The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-01-24
KING OF GREAT BRITAIN.
PERSON4L CHARACTER OF YICTO-
 RIA'S SON AND SUCCESSOR.

Popular With All Glasses He Has Re-
 trained from Poutics-His Afabitity
 and Tact.
 The new king of England comes to
 the throne of Great Britain and Ire
 land, it's honors and responsibilities, in
 the third month of the sixtieth year of
 his rather uneventful and yet some
 what spectacular life. For forty years
 he has performed the public and ospec-
 tacular duties of a sovereign. He steps
 to the throne rather with the reputa-
 ton of man of the world than that of
 statesman and politician
 A tactful, courteous man, he takes
 up his sceptre with the reputation of a
 popular idol of the people, such as
 would not have been attached to him
 had he been called on to assume au-
 thority a score of years ago. A rather
 plentiful sowing of the wild oats that
 young noblemen think necessary had
 then aroused something of opposition to
 him. But that reputation he has, to a
 certain extent, lived down, and since
 the serious illness of 1871, that threat ened his life, he has become, in fact, the
 first gentleman of England if not of Europe
 Tactfulness may be called the chief characteristic of Great Britain's new sovereign He has possessed it to such a degree that even on his taking up the duties of his sovereignty it is very doubtful If the most intimate advisers of the late queen know what is his poll itics, or if he has any for that matter, so close-mouthed has he been Never by any public pronouncement has he permitted his future subjects to know what were his views on the various po- litical questions that agitated them. Yet he has managed to avoid offence to any of the factions in which the Eng fish nation is divided.
 He has by the same policy avoided any complications in international politics, and, save for the marked preference he has shown for the society of Americans, his preferences in international affairs are hardly more than to be guessed at. Certainly there Is no public record on which to base an assertion that he fa- vors this or that policy. So he ascends the throne man bound to no expressed policy, with hands unfettered, and free to act as he thinks best for the good of the great nation he is called on to rule. He is thus unique parsonage.
 There has been no Marlborough House clique, politically, and so, as far as is known publicly at least, he has no friends to reward or enemies to punish. Yet he is said to be a man of pro- nounced political views and with we'll defined policy that he has quietly out lined while patiently awaiting the event that has now called him to the throne.
 Born at Buckingham Palace, No- vember g, 1S41, the eldest son of Victo- ria and Albert started out in life bur- dened with fewer names than it Is usu- ally the fate of such royal personages to bear, as he was named only Albert | Edward Less than month after his birth he was by patent created Prince 1 of Wales and Earl of Chester. To these | titles were afterward added string of score or so. Educated by private tu- tors on plan outlined by his father, he later studied for time at Edin- burgh and later at Christ church, OK ford, and at Cambridge as well.
 Then followed a period of travel in Europe and the east, followed by the trip to Canada and America in 1860. | This latter was undertaken under the guidance of the Duke of Newcastle at | the instance of the Prince Consort, who did not altogether approve of the sort of life the heir to the throne was living, | nor the companions he sought among the eilded youth of the time.
 That tour was, in fact, triumphant one for the lad. His receptions in Can ada and this country alike were enthu- siastic in the extreme. Chicago, Wash- ington, Richmond, Philadelphia, New York, Boston and Portland, Me-, alike extended to him a most cordial well come. He was constantly feasted and feted. President Buchanan and his of ficial family made him more than well come. The like courtesies extended elsewhere laid the foundation for the liking he always entertained for Amer jeans.
 After this trip here he made a tour of Germany, Italy and the Holy Land in 1862, with Dean Stanley as his mentor A year later he was married to AleXan- dra. daughter of the Danish prince, who eome months later became King Chris tian TX. On her mothers side Alexan- dra was descended from George II. of so that she was related to him. The wedding ceremony was per formed in St. Georges chapel, Windsor, March 10, 1863.
 The year following his marriage the prince visited Denmark Sweden and Russia. Still later there were trips to Egypt, Turkey, the Holy Land, Greece 1 and other Mediterranean countries. The continuation of his experience as a { traveller was the trip to India in 1S75-6, l for which parliament voted grant of one hundred thousand pounds. This was made in the warship Serapis, and l Is said to have cost the nation upward I of two hundred thousand pounds before all the bills were settled. Six children were born to the Prince ' of Wales, four of whom are still living, I the eldest and heir to the throne of his l father, being George Frederick Ernest | Albert, Duke of York, and father of ly four children, three sons and a daugh- er. Other living children of the prince Ire the Duchess of Fife; Maud, wife of Charles of Denmark, and the unmar- ,;o5 Dr;poocc Victoria TJ;e, oIdost eoy, n