Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-06-21

better enable the American reader to
understand the true position Of the SOW
ereign In the British monarchy .han by
slightly paraphrasing a description
which / wrote five years ago on Inc
subject in a work which had the good
fortune 10 be The last book OF the kind
which was read 20 Queen Victoria who
was very much pleased with It. ! re-
publish 10 at the special request OF the
present king. Edward VII, who com
municated to me his opinion that no
writer had ever more accurately de-
scrIbed the actual working Of ,he mod
ern monarch In the modern state.
The true theory Of the position OF the
king can best be understood by imagIn-
ing the realm and all rs dependencies
as a great newspaper owned by a myr-
ad stockholders, who include all the
subjects OF his majesty at home or over
sea OF these stockholders, a small mi-
nority, exclusively male, and resi-
dent solely In Great Britain
and Ireland, have voice In the
direction OF the policy Of the whole
vast concern Stockholders meetings
which must be held once in seven years
aud which, as matter of fact, have
been held nearly 20 times IN the course
OF the last 90 years, have power TO elect
an editorial council OF COO odd menu
bers, which sits about seven or eight
months In the year.
The Realm, however, comes out
every day, and the stan by which II ls
produced have duties which cannot De
intermltted, The permanent edltorshlp
Of the great organ Of national opinion
Is vested In the hands Of the king who
IL, however forbidden TO write any
leading articles or to dictate the policy
OF the paper, The actual work OF writ
Ing the leaders and providing for the
news editing or sub-edlting OF the lm-
pcrlal news-sheet IL entrusted to tenn
porary editor, who, as a rule, IL
changed after each stockholders meet
Ing.
The permanent editor has the sole
right OF nominating his temporary adj
junct, limited by the condition that he
must be a person who commands the
confidence OF the editorial council elect-
ed by the stooks olders When he has
nominated him, he must submit 20 the
sovereign the names OF all those TO
whom he proposes to give stan appoint
ments. To each " these the permanent
editor can, II he pleases take exception,
and to his objections the Temporary edi-
tor must listen respectfully. He Is not
bound 10 respect the permanent edi-
tors objection, but for the sake OF
peace and good working he finds Il, as a
rule, better not to persist In nominating
anyone 10 whom the king has a strong
antipathy.
After he has completed his staff he Ii
allowed TO edit the Realm on his own
lines, provided that he can keep his
stan IN harmony with his own views
But each OF the more important heads
OF departments has opportunity OF per-
sonal access 70 the permanent editor
and he has unlimited opportunity of
communicating either with the stan as
whole or with individual members
Whatever he says must be listened TO
respectfully. Every memorandum he
sends round must be read by every
minister; there II no limit to his llber-
~ OF Initiative IN council, or objection,
Wholesale or detail, 20 every important
measure OF the administration. No de
cision of the cabinet II valid unless APP
proved by him; he has right 10 have
everything explained to- him; every dis
patch OF any importance 900 In one
year II might bells sent to him, and
nothing Is concealed from him
II is obvious what powerful position
the permanent editor occupies, The
mere right to be consulted. end have
the opportunity Of inspiring the tenn
porary STAFF, gives him a position Of
influence In the conduct Of the admin
istratlon immeasurably greater than
that Of any temporary editor
But fhis is by no means all. The per-
manent editor by the mere fact OF be-
Ing permanent, speedily acquires a
prestige, an influence, and a store OF
experience which makes him more than
4 match for any OF the temporary SANS
which run the Realm for periods of UNI
certain duration. The same perma-
hence OF office enables him to commu-
nicate conhdentially with otngF perma-
nents whether In Germany, Austria or
Russia, In a way that II impossible TO
those outside the royal caste.
In the case Of the late queen, this In
nuence amounted 20 "a maximum in
the case of Edward VII II is. OF course,
reduced 10 almost a minimum. owing
10 her long continued service and I'M
rivaled experience, she had before she
died acquired position where influence