Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-23
RARE TRIBUTES PAID
White House Flag Half-Masted for
Victoria's Death.
SIMILAR ORDERSNEVER ISSUED BEFORE
Action Taken by the Senate and
House.
EXPRESSIONS OF CABINET

Formal notice of the queens death was
communicated by Lord Pauncefote TO the
President through Secretary Hay yesterday
l. afternoon. 1t contained the simple an
ncuncement of the fact OF death as sent to
the ambassador by Lord Lansdowne, the
British secretary of state for foreign af
fairs. Immediately afterward President
Mckinley sent the following message of
coincidence:
JANUARY % 1901.
His Majesty the King, Osborne House.
Isle of Wight:
Il have received with profound sorrow
| the lamentable tidings of the death of her
majesty the queen. Allow me. sir, to offer
my sincere sympathy and that of the Amer
| lean people in your personal bereavement
| and in the loss Great Britain has suffered
| in the death of its venerable and illustrious
sovereign, whose noble life and beneficent
| influence have promoted the peac and won
| the affection of the world.
civilian MCKINLEY"
Secretary Hay also cabed the following
| massage 10 Ambassador Choate at London:
| DEPARTMENT OF STATE. Jan. ~, 1901.
"ChOate Ambassador London: You Will
| express to Lord Lansdowne the profound
| sorrow of the government and people of the
| United States at the death of the queen and
| the deep sympathy We feel with the people
| of the British empire in their great afiiiction.
JOHN HAY
Official Flags at nalf-Mast.
For the first time in the history of this
| country the flags of the White House and
| executive departments were placed at half
| mast on the death of d foreign ruler. This
| mark of respect to Queen Victoria has
never before been paid under similar cir
| cumstances 1t IS said that this step was
| agreed upon by the cabinet. The White
| House flag half-masted shortly before
| $3.50 o'clock, while those on the departments
| were likewise placed about the same time.
While the cabinet in session, during
| the noon hour the President and his ad-
| .visers were in receipt from time TO time of
| all the news which came from Osborne
| House, so when the end came later in the
| afternoon 1t found appropriate messages OF
| coincidence framed and even orders ready
| for execution looking to the half-masting
| of the flags over the White House and
executive departments and the carrying out
of the usual formalities.
The actual dispatch of the messages from
| the President to the new King of England
and from Secretary Hay to Ambassador
| Choate was delayed only long enough to
receive the physicians statement announc-
| ing the demise Of the queen and then they
| were sent forward at once and copies were
| furnished to the press.
Comments of the Cabinet.
| Mr.. Hay Secretary of State, on being in
| formed Of the queens death, declined to
make a statement for publication, on the
ground that being under obligation to send
| an official message to the British govern
| meat on the subject, he did not feel called
! upon to make a further supplementary pri-
| waite statement.
| Attorney General Griggs said: Hers has
been a noble life. Whether she was greater
as a queen or as woman is hard TO say:
| Her influence upon society and individual
| character is beyond estimate or calcula-
| ton. 1t is rare that the personal worth OF
a royal parsonage equals in public estlma-
| ton the reputation that attaches TO the
| royal office; but great as has been the
glory of her political reign, her personal
sway over the manners, the morals and
hearts of men and women OF all nations mas
| given her a worldwide dominion. and
brings, for her death, an extent of pro-
found sorrow and mourning which COM
rIehends the whole civilized world.
Secretary Gage paid this tribute: The
death Of England's well-loVed queen closes
the happiest period in all her country's ex-
istence. Victoria was, by force of charac-
ter, conspicuous in molding the life and
tendencies of the English people during her
cause of her personal qualities, purity Of
mind and integrity of character. She was
endowed with clear and independent
judgment which early won the profound
respect of her official advisers and the love
of her countrymen. This respect and love
| have increased the years have gone by.
A sovereign under the theory of Divine
right, she was in reality the head of
highly democratic state. Her sympathies
We're toward the people The people recog-
nized the fact and repaid her with a gener-
Gus and loving confidence.
"To few on earth has 1t been given so to
guide the unfolding destinies of a mighty
nation. She will live in the hearts of the
people wherever the English tongue is
spoken, good woman, wise ruler, and
a worthy eXemplar for all who may be
clothed with political responsibility, wheth-
er under the democratic or aristocratfc
forms of government: The greatest lau-
- hnr raiO iphf yyal1 We ha he
in mind when he wrote:
q IT'S only noble to be good;
Kind hearts more than coronets'
Mr.. Long, Secretary of the Navy, re-
marked: Il feel the greatest respect for
Queen Victoria, both as the sovereign of a
mighty empire and a woman who has
borne herself with dignity through long
reign, and set example of a noble, de-
voted, pure and useful life
Mr.. Hitchcock, Secretary of the Interior,
expressed his sympathy follows: 1.-The
American people will deeply and sincerely
| sympathize with their kinsmen across the
| sea in their irreparable loss of devoted
| sovereign. whose pure and gracious per-
sonality and illustrtous reign have so album
dainty blessed the people of her great do
| minion, and have contributed SO effectively
to Christian civilization in every quarter
of the world
Postmaster General Smith pronounced
this eulogium: ''She has been a model
queen and model woman, and her death
world"
Mr.. Wilson, Secretary Of Agriculture.
said: "she has been a good. exemplary.
Christian woman, and one of the wisest
rulers Great Britain has had"
Action in House of Representatives.
Another unusual mark Of the high appre-
citation Of the worth Of the deceased queen
was the action taken by the House of
Representatives in adjourning as a mark of
respect to her memory.
The news of the death of Queen Victoria
was received at the House early in the
afternoon, and for the time being was the
theme of universal discussion among men,
bers. Speaker Henderson had shown deep
interest in the queens condition, and the
first bulletin announcing her death was
taken to him in his private Office and to
Chairman Hit of the committee on foreign
affairs. Mr.. Hit conferred with his col
leagues as to the precedents in such cases,
and then framed brief and expressive
resolution of sympathy and respect to be
introduced in the HOuSe LATER For time