The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-01-24
"IoNG LIVE THE KING"

Albert Edward ascends the British
throne at an advanced period of life.
| What his personal characteristics are
and what his fitness for the exalted sta
ton to which his mothers demise lifts
him the British people well know. He
has stood in the full glare of national
and International publicity for the past
forty years, and has discharged the duties
which attach to his position as heir
apparent with degree of devotion, pa
tience and good sense which has won for
him the respect and esteem of his own
people.
1t is not, of course, to be regarded as
among the possibilities under the pre-
that the accession of the future king will
make any material difference in the
progress OF political events. The single
royal prerogative of naming the pre-,
vailing ministry passed away at the be-
ginning of the last century; and under
Albert Edward, as under Victoria, the
course of public events will go on undis-
turbed by the change in succession to the
throne What individual influence the
new sovereign may exercise on the
progress of events will be known only
perhaps to those charged Immediately
with the conduct of the government It
is not to be supposed that that influence
will be nil. On the contrary it will re-
main perhaps undcfinable in its opera
tion but none the less effective in many
directions 1t would be unreasonable to
expect less, so long as the sovereign is
concededly familiar with the interests
| of the nation over which he reigns and a
necessarily high degree of Difference is
paid to his individual views. Put as a
constitutional factor in the progress Of
events it is. of course, recognized that the
will of the ruling monarch in England
mas no visible influence.
The new sovereign is not distinguished
by any exceptional abilities in any direc-
ton. His position has excluded him from
active participation in the serious work
of imperial government He has shown
no special activity in any direction out
side of the discharge of the functions of
/ heir apparent He is, so far as the world
recognizes. neither soldier nor sailor,
! statesman nor diplomat; and may be re-
! garded as n sovereign who will willingiy
concede to the ruling ministry the abso-
lutte powers and responsibilities which
are theirs alone under the constitution.
His life has been a comparatively
blameless one when thought is taken
of the manifold inducements which his
station have offered to Indulgence in cx-
cesses in almost every direction. He is
accounted, in the language Of the day, a
good fellow. with well-defined demcc attic
/ tendencies in personal tastes and habits.
| He is, above all things, a man OF the
world; and his accession is of course not
for moment to be regarded as fruitful
! of possible great consequences, as may
be true for instance, in the case of his
! Russia and Germany. His reign will
/ doubtless be an entirely peaceful one, so
far as his personal influence can operate
on it. 1t will be a reign of progress, law
and order. and one, which, so far as
now may be judged by the personal dis
position of the new sovereign will be
protective of the rights and immunities
of the humblest one of his subjects.
I The queen is dead: and the world,
standing on the threshold of a new re'gn,
/ and knowing the coming sovereign Of
! Britain as an amiab;e, wen-meaning
gentleman in private and public life, will
sincerely echo the traditional refrain:
Long Live the King