afford to display the genial democracy and unassuming bon hommie of full-fedged royal personagas and yet he must avoid laying himself open to charges of exaggerated ideas of the respect due to his rank and to accu- sations that he has had his head turned by the grandeur of his office Lord CurZ0 n in spite of all the criticisms to which he has been subjected. has man. az to enicW the vice-regal court in India vtA dignity and a degree of romp and ctiluette which it never pos scssed before, and which has profound ly impressed and pleased the native princes and people, worthily seconded in every particular by his clever Ameriacn wife. Lord and Lady Hopetown pos sess plenty of tact and savoir faire. but they lack viceregal experience. and