The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-01-23
THE QUEENS DEATH.

- S'AA'C lAe great intense feelings OF
national regret with which Britons all
over the world will regard the death OF
Queen Victoria. Indeed, it hardly enters
into the American understanding how a
people at once so int I;gent and large
minded as the British can be regarded
as really devoted to the pomps AMI "trip
peries of the system Of monarch al rule
even in the qualified fern in which it
found expression in the rerscn of Vic
toria. But throughout the entire world,
wherever a british heart beats today,
from the shores of Hudson Bay to the
jmgles of tropical Africa, there will exist
a sense Of personal loss at the demise
of the British sovereign. Whether in
afhuence or poverty, charged with the
highest duties of imperial sta ton, or
lying outstretched, musket in hand. ready
to anticipate the end in the crack of a.
Boer rife, 10 patriotic Briton will feel
less than a sense of personal anguish
on learning of the death of the admirable
ruler, wife and mother. who for the
greater part of a century watched over
the destinies of her people.
The Veteran age has truly been
great one-great in all the achievements
which gave the century which has lust
passed away its pre-eminence in material
progress. AS an influence on the currents
of International life the rule of Victoria
has been only less heneficent than that
exercised by the examples of this great
and self-governing race of ours. Vic
toria did not take any active part in the
conduct OF imperial concerns, but her
advice and influence were ever present,
softening the asperities of political life
and humanizing the relations of the
nations TO each other
1t is the proudest jewel in the Britt h
crown, as worn by the deceas ed sover-
eign, that she was accepted the word
over as the eXemplar of Chaste and de-
voted wifehood and motherhood. On-y
those who understand the influence If the
royal example on the tastes and habi. s
OF people living under a monarchy can
estimate at its true value tie beneGcent
force exercised by Victoria en- the Sc
cial and moral life of her people. 1t was
only the requirements of her exalted DO
sition which called for the APP arance OF
pomp and personal display on her part.
She was as wholesome and simple in her
mode of life as the humblest of Ter sub
5ects. The domestic virtues in their most
general expression We're not only prac-
tced by her, but insisted on with refer
ence to all about her. 1t is only when
the student Of history and cen emporary
hfe comes to compare the example of
the court of England with the former
and the coming queen, the ruling spirits
In determining the prevalent andards
of personal morality, with tie courts of
Europe at any time within the past three
or four hundred years, that a tue con-
ception of the blessings which inIir, d
to the British people through the re-son-
al example of the queen can be obtained
AS long as the virtues which Victoria
typified throughout her entire reign are
found prevalent amon0 tie Br: ish peo-
pie it is worse than futile to speak of the
decadence of the British empire. The
races which have governed the world
have been those alone in which The vir-
tues of personal chastity, frugality and
truthfulness were predominant All thess
Queen Victoria showed her subjects gov
erned her own daily conduct. No mod
ern race shows the possession OF tho-e
virtues more generally than the British.
Most that has been achieved tv England
mas been due to the self-sacriace and
personal devotion of her children. The
brutahties which must ever attend on an
era OF conquest will leave their stain on
the British people as they have on ev-
cry conquering race; but 1t can be ga d
that, at least throughout the reign OF
the deceased queen, every reasonable eff
fort was made to mitigate and as far as
possible TO do away with such b1utalitfes
A crisis in the affairs of England ma,
be impending. In any such event the
death Of the queen is no less than
national calamity. Her name was in itseI
an inspiration in bringing out the hes
there was in the British nature. Her in.
fluence on the patriotic spirit of her peopJ.
was stronger than any other singI,
national force. Her Successor. faithful
as he has shown himself to be in th.
discharge of the formal duties which
have attended on his station as her
to the British throne will scarceI,
be able to exert anything like the strik
ing influence for good which his mothe
from the days of her young womanhooc
exercised on the emotional nature O
the British people. There will prob
ably continue under his sway the sam,
measure of progression in directions lead
Ing to added national wealth and pres
tige; but it is doubtful whether Britain
under the rule of Albert Edward, VII
ever occupy the same high place in In