Evening star., 1901-11-04
KING IS AMBITIOUS
Edward VII Shows Disposition to Mix
in Politics.
WOULD RULE WITH FREE HAND
His Tory Friends Urging Him to
Essay Absolutism.
LONDON NEWS AND GOSSIP
LONDON NEWS AND GOSSIP

Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
LONDON, October %, 1901.
By coincidence, which is perhaps not
altogether fortuitous. the king and Lord
Salisbury have returned to London within
a few hours of one another. Nobody will
be surprised IL his majesty should find inn
mediate occasion to invite his prime min
lister to dinner. The king has been par
ticularly active of late in his conferences
with the different secretaries Of state, and,
while there Is no reason to .apprehend that
the crown is contemplating a revival Of
the personal government SO earnestly de-
sired by certain section Of conserva-
tives. there can be little doubt that the
king intends to exercise his prerogative
of administrative supervision. Some of the
kings irresponsible advisers would like
him to go further. 1t is his plain duty, ac-
cording to one prominent unionist. to dis
miss Lord Salisbury and insist on re-
construction of the government. Even Lord
Salisbury's admirers confess that their
somnoent idol would be the better for
gentle stimulus
: Lord Curzon Is coming to London next
year Tor the coronation, and 1t Is openly
stated that he will not return to India
but remain here as foreign secretary. In
order TO make room for Lord Curzon at the
foreign office the gossips have already
LansdoWne, the present incumbent.
Place, for Lansdowne.
The marques, 1t is suggested, would be
an acceptable successor to the Marques
of Salisbury when he retires from the
premiership. This idea, of course, presup-
poses difficulty in obtaining successor
to Lord Salisbury and would imply Lord
Lansdownes selection as brilliant COM
promise. Lord Lansdowne is not a strong
man and would probably not make a
strong prime minister There would how
ever, be certain fitness in his becoming
premier He would not be the first pre-
mier of his family. The first marauess
was. premier in 17s2. and the third mar
man, who was some time chancellor of
the excheauer and held other high Offices
In the cabinet. The father of the present
statesman held minor office and was at
one time under-secretary for foreign af-
fairs.
The dissatisfaction with Lord Salisbury.
owning to his easy-going Indifference, is be-
coming very strong and all the tory papers
are crying out for a change of some sort
The king and queen arrived In town yes.
terday morning. They were welcomed cor.
daily at the railway station, but, as on the
occasion OF their departure for Balmorai.
care was taken to exclude all unprivileged
persons from the arrival platforms.
happened to see copy Of the instructions
issued to the police when the royal party
went north, and discovered them to be of a
very elaborate and stringent character.
Indeed, the precautions taken were so
rigid and minute as to suggest that the
authorities had some cause for apprehen-
sion. But doubt whether there was any.
thing more in it than a resolve to omit no
possible means Of assuring protection to
their majesties. Everybody was bit un-
strung at that time by the dastardly out.
rage ON President Mckinley. and both the
police and the railway authorities felt
acutely the responsibility which they shar.
ed. Whether these extreme measures are
to be permanently adopted remains to be
seen, but 1t Is certain that the king and
queen are to be jealousy guarded for some
time to come,