The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1901-11-30
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QUAINT ISLE OF MAN.
History and Customs of Land That
Made Hall Game a "Key."

Made Hall Caine "Key."
New York Commercial Advertiser.)
The news that Mr. Hall Game has
been elected key" by an over
whelming majority brings to mind the
curious anomaly existing in the Isle of
Man. This little island, which meas
ures only thirty three miles by twelve,
is a remarkable survival of feudal
days in the very center of the British
isles. Situated in the middle of the
Irish channel nearly equi-distant
from England. Ireland and Scotland,
the Isle Of Man has a separate exist
ence and is itself a little kingdom
whose ruler is the ruler of Great Brit
ain. When the ordinary Englishman
is asked what this isle is famous for
he will invariably answer its cats,
fact, there is an Indigenous breed of
cats without tails, and this unfortu
nate circumstance has caused the little
island to be regarded in a humorous
light which it's history and it's tradi-
tions i'll deserve.
The isle in the first period of history
was the stronghold of the Druids, and
when the Britons were driven into the
west of England it formed part of the
w GlSH hAHSuOIIl EIdIlJ III TIE lcllIll
century it was seized by the Vikings.
and in 1866 passed by sale from Nor
way to Scotland for the sum of 5000
marks. In 1888 it was seized by the
English, and Earl Salisbury was
granted complete royal rights over his
tiny domain. Soon after it was sold
to Sir William lie Scrope, whose deed
of purchase states that he bought of
William Montacute, Earl of Salisbury,
the Isle of Man, with the title of king
and the right of being crowned with a
crown of gold This owner, like many
mobiles of his time, soon after came to
the scaffold, and then the island passed
successfully to the Earl of Northum-
berland and Sir John de Stanley, the
latter of whom passed it down to
long line of descendants. For exactly
300 years the history of the Stanleys
was bound up with the Isle of Man, till
it passed to the Duke of Athol. In 1865
the British parliament obtained pro-
prietary rights, and in 1925 obtained
complete possession for the sum of
8416,0 600, a large sum when we con-
slider the small territory purchased.
The governVSnt of the island was.
up till 1866, more or less of an oil
garchy. There are three estates. the
governor, the council and the house of
keys or parliament, which together
constitute what is known as the Court
of Tynwald.
The council consists of the bishop of
Sodor and Man. the attorney general,
the receiver general, the two deem
sters or chief Justices made familiar
to the public by Mr.. Hall Gaines
writing; the clerk Of the rolls, water
bailiff, archdeacon and two Wears gen.
eral. There are twenty-four keys,
and up to 1866 they held office by a
unique method of filing up vacancies
by the self-election of others. In
1866. when the second reform agitation
was sweeping through Great Britain,
this was changed Hitherto on the
death of a key two nominations
were made, of whom the governor Sc
lected one, for the filling of the va
cant post Henceforward the house of
keys consented to become representa-
tive and they are now elected for the
period of seven years Mr.. Hall Gaines
election by a sweeping majority on
a more or less sOcialistic platform
shows that the doctrines of reform
hold wide sway in the little island, and
when a popular novelist becomes
politician outsiders may look for an
interesting denouement.
Not the least interesting feature of
the Isle of Man is the fact that it has
its own bishop, the bishop of Sodor,
appear to be the strong, broad, deep
statesmen of the kind that have built
the empire up to its present posi-
ton. The conservative party is in the
saddle over there with a powerful ma
jority, and that party. politically, ever
since the days of Lord Beaconsfield,
has always appealed 10 the lingo eIe.
nent of the people. The liberal party
seems to have gone all to pieces since
Mr. Gladstone's death. 1t is at present
divided against itself, a portion of it
being strongly imperiahstic in its
tendency, while a few of those old
followers of the grand old man." who
may be said to have learned their
politics at his knee, are seemingly at
tempting to awake without success.
the national conscience in relation to
the present South African situation
This sixtieth birthday of the king.
which is the first one he has celebrated
since ascending the throne, does not
ind his country in very happy con-
dition. Not only from military
standpoint has Great Britain shown
signs of weakness, but every day we
hear more and more of her losing her
commercial supremacy. No one who
takes passing interest as a spectator
of British affairs can help being struck
by these conditions, much as friend
of that country may dislike to- ac-
knowledge it. A Mr.. Gladstone. or
perhaps better still, at this juncture.
a Lord Beaconsffeld might be able to
pilot the British ship of state safely
on its course, but King Edward ap-
pears to be unfortunately situated in
having no such strong men at his
command at this time. The health of
the ruler, rumor says, is bad; the
health of the nation is visibly affecteS
by present conditions.