The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1901-01-23

mendous trial to Victoria. The killing and
manning of her troops has borne crush
| lngly upon her, and it is said that she
has thought Of nothing but war for
many months. The death of her grand
son, Prince Christian, proved a shat
tering blow to her nervous system. She
spent days after the event dissolved in
tears. However, she rallied from this
misfortune and regained her mental
and physical vigor. When Gen. Bull
Ter came home in November he ex-
pressed joyful surprise at the Queens ro-
bust appearance and sparkling quality
of mind. Even when Lord Roberts Wis
tied the aged sovereign two weeks ago
he found her intellectually alert and APP
parently physically well. Unfortunately,
the field marshal could not encourage
the fond dream in which she had begun
to indulge that the South African strug-
gle was at an end.
This mOurnful fact seems to have
pierced her despairing heart like a knife
Since the commander-in-chief's visit the
queen has withdrawn herself from all
save her immediate family and taken her
meals alone.
London Shocked by the News.
The news Of the Queens ill-health pro-
duced an indescribable shock throughout
London. 1t reached some of the princi-
pal clubs before it began to blaze upon
the bulletin boards of the half-penny pa
pers. Great politicians forgot all their
engagements in their feverish and pam
lckyv quest for authoritative information
The telephone bells in Osborne house
buckingham palace and Marlborough
house jingled necessarily, and anxious
voices inquired in vain:
us the Queen really ill?'
The same answer came monotonously
back:
I'VE have no information
On the throngs in the streets the omi-
nous news. feel Ikea funeralknell,T They
studied the newspaper bulletins and
sighed. They could be heard muttering
Perhaps it is not true"
These common people viewed the an
nouncement of Victora's illness as they
might have viewed the notice of an over
Whelming disaster to the British arms.
Serious Change for England.
While the nation unites in a prayerful
nope that its sovereign may rally this
tlme as she has so marvelously rallied
TWO or three times before, thoughtful
Englshmen are compelled to contemplate
the changes that must follow the worst.
When Victoria dies and Albert Edward
succeeds to the throne, monarchy in Eng
land will have received a severe blow.
The present generation has been brought
up with the Queen as the beneficent and
gracious head of the state. 1t is impossi-
bic to think of the British empire with
out the Queen. as its ruler. However ex-
cellent may be King Albert, he can new
er hope to occupy the position which
his mother has held for nearly siXty-four
years. He will. of necessity. follow in
her footsteps and will be unable to orig
mate anything startling in that govern
ment which people have grown to love
under the wise gliding of Queen Veto
ria. Sixty years precedent Is hard to
oh Al IL Il
though absent, will long direct the policy
of the British empire.
Although of late years the Prince of
Wales has done much to redeem his for
mer shortcomings, he scarcely embOdies
the raw material of a great ruler. What
ever vital energy he once possessed has
been expended during the long years he
has waited for his inheritance.
Great Influence of Victoria.
When the Queen dies, the greatest per-
sOnal influence of the age dies also. She
stands as the head of the great family of
European monarchs, and even those not
directly related to Queen Victoria have
always been accustomed, before they
came to their thrones, to see her seated
firmly at the head of the British empire.
To all European monarchs she has
been counsellor, guide and friend.
The Gar of Russia bears for
her the deepest and sincercst devotion.
Leopold of Belgium writes every week to
Victoria asking her advice, and the Ger
man Kaiser reveres his august relative
and is much influenced by her personal
wishes. Nobody expects devotion from
the Car or weekly letters from Leopold
or adQring devotion from the Kaiser
when Albert Edward ascends the throne
of England.
The Queen knows better than anyone
in INr.rn +hA 49,. 49, IL
diplomatic web which clogs the policies
of the nation. 1t is not expected that
the Prince of Wales can ever learn them.
He starts handicapped and his son will
be yet more handicapped and only the
Influence of the dead monarch can save
the situation.
Small Respect for Albert Edward.
Bad as will be the loss Of the Queen.
as regards Europe, it will be much worse
as regards the colonies. Her charm and
personal influence are among the strong
est of the silken bands of the empire,
and when they are gone who shall fore
cast the result? Instead of the Queen,
whom even the toughest bushman re-
vered and was proud of, England will
have as ruler, Albert Edward,
known throughout Australia as His
Nibs.' Everywhere in the colonies
hung in the homes of the colonists are
found portraits of Victoria. 1t is thought
that few would care to disply the likeness
of her majesty's eldest son. A great
Engishman said: WARS and dangers
of war sink into insignificance in com
parison to the calamity that would come
upon us with the death of our incom-
parable Queen"
Sinister Rumors.
The bulletin from Osborne house. is
sued at noon today. was posted at the
Mansion house at o'clock and attra cted
crowds of people whose faces sufficiently
attested their deep concern. The people
thereafter stood about in knots discuss
ing the bulletin and waiting further
news.
During the course of the afternoon sin
lister rumOrs commenced to circulate of
the death of her majesty, but at D. m.
Lord Edward Pelham-C Clinton, the mas
ter of the Queens household, telegraphed
to buckingham palace that the Queens
condition was unchanged since the noon
bulletin was issued
The Duke of COnnaught has been sum-
moned by telegraph from Berlin, where
he has been attending the Prussian BIZ
centenary celebration.
Berlin, Jan. 19.-It is officially an
nounced that owing to the serious illness