The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-10-09

ter and toward the Dutch people is that OF
a woman of much strength OF character.
for, after having during long number OF
years welded supreme power and occupied
the first place in the land, ii was no easy
matter to suddenly surrender both power
and place, to withdraw TO the background
and to submit TO the royal command and 10
the sovereign pleasure of ones own child
and imperious, high-tempered child at
that.
one cannot refrain from a certain ten
dency TO criticise Queen Wilhelmina for
thus leaving her mother In the background
and apparently neglecting her Perhaps
however, il is not her fault, and that the
Queen mother herself insists upon holding
aloof from everybody and everything.
Whatever the truth may be In TINS paru i
regent is acting with dignity and sagaclty
which cannot fail to still further increase
the good opinion which she has won for
herself both in Holland and abroad. and
which is contributing, no doubt. TO the nap
piness of her daughters marriage and TO
the success of the young Queen : reign.
How difficult ii Is 10 play role SUCH as
that of the Queen mother of the Neither
lands is shown by the case OF the mother OF
the late Queen Victoria. This princess was
not even a queen much less a regent. The
only authority that she had ever exercised
had been over the members OF her immedi-
ate household and over her daughter. And
yet when the latter assembled the throne as
Queen Victoria. she bitterly resented the
change in the respective positions or mother
and child. and did not hesitate TO pour the
most doIefuI complaints about the matter
to anyone who was willing 10 listen 10
them She resented the refusal Of her
daughter to submit any longer to her direc-
ton; she was mortified at the idea or nav
ing 10 yield obedience TO the young Queen
and TO follow in her rear and especially
strong was her bitterness at the failure or
Victoria 10 ask her advice about matters
of state or court, or to follow her recon-
mendati when these We're given unasked-
Nor could Queen Victoria be much
blamed for her mother had shown herself
so harsh, strict and imperiOus to her daugh-
ter throughout the latter's girlhOod as TO
reDeatedly entail strongly worded protests
from he other members Of the royal fam
ilv notably from old King William, who
actually went 20 the length OF threatening
his sister-in-law. the Duchess OF Kent, 10
deprive her OF the guardianship OF her child
unless she treated il with more kindness.
Even the warmest friends Of the duchess.
or rather those most indulgently disposed
toward her, were compelled 10 admit that
she rendered her daughters childhood one
of much and needless misery, but endeGN-
Ored TO excuse her by declaring that she
allowed herself To be influenced In the mat
ter by her master OF the household, Sir
John ConrOy, whom her enemies declared
TO be secretly married 10 her. and who was
| an object OF such intense aversion 10 the
| Young Queen that as soon as ever the latter
aseended the throne she dismissed him from
/ an his offices court. well as from her
/ mothers household. and made no secret OF
| the fact that she regarded him as worthy
/ OF dire disgrace
| a few months hence Queen Christine Of
| Spain Will in the same way be called upon
10 step down from the throne and to sur