The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-01-22

entirely through his own temper and
arrogance.
Had Count Wedel blown out his own
brains instead of fighting a duel with
the Prince, he would have acted far
more in accordance with the traditions
and ethics which prevail to this day in
Continental Europe about such affairs.
Indeed, TO such an extent has this
method of dealing with quarrels be-
tween royal personages and people OF
less illustrious rank been accepted as
the only solution of the difficulty, that
as soon as ever an officer belonging
to any royal encourage happens to
commit suicide, or even to meet with
accidental death. the tragedy is at once
laid al the door of some scion of a
reignng family, who is charged with
having rendered 1t necessary by sub
jecting the victim to some blow or
other indignity. In fact. there are few
princes of the blood who have not been
saddled, In most cases unjustly, with
the responsibility Of such tragedies,
and Ii may be remembered that when
few years ago young Lieut. Count
Won Hahnle, son Of Emperor Williams
most trusted general and chief OF his
military cabinet, was precipitated with
his bicycle down q precipice into a
raging torrent at It's foot, while coast
ing down a steep mountain path in
Norway, the press throughout the world
gave currency TO a story according
to which the young officer had re-
ceived on board the Hohenzollern a
blow from the Kaiser. of which he
was unable to efface save by suicide.
Yet the very fact that the bereaved
father, Gen. Won Hahnke, remained
for several years afterward at the
head of the military household of the
German monarch. and the most fav
ored member of his encourage, DEM
onstrates that here again the gossips
were wrong, and that the Kaiser was
in no wise to blame for young Hahnke's
death.
IN conclusion, It may be well to
point out that for some reason the
Prince consorts OF Queens regnant are
always unpopular in the land OF their
adoption. and subjected to the most
fantastic calumnies. which only re-
ceive the Importance of an official de-
nial. Thus. it may be recalled that
poor little King Francis Of Assist the
most inoifensive and harmless of men,
was popularity credited with having
instigated every one of the attempts
made upon the life of his wife, Queen
Isabella of Spain. Ferdinand OF Co
burg was the victim OF similar SLAM
ders as long as his wife, Queen Maria
Della Gloria of Portugal. remained
alive. and only managed to win the
good VIII of the Portuguese when.
long after her death, he contracted
a morganatic alliance with Miss ELISE
Hensler, of Boston. Prince Albert OF
Coburg. the husband of Queen Vie
torla, has been an object of kindly
feeling and appreciation only since his
death. Although a man Of blameiess
character. and of the most perfect tact
and chiValry, he was made the sub
ject of every conceivable attack by
the press, especially in the first ten
or fifteen years of his marriage The
London newspapers were never tired
of abusing him in the coarsest man
rer. His impeachment was suggested,
and even intrigues of an unsavory
character, and for which there was
not shadow of foundation, were laid
at his door.
Prince Henry of the Netherlands Is
merely undergoing the same expert
ence that falls to the share of every
Prince Consort. Perhaps he lacks the
judgment and the diplomacy which
enabled both Prince Albert and Prince
Ferdinand of Coburg to weather the
storm OF unpopularity. At any rate
he is deserving Of fairer treatment
than he has been receiving in the last
few weeks by the newspapers. and Il
VIII be well I'm future if the latter re-
ceive with a grain OF salt the stories
which come to this country concerning
him, bearing in mind that the very
fact of his being a German by birth
Is sufficient to render him an object
of suspicion and ill-will to the people
of the Netherlands