The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-13
THE NEWS FROM LONDON

HE NEWS FROM LOINDOlN London, December 12-A high tariff on American heiresses-this is the latest sug- gestion for the relief of my fair, pluto cratic country women, who under exist ing conditions, are unable to compete in the matrimonial market where dueal strawberry leaves are for sale, with the daughters of the mining landed, railroad, and banking barons of the states. our redoubtabe Joe" is entreated to take It up and incorporate it in some way in his great fiscal scheme for the consideration of the empire. The thing is not as inn possible as it may appear at the nrst blush. There was time, and not so very far back either, when one Of the titled nobility dying, the heir had to pay a tax in proportion to the dignity of the title. It is believed that a modification of this old law can be made so that the young or old dukes, marquises, earls, lords and barons who marry the daught- CTS of American millionaires shall be com pelled to give up big percentage of the fortunes they receive. In other words, the idea is to enact a graduated matrl- monial income tax to be paid by every aristocrat who seels his name and title in the American heiress market. do not see why it would not work all right.
 
 Labouchere thinks something must be done To the columns of Truth he admits the following poem on the subject Here what is our Lord High Protector
 about,
 Thus to suffer this dolorous scandal? Why doesn't he bring its iniquities out,
 And ban it with bell, book, and candle? On the dumping of dolls he's had plenty
 to say, alfs,
 And of clocks, and pearl buttons, and
 crowres;
 But yet he's been silent for day after day
 On this infamous dumping of dowries. If all dumping be wrong, only think, if
 you can,
 What the Yankee progenitor collars When he dumps on our shores, by his
 farsighted plan
 All these brides with their millions of
 dollarsl
 Where's the chance of our lasses if i'm
 ported ones
 Are like this on our market projected: How can English girls hope to get noble
 mems sons
 Unless they are duly "protected?"
 
 queer story of a feud between squire and parson reaches me from a village in the west of England. The parson cares for the bodies as well as the souls of his parishioneers, and he was largely respon- sible for an outcry against the unsanitary condition of the village, which resulted in the squire being put to considerable expense for it's improvement. The squire manifests his disapproval of the clergy mans conduct in a singular manner He does not absent himself from church--on the contrary, he makes point of attend- ing regularly, and insists upon reading the lessons. What he does is to affront the parson by leaving the church in the most ostentatious manner the moment the sermon is about to commence. To sleep during the sermon has always been a squirarchal privilege If was, I think, a privilege exercised by Sir Roger de Cover lev, who made up for his own somno- lence by insisting upon everybody else remaining awake. For the squire to make a practice of walking out of the church before the sermon is, however, a very different atter, and I can understand the misgivings that arise as to the effect of this example upon the rest of the con gregation. His Majesty is to shoot next month at Castle Rising. near Lynn, with Lord Far quhar The King will probably pay visit also to Lord James of Hereford at Brea- more House, near Salisbury, in which l case the Duke and Duchess of Devon- | shire and Lord and Lady Burton will be included in the small house party invited to meet him there Breamore is the late Sir Edward Hulse's pretty old place. which Lord James has occupied during the last two years. The estate, which is well wooded, affords first-rate partridge l and pheasant shooting Lord James was l previously the tenant for several years of Ferne, Sir Walter Groves place. near l Shaftesbury but removed to Breamore on that domain being sold, with the estate. to Colonel Charlesworth, who was for some years M P. of Wakefield.
 The engagement of Princess Alice of AL 1 bany and Prince Alexander of Teck Is a l genuine love match Prince Alice could l have made a very much better marriage. | both as regards position and money. in | Germany. The story, however, that there l was a project of marriage between Prin- | cess Alice and the German Crown Prince | was a pure invention. It was another i of the Royal family of Prussia | who was al her feet. Princess Alice will ! have fortune of oyer f100,0OO i as the Duke of Saxe-C -Coburg- Gotha is amply provided for. and will now take | only a moderat share of the settled funds, | n which his mother has a life interest l Queen Victoria made an adequate pro- i, vision for the Duchess of Albany and her and Prince Leopold left fortune | ,f over S20O,OO0 to his widow.
 An American paper has published a list ,f European aristocrats" who were suit ,rs for the hand of Miss Goelet This in- dudes five peers, all of whom have been married for considerable time. and the ,ldest son a peer, who only came of age , few weeks ago; also Prince Henri rOrleans who has been in his grave for several years; and the Grand Duke Boris if Russia, with whom Miss Goelet could | ,nly have contracted a morganatic mar 'iage Why the Duke of Roxburghe