New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-08-22
KING AB0LISHES FEES
Recipients Of Honors No Longer To
BE Mulcted By Greedy Officials.

King Edward has Just brought about reform
which the late Queen, her husband. the Prince
ConEort, and others had siriven in vain TO accom-
plish, namely. the abolition OF the system OF fees
eXacted from the recipients of honors and distnc-
tons. and just before he left England the Con
unent, after securing the cooperation of Parlia-
ment, OF the Treasury and OF the Royal College Of
Herads, he caused official notification to be is
sued announcing that from henceforth men who
are rewarded Tor services to the crown and to the
nation by means of peerages. baronetcies and
orders OF knighthood. will not be called upon TO
pay for the game
These fees have been OF the most extortionate
character the greater part of the money thus col
Iected going into the pockets, Of the Treasury
but of various officials who from time immemorial
had been accustomed TO look upon the fees
their perqusites.
It IS the of Field Marshal Earl Roberts
which brought matters TO a crisis. On his return
10 England after the Boer war. he received from
queen Victoria, in recognition OF his victories.
earldom and the Order of the Garter. He paid
without murmur the several thousand dollars
worth of fees required Of him in connection with
the grant OF the earldoR but when he asked
FOR sums amounting TO IS 00o more in fees payabls
for his knighthood Of the Garter. he baked. and
refused 10 pay another penny. declaring that he
could not afford il In the Of time the mat
ter was brought 70 the ears IF the King who had
meanwhile come TO the throne. and he did the only
thing that there be done under the cir
Treasury should relieve the gallant veteran Of
all liability in the matter. At the same time he
inumated that it would be well for the Treasury.
before it betrayed the amount of the fees. 10 in
auire into the whole system OF the latter
The Treasury thereupon took the matter IN hand
and called upon all officials who had been in the
habit Of exactins fees prove their legal rights to
the same which of they have been unable to
do, the system being based usage rather than on
statute While this investigation was in progress,
Lord Knollys, the Kings private secretary. having
been raised TO the House OF Lords as a reward for
his thiry-nve years OF devoted service TO his maj
esty. was called upon 10 pay the big feesJn con-
necton with the creation Of his peerage. Now.
Lord knolys is very far from being rich man,
and when the King heard of the demand made
upon him. he at once gave orders that the fees
should be remitted; that the investigation begun
by the Treasury should brought to a close by
the abolition Of the entire system which he rightly
declared had developed into a shameful abuse. This
has now been done, and the only sufferers by the
universally commended reform those greedy
officials who fer generations. nay. for hundreds Of
years. have fattened upon the often scanty purses
OF valued and veteran servants of the crown.
Prior TO Earl Roberts. the only dignitary VINO
had ever ventured to protest TO the sovereign
about this form OF extorton was the late Arch
bishop OF York. In his case the fees his pro-
motion to the primacy amounted to nearly $1,000.
comprising among other extraordinary items, 500
for gloves TO the members Of the chapter Of the
Cathedral OF Canterbury, $50 for the soyeregn's
Sentlernar-oI- Ihe-cellar, 80 Tor the sovereign
chief cook and so the "sovereigns barber"
When il only bishop instead of arch
bishop who appointed. the ttular barber con-
tented himself with a fee Of merely s. Arch
bishop Magee. OF York, used 70 declare that what
was so tresome about these fees was that they
we're mostly exacted in small sums. conveying the
impression 10 the victim that he had paid even
more thar had really been the case.
II this archbishop who on being re-
ceivsd in audience by the late Queen. 20 pay his
homage his elevation 10 the priraacy. remarked
TO her majesty, Ma am you are tie only official
person whom have seen since my nomination who
has not asked me for a fee and sfterward when
he preached his first sermon as archbishop in the
minister Of York he took az his text the verse in
the New Testament which describes how "a GER
tain man went down from Jerusalem 10 Jericho ard
fell among thieves.
This fee system has been by no means confined
10 England II likewise prevails on the Continent
and the late Prince Bismarck is on record as re-
fuzing 10 pay the fees Of 81. 900 demanded OF him
IN connection with his appointment TO the Order OF
the Golden Fleece conferred upon him by the late
King of spain, who ultimately paid the fees him
self while the old chancellor also declined 70 pay
the fees demanded al Berlin in regard TO his
creation as Duks ot Lauenburg. honor which
owing TO Prince Herber- Bismarck taking up the
same attitude has now lapsed.