The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-11-06

"fIi world's rulers. be they
kings, queens or presidents,
old, young on middle aged.
have their fads and hobbies.
Perhaps they ind IL neces-
u sary In order 20 divert their
minds from weighty questions
OF state 90 indulge i'm recreation OF the
sort afforded by a well developed RAD.
Perhaps It is merely ewing 20 The facy
that they have snore> tims. hanging
heavily on their tands-than otherspeo
pe or. again. that they are much IKE
other people, after all At all events
most of the great rulers are found to
have some absorbing passion for some
thing not in tho nature OF their duties
aud which affords them an avocatlon
or side occupation generally harmless
I'm itself, if not particularly beneficial
10 them OF To their subjects.
In an enumeration Of these rulers,
and taking their domains alpha betical-
lA in order that there shall be no heart
burnines or accusations OF invidious
distinction, we hnd Abysslnia I'm the
forefront, with fits valiant Menelek,
king OF kings" and emperor. As an
exponent OF high civilization he is. not
Tar i'm advance of his ancestors, and &c
is only among the most civilized peo-
rle. the authorities say, that fads or
specific diversions voluntarily taken up
with a purpose attain their greatest
deNeloPHfefft7-44rsre Menelek has a
passion, if II may not be called fad
FOR travelling about his kingdom. every
portion OF which he aims TO visit II
possible. hat he has not yet made so
long a Journey as his renowned ances-
trcss. the queen of Sheba when she
paid her famous visit to King Solomon.
Menelck has also A fad for gorgeous
umbrellas ana war drums. possessing,
perhaps larger collections Of both than
any other monarch.
Austria can boast OF ruler who has
occupied the throne for more than hfty
years and set has not shown any in
sane proclivity to indulge i'm fads OF an
extreme sort. Df course where the fad
runs into an inclination or tendency
owing TO Inherent. prenatal influences.
IL becomes a trast. But with the fad
proper Emperor Francis Joseph seems
10 have had nothing 10 do. Several
members OF his family having met with
Violent deaths. il is natural that the
aged emperor should feel too serious
and sad for frivolous fads. and, besides.
the weighty cares of his dual empire
consume all his time.
Belgium has a ruler almost a. old as
Austria's. one who works hard rises
with the lark and retires with the fowl,
But here the parallel seems to end. for
King Leopold though frequently smit-
ten sore by evil fortune, still maintains
his love FOR q wild and dissolute life,
which he gratifies on occasions to the
limit OF his means. The announcements
of his prospective visit 10 the United
States may excite a transitoiy interest
IN Leopold even IL he himself were not
Interesting. He is a broad gauge man
of affairs and "A man OF ability i'm
finance. notwithstanding his kingship
Aside from his ambition for colonlzing
his kongo territory in Africa Leopold
has several fads one of these is ar
chitecture, another flowers and still
nnotlier automobiiing, IL has been de-
slared that his ruling passion Is build
ing and he has erected several palaces
FOR himself. besides laying out many
rarks for the benefit of his subjects
AS so fowers, he has miles and miles
OF greenhouses and conScryatories and