The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1902-06-07
Growing Eing Edward
MediaeUai Coronation Pageant,yin the Zuea-
tieth Century.


tieth Century.
Il u Ew YORK, May 31.-From
"a monarchial point of view, the
IN most important event in this
second year of the new century
D will be the coronation Of Edward
VII, king Of Great Fritain and Ireland,
defender of the faith and emperor of In
dia. The British dominions beyond the
seas also fit somewhere into the official
title of this fortunate potentate, who,
unlike the majority of his predecessors,
has few or none of the responsibilities Of
government, and at the same time holds
one OF the most exalted offices in the
world. Before him as ruler kneel more
millions Of human beings, inhabiting
more varied climes, speaking more d.
verse languages, Worshipping at more
numerous shrines, than ever before knelt
to mortal man. His ships Of war are on.
every sea-; the revi1e of his bugles, the
morning beat Of his drums sweep around
the globe from continent to continent,
through fortress guarded islands in all
the oceans. Under the far Northern star
and deep down below the Southern cross
are his territories to be found, In the
centers of civilization and in the jungles
of barbarisn, in the regions. of almost
eternal ice and in those of perpetual
sunshine. In one the snow never departs,
in the other it is never seen. That SO
vast portion Of the earth's surface
should be under the sway of little speck
of land, which lacks the productive pow
er to supply food for its own population
during more than a few months at the
utmost, is one of the marvels of human
government, or from another point Of
view, nnisgovernment. All these vast ac-
QUESTIONS are the result of more than
n of ,fr y0y1G rfctc nf
action. Countless generations have toiled,
thought, fought, died to build up this
mighty fabric in comparison with which
Rome with all it's vassal provinces was
but in area what a modern. dncal estate
is to one of the three geographical divi-
Sions Of Great Britain. 80. '7,'.. I'D
Not astonishing, or matter for surprise
therefore, is it that a majority of the
English people should tenaciously cling to
institutions, hold fast to precedents and
preserve traditions under the operation
and in the pursuance of which so magnifi-
cent a sovereignty has been won, so
much power and prestige, and what is
called glory achieved. The foundations Of
them all were laid in the morning of their
history as a race and nation. They
are typified in some of the most splendid
monuments and works of art that man
has made, lauded by historians and poets,
and hallowed by the highest and humblest
teachers of spiritual truth. And above
all they sink as deep into the loyal Eng
lish heart as do the Wanted English oaks
strike down their roots into the generous
English soil. AS the one resists the light
ming and the gale, so does this spirit of
; 9gsastloaai rsyeFeEse for the past proudly
change and innovation, and refuse to be
moved from it's moorings. While we may
NOS sympathize with the outward mani
Hesitation of this adherence to forms and
symbols that centuries ago meant some
thing, and now really mean nothing, we
cam at least tolerate their observance and
perhaps point a moral from 1t. Human
sentiment is the child of human environ
ment, and no one may wholly escape
from it's influence. National characteris-
tics Gre as distinctly marked as are the
CONGREGATIONS of countries and continents
That which gives the keenest delight in
one place excites horror somewhere else
An object of reverence in one nation be-
comes source of ridicule the minute its
boundary line is crossed.
In this light the great majority of US
nave been reading for months past the
preparations which are being made for
the crowning of the Seventh Edward: It
is almost incomprehensible to US that so
practical, great and enlightened a people,
who with ourselves are in the van of the
most advanced line of progress, should be
turning back the hands on the clock three
or four centuries, and dragging into the
electric light Of this age the grotesque
and tawdry Imperial trappings, which
were in fashion one thousand years ago.
Why, we have been mentally asking, can
not our brethren of England dispense
with this comic opera ceremonial? What
is the use Of it? The, king is king al
ready He has been performing the part
he inherited many months, and, after all
that is said and done in the historic abbey
he will be no more of a ruler than he is
now With not particle more of au-
thority will he be invested after the most
.reverand lords spiritual have prayed for
him, preached at him, and given him here
and there a dash of holy oil. The pros
tration Of the lords temporal and the im-
print Of the kisses on their aristocratic, if
not very attractive LIPS, on the royal
cneeK Will not make II more pulssanr than
it is at present. Proclamation of obese
heralds, imposition of two or more anti
quated, uncomfortable and unbeco1ains
crowns, arraynient in cloaks, and ccpes,
tunics and stole, dalmatics and mantles
of conservation presentation Of arbs
spurs, sword and scepter, all of which he
will merely touch, and very sensibly, not
attempt to- stagger under up and down the
steps OF tbs throne, will not add to the
height or breadth Of his sovereignty by
an inch, make him dearer to his subjects
or his person more sacred in their eyes.
Why, we argue cannot this coronation be
shorn Of it's almost barbaric splendor-
tom foolery,'' Labouchere calls it-and
reduced to the simplicity and common
sense proportions of one OF our own pres
ldential inaugurations? IRIS ~ ~ n
Many of the ablest and most advanced
thinkers in England look at the coming
coronation spectacle through idconoclas-
tic glasses equally strong. they regard
monarchy as an anachronism and would
gladly see it swept away by peaceab Die
constitutional means, but the majority
of the English people are far from being
of this opinion--at least the governing
class If they do not consider 1T the
most important factor in the structure or
their governmental system, it is regarded
by them as asuseful and. perhaps, an es-
sentiar one. Stripped of all the oppres-
sive nrerogatives he once possessed, the
occupant of the throne is impotent to do
mischief and may sometimes do good. In
theory the king can do no wrong. AS a
matter of fact he would not be allowed
to do so were he to attempt 1t. Inc con-
sciousness that they have thus eonstltu-
tionally bridled and saddied their ruler
and, through parliament gwen nm - re aa.o
Nv set of masters in the persons OF the
ministers. reconciles the English people
to ROYALTY, so that the very weakness OF
the crown has become its greatest source
of strength George III. ruled for the
most part without the advice of his min
listers. Lord North, his prime minister
when the War Of the Revolution was be-
gun by the colonies. was an able man,
and had he been allowed to- pursue his
own policies might have saved the AMER
lean possessions, but the obstinate King
thought he knew better, made a cipher
of his premier, and paid the greatest ter
ritorial penalty in all history We're Ed
ward VII. to arrogate himself one-tenth
the power claimed by the third George