Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1902-01-09
Ralph Strong Writes.

Capt. and Mrs. Strong OF this city,
who is now engaged in newspaper
work in Los Angeles, Cal. He holds
the position of city editor on the
Herald, prosperous daily there, and
with his letter encloses an interesting
article from his own pen on the bril-
liant fete in England soon to be
matter of history, viz the coronation
of King Edward. We reproduce the
piece herewith:
Within the last week Los Angeles
has found place in the polite worlds
gossip by having been the proud
source of coronation tid-bit. His
Grace, the Duke of Newcastle, who is
kodaking our green hills and mission
landmarks, has conided here his
hearts desire to stand on great King
Edwards right hand during the cere-
mony, and, at an opportune time, to
present glove to the monarch. His
grace has placed his application on
| file with the proper committee in Lon
don and the matter will unquestion-
ably be brought before the king.
! Since his grace of Newcastle pro-
poses to pay tourist rates in Southern
California during an extended stay,
and is constant patron of street cars
and camera shops, it would clearly be
ungracious not to join with him heart
and soul in his seemingly reasonable
am bition, even if we do not rise and
demand that the wish of so exalted an
aristocrat he obeyed as matter of
course. An American owner of the
Newcastle coal mines would probably
ask much more-a seat on the Kings
| foot stool, or the bill board conces-
sion along the line of march to West
minister Abbey.
| But if Edward VII and the commit
tee find that the dukes prayer cannot
be granted, for the sufficient reason
that some other peer has been assigned
the glove stunt and has already invest
ed his American wife's money in the
gift, it is hoped his grace may draw
prize approximating the one be covet-
ed-that he be permitted to stand on
the kings left hand and present his
liege collar button.
Calm and thoughtful contemplation
of the matter must inevitably lead, 1t
would seem to retrospective compari-
son of the splendid and spectacular
Inauguration of royal ruler to the
democratic plainness of a Republican
Inauguration. Do We as citizens and
taxpayers, get a fair run for our mon
ey in the sight of our president, shiv-
ering under March UMBRELLA, with
-, OOO-word manuscript in his hand?
| How much better have lot of pomp
and glory, and secondary honors for
the elect of the land to squabble for q
twelve month in advance. In defer
ence to the feelings of the anarchists,
the innovations need not all be at
tempted at once; change here and
there, every four years, would in a
few centuries give us something like
coming British event.
In humble good faith, then, this
suggestion is offered as an entering
wedge in the attainment of sumptu-
Gus mummery in our presidential &C
cessions: In that hushed and solemn
moment when Mr.. Roosevelt is about
to kiss the book, let DR.. Grover Cleve-
land of Princeton, standing on the
presidents right and arrayed in a
crimson cloak and long sword, hand
the ruler cheese sandwich.
These things, however are matters
of detail. What Southern California
from the derricks of McKittrick to the
tanks at Fullerton wants to know, is
this: Are they going to anoint the
king with oil? Reports from London,
emanating from rioualistic paper,
raise fear that this ancient proce-
dure may be omitted or curtailed.
The ceremony of amounting dates back
to a remote past. 1t is appointed
that amounting shall be made on the
hands, breast, shoulders and elbows,
and on the head last of all; but ac-
cording to the ancient rite the sover-
eign was anointed on the head only,
and the king may in the coming in
stance decide to return to the early
precedent. When good Southern
California oil is to be obtained at it's
present very remarkable price tt is
difficult to understand why the king
should be sparing in its use. Right
here in Los Angeles, it is safe to as
sumo, the Sons of st. George, would
willing subscribe to tank steamer
full, to be rushed around the horn and
! presented to the king for amounting
purposes, free of cost and carriage
paid Incalculable benefit to a local
industry would be attained. Instant
| lv California Oil wOuld attain a tower