The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-03-12

the Victorian era, and the great part
it played in shaping the history of
the nineteenth century, but Queen
Victoria's personality will receive no
higher eulogy than for its sympa-
thetic mOther1ness. The OCCupa-
tiOns of state force many titled
women to see less of their children
than most mothers do. But the royal
nursery of Great Britain was like
that of any other British household,
and the queen was lever happier
than when with her children. Even
when the little princes and Princesses
grew to manhood and wOmanhOOd,
and became important personages of
diplomatic Europe, she guided them
with the same tender devotion. Her
love for her children was shown even
with her last breath, for her dying
words were, "My son! J"
Queen Victoria reigned but did not
rule. The constitutional monarchy
duced the element of personal SOW
ereignty to a minimum. The ruler
of Great Britain is as much bound
to obey the law as the meanest of
her subjects. She could not inter
fere with the smallest court of jus
tice, and only on the advice of the
home secretary could she exercise
the royal prerOgative of mercy.
Although everything was done in her
name, the whole authority was exer-
cised by ministers who were alb
solutely dependent for their office on
the support of a majority of the
house of commons.
But no one could make a greater
mistake than to imagine that, be-
cause liberal constitutional conces-
sions deprived the queen of much
authority, she was, therefore, of no
Importance in the realm. She had
immense influence, because of the
opportunity of her position of coun-
selling, persuading, and, sometimes,
even cOercing her ministers to adopt
her views of Il question. She was
the balance wheel of the British con
stitutiOn, an extraordinary posi-
ton, due solely to her personal quail
tiles. The queen had a remarkable
mind, and an equally remarkable
memory. She took Il deep interest
in the affairs of her nation, but was
always careful to ascertain, before
advising, the facts of the case to be
dealt with. Her majesty was a vehe-
ment special pleader, tenacious in
argument, ruthless in pressing her
conclusions, and capable of a free
dom of expression which frequently
Jared the sensitive nerves of the
gentlemen she addressed. Her
plain speaking had behindi it the solid
backing of detailed information and
intense conviction. None cOnld doubt
her words, because she had all the
facts at her fingers ends, and it is
now said by the conservative papers
of Great Britain, that had the facts
GhdG ISu W IlG bOeT al DG6n COZ
rectly presented to her in her old age
the war would never have been
waged. This fact has lately been
noted in Success by no less an au-
thOrity than William T. Stead.
During her lifetime, Victoria wit.
messed the Transformation of the
world On the day of her birth,
May 81, 1919, the first steamboat
which ever crossed any ocean started
from Savannah to Liverpool. She
was six years old when the first rail
way train started to carry passen-
gers. She was eighteen and had Just
assembled the throne, when the Morse
system of t~elegraphy was patented.
Thirty-nine years of her life had
passed when the first cable was laid
under the Atlantic. Inner ffty-sixth
year: the telephone was first used.