Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-11-02

-NHE worlds rulers, be they
kings, queens or presidents,
old, young or middle aged,
have their fads and hobbies.
Perhaps they find II neces-
sary In order to divert their
minds from weighty questions
81 state to indulge in recreation OF the
sort afforded by we'll developed rad.
Perhaps II is merely owing 10 the fact
that they have more time hanging
heavily on their hands than other peo-
pl4: or again, that they are much like
other people, after all. At all events.
most OF the great rulers are found to
have some absorbing passion for some
thing not in the nature Of their duties
and which affords them an avocation
or side occupation generally harmless
in itself, II not particularly beneficial
to them or to their subjects,
In an enumeration Of these rulers
and taking their domains Alphabetical
ly, In order that there shall be no heart
hurnings or accusations OF lnyldlous
distinction, we find Abyssinla in the
forefront, with its valiant Menelek,
"king OF kings' and emperor. As an
exponent OF high civilization he Is not
far in advance OF his ancestors, and II
is only among the most civilized peo-
pie, the authorities say that fads or
specific diversions voluntarily taken up
with purpose attain their greatest
DEVELOPMENT. However Meneek has
passion, II II may not be called a fad,
forArayellng about his kingdom, every
portion Of which he aims to visit If
posslble hut he has not yet made 50
long Journey as his renowned ances-
tress. the queen OF Sheba. when she
paid her famous visit TO King Solomon.
Menelek has also a fad for gorgeous
umbrellas and war drums, possessing,
perhaps, larger collections Of both than
any other monarch.
Austria can boast OF a ruler who has
occupied the throne for more than fifty
years and yet has not shown any In
sane procllyity to indulge In fads OF an
extreme sort. OF course where the fad
runs into an inclination or tendency
owing to inherent, prenatal influences,
IL becomes trait. But with the fad
proper Emperor Francis Joseph seems
to have had nothing 10 do. Several
members OF his family having met with
violent deaths, Ii 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 ruler almost as old as
Austria's, one who works hard. rises
with the lark and retlres 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 a wild and dlssolute life,
winch ne gratifes on occasions to the
limit Of his means. The announcement
OF his prospective visit TO the United
States may excite transitory interest
In Leopold even II he himself were not
interesting. He is broad gauge man
OF affairs and O man OF ability In
finance, Notwithstanding his kingshlp.
Aside from his ambition for cOlonlzing
his Kongo territory In Africa, Leopold
has several fads, One of these Is ar
chitecture, another flowers and sim
another automobIling. II has been de-
clared that his ruling passion is build
ing, and he has erected several palaces
Tor himself besides laying out many
parks for the benefit OF his subjects.
As TO flowers. he has miles and miles
OF greenhouses and Conservatives and