Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1901-03-14
WHAT KING EDWARD IS.
An English Papers High Esti.
mate of Great Britain's Ruler.
REVIEW OF HIS QUALIFICATIONS.

ne Il Remarkably Well Informed ON
Domestic and Foreign Political
Questions, Says London Specta-
tor-An Excellent Judge of Men and
Instinctively Tactful.
What are the qualifications which
the king brings to his arduous task?
The first quality that King Edward
VII brings to the fulfilling of his great
functions as a constitutional sovereign
As courage, moral and physical, says
the London Spectator. Like all his
race, he is a man of stout heart, and
we may be sure that he will not in pub
lie affairs quail or encourage timorous
counsels in his ministers.
Next he possesses a very remarkable
knowledge of public affairs. He is on
all political questions, both at home
and abroad, extremely well Informed,
and we doubt if there is any man alive
who understands ordinary English
public opinion better than he does. AS
Prince of Wales he had opportunities
for studying it's nature which are with
held from the sovereign, and we do not
0OOOL I1lI LIN 4NcCOhc Lux NOAAN IL
stand him in good stead.
Beyond this knowledge he has the in
stinctive gift of tact-the power to do
and say the right thing at the right mo-
ment and to look forward and prevent
the occurrence Of unnecessary friction
and annoyance. If the history of the
last 20 or 80 years could be fully told,
it would be found that on countless oc-
1o1Soo- +;1,oJ, rroT1,ioO frono +ho
Prince of Wales prevented the occur
renee of those perpleXing and disagree
able situations and incidents which
arise from the neglect of tactfulness.
Next, the king is an excellent Judge
of men. AS regards the public men
with whom he has come in contact he
has shown this quality again and
again, and his advice in regard to ap-
pointments has often proved most use
full. One reason for this is that he
knows the English world remarkably
well, and he has always made a point
of keeping himself informed about the
record and qualifications of persons
who have either attained eminence or
are likely to attain it. If a name were
chosen at random from among the men
of mark in the nation, it is safe to say
that the king would be more likely to
know something of him and his qualifi-
cations than almost any other person
who can be named not specially related
to the man in question:. E., not be
longing to his profession or knowing
him personally.
Again, the king has a ripe memory
and a great faculty for putting men at
their ease. Hence in all personal nego-
tiations he has proved himself a con
ciliatory force. By universal consent
a better chairman Of a committee is
not to be found in the three Kingdoms.
He has shown ability to keep to the
business in hand without coercing the
minority, wounding the feelings of the
garrulous or preventing the expression
Of helpful as opposed to obstructive
criticism.
But these qualities are exactly those
which are most useful in a constitu
ttonal king. The queen has fixed once
and forever the position and functions
of the sovereign in our crowned repub
lie, and great and important and splen
did those functions are. The queen, tx
use a metaphor, made herself the per
manent undersecretary to the nation
She was the power behind the prime
minister which never changed. In gu
view, the king will be able to carr!
on the most essential work of CRITICS
ing his ministers with success, for b.
has just the abilities which arc re
quired. He is a man of the world, h
has judgment, tact and common ems
he has a great knowledge Of men, an
he hates laundering and muddling
Hence we may expect from him tina
tactful vigilance which is needed, how
ever able may be the kings minister
and however much they may be de
voted to their duties. But of one thin;
we are sure - the king will not b
wanting in the truest and sinceres
patriotism. There be may be absolute
1y trusted, and the nation may rel,
without misgiving on his whole hearte
devotion to his country. Not wen tn
queen herself was more strongly pa
triotic. And the same may be said O
the new queen-Queen Alexandra. Sh
long ago won the love and esteem o
the country, and they may hail in he
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