Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1902-06-24
GREATER CARES HAVE
AGED KING EDWARD
FrivoIity Largely Laid Aside and He Takes an
Interest In Affairs of State.

morning. The pale blue eye of her old
friend rested coldly on her for mo-
ment. and then his majesty went on
drinking the waters as unconcernedly
as If no Rejane had crossed his
path, either at that moment or in the
old days in the green-room Mt the
Paris vaudeviile. The actress was
crushed and went back to her hotel
despondent. Presently word arrived
from the king begging politely that
he might have an interview with her
She went to the royal lodgings forth
with and was greeted by his majesty
like an old friend whom he was glad,
indeed, to see after many years. Ac-
, cordlng TO the story which p,lrports to
come from a member of the suit who
was present, the erstwhile prince pro-
cceded to say, as he handed small
jewel case to the actress: "Alow me
| to offer you this in remembrance of the
prince of Wales and the delightful
| evenings he spent in the vaudeville of
Paris And now be assured that the
king of England will never fail to he
present with her majesty the queen at
the representations he hopes you will
give in London for the pleasure of us
all" The gift was a modest ring.
1t would be interesting to know If it fig-
llred on the sprightly Frenchwoman's
finger last week when his majesty went
to see her play MA Cousine" at Mrs.
/ I.nnptl.y's thnnfin 'ho l.,
way did not accompany him. ''Zaza"
was the play billed, and the change
was made at the last moment at his
maiestys request
Since his accession Edward VII has
been kept almost as busy as if he
but it Is an odd fact that hs manifold
public duties correspond more closely
to those of presidents wife whenever
she happens to be n woman with social
gifts. Serious consideration of govern
ment affairs, the preparation of an oc-
cnsional veto, the writing Of any Other
than purely formal messages to the
makers. the shaping of national
policies and the welfare of political
parties are matters that only nomin-
ally concern the king. lie may not
even by the slightest sign manifest
more interest in one political party
than in another. ANY open attempt on
his part at political rulership would
make trouble instanter unless the pol
Icy thus put forth were carefully
shaped IN accordance with the expressed
VIII of the people and even then
1t would be resented IL 1t happened
0ften. 1t is a queer state of affairs.
All sorts of high and mighty powers
or the king over the liberties of his
loyal subjects can be dug out of the
English constitution. In fact, you can
find almost anything in the constitu.
thorization of Il body that has come to
be known as the cabnet-a body which
| happens to have taken unto itself near
| ly all the functions of the executive.
The king does not even attend the
meetings of that body nowadays and
although he is formally consulted by
It's members, 1t goes without saying in
England lnat If they should have one
opinion about any matter of national
Importance and he should happen to
have n different opinion it would be
the king who would be overrued, for
the cabinet Is the concentrated voice
of the majority in the House of Com
mons, and the House of Commons is
supposed to be the concentrated voice
Of the majority of the people.
AS matter of fact, though, IL the
present king were an American politi-
clan he would be tcrsely described as
having his ear to the ground. He has
shown such lot of sense and tact In
political matters that, although as king
he has far less official political power
than n president has In the United
States, 1t is coming to be generally un-
derstood that simply as man who has
had extraordinary opportunities for ac-
quiring political wisdom his opinions
are beginning to carry more and more
weight To put it paradoxically Al
bert II. Victim has more to sav in the
actual government OF Great Britain
than Edward VII.
But when 1t comes to the manage
ment of society, the maintenance of
etiquet and the preservation Of national
dignity in forms, ceremonies, traditions
and titles, the king Is supreme. He
rules with strong hand and could be
arbitrary and dictorial if he chose with.
out finding any one who might
say him nay. He rules his social realm
! with u rod of iron, takes infinite pains
with 1t and shlrks none Of Its trying re-
sponsibilties. 1t is said that In ordi-
nary times he gets 5000 newspapers
and 1000 letters day, and since the
coronation preparations began thc let
tors have approximately doubled in