New-York tribune., 1905-05-31
KA1sER's JAPANESE GUESTS

KAISERS JAPANESE GUESTS
Berlln's court officials at their wits' ends in
connection with the difficulties on the subject of
the precedence TO be accorded at the Crown Princes
wedding festivities to the imperial Japanese Prince
and Princess Arisugawa The prince, falling the
Crown Prince and his two baby boys. stands next
in the line OF succession to the throne Of Japan.
Yet the Russian imperial family will not hear OF
the prince and princess being 'assimilated to them
az any court function, and lot OF the minor Ger
man royalties have adopted analogous attitude
The same thing already occurred at the time OF
the opening OF the Paris Exhibition OF 1900 Prince
Kinin Kotohito another member of the reigning
house OF Japan, entitled TO the predicate OF i'm
peT4al highness' and in the line of succession to
ihs crown, delegated by the Mikado to repre-
sent him at the ceremony. The Russian govern
EnslL !ntlnated to President Loubet that under
circumstances could It permit Prince Kinin 10 be
'assiniated TO any OF the members Of the Russian
imperial house at the ceremony Indeed. the Rus
sian government intimated that unless its wishes
we're deferred 10 in the matter no grand duke or
grand duchess would be allowed to attend the in
RUgUraGon-
The French authorities without warning Prince
KiniR Of their Intentions waited till the day of
the ceremony. and then, when the imperial japanese
prince arrived conducted him TO the tribune Of the
o1icial ladies and gave him a seat between the
wife of the President of the Senate and Nine.
WEideck-Rousseau. wife of the Premier, point
Ing out that France the country par excellence Of
chvalry. could not possibly honor him more than
By seating him beside these two ladies. Prince
Kinin said nothing but when he noticed that three
d the Russian grand dukes and all other royal
and imperial princes present were seated the
platform beside the chair of state reserved for the
President. and from which he had thus been ex-
cluded. he waited till the strains of the Mar
seIlalse announced the arrival OF the chief magis
trate Of France, and, bowling low TO the two ladies'
whom he perfectly well knew had strictly speak
Ing, no official status took his departure then and
there without greeting taking notice OF any
one else and went of by the first train TO Calais
and England without bidding farewell TO the Presi-
dent or 10 any OF the French authorities, by whom
he considered that he himself alone but likewise
the imperial family OF Japan. had been grossly af-
fronted. The Mikado took the view, and no
where is more bitterness felt against France than
at the Court of Toxic. n circumstance which it is
wel 10 bear in mind In considering the condition
OF affairs IN the far Orient
Prince Kinin has since achieved considerable 7ia-
tincton as the leader of the mounted forces of
Japan in the present with Russia He is a
sturdy. thick-set. short-legged little fellow Of ab
DreV1ated stature. who has on several occasions
Deen portrayed IN the illustrated papers with a
very tall and very spare English general Sir Ian
Hamilton, the contrast between the two present
Ing q very funny spectacle
Emperor William does not wish to offend the
members Of the reignirg house Of Russia esns-
oislly now, when they have been overtaken nv,
evil days On the other hand he does not desire
TO be dScourteous TO the self-invited guests from
'@PaI WAAe' 10 make matters worse, the Russian
grand dukes and grand duchesses who figure so
extensively among the near relatives Of the futl,ra
crown Princess. have learned no lesson since 1q0a
ana are just as contemptuOus about the preten-
slons OF the reigning house Of Japan as ever Al
together the situation is ono which is taxing the
Ingenuity OF even so clever a man as F.fnnsror
William.
ENGLANDs SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Every now and again one hears in the dispatches
from abroad OF tho Right Hon Aretas Akers
douglas in conneSuon with his duties as Secretar-,
oI State for the Home Department In England Fe,It
although he holds one Of ths most important offices
N The adhlinis5rauon constituting as he does
IN his persNn the only supreme court of criminal
appeal in the United Kirgd as we'll s heinz, the
sole channel through which municipalities and
Plolc bocles can approach the sovereign, Yet there
is 10 English statesman about whom less is known
personally outside Of the precincts Of Parliament
He Is silent. reserved man. and the Impression
created by his manner and by his reticenoe is aug
mented by his somewhat hard. unapproa cha ble
appearance. Yet IN spite OF his apparent coldness
and his way Of glaring at acquaintances without
the slightest token OF recognition when he hap
pens to be absorbed, there is man reckoned bet
ter company in the smoking room, or who is more
welcome and entertaining guest at a shooting party
possessing a wealth Of anecdote and a fund Of
hurnor all the more amusing owing TO the serious
Of its source.
IN addition to being the Home Secretary, he IS
organization Of the Conservative machine, a task
for which he IS particularly well fitted by the ex-
perielce which he obtained during the years that
he spent AS the whip OF his party. the whip be-
ing The one Of all others responsible for whip
ping his fellow members into line, and 10 that
'coute que ccUte" sufficient number OF them are
always on hand for the divisions.
There is another feature. too, OF his work which
would 90 Ear 70 develop cynicism and bitterness
IN any man OF less evenly poised character. 1t IS
through kim that the ambitions Of reach the
Premier and the sovereign, through him that peo-
PIE who are yearnng for knighthood. for baronet-
ces and for peerages are obliged TO make their
applications and 10 put forward their claims, and
considerable force OF mind and OF self-Testraint
IS necessary 20 deal with the discomfort Of
many OF those who are disappointed In
their aspirations, and 10 resist the Influences
q very conceivable character that are brought 10
bsar upon him 81 connection with the efforts TO
attain these honors Akers-Douglas IS a rich man.
owning beautiful place in Kent, and another coEn-
Try seat in Scotland. In the natural course Of
events ne VIII wind Up his career in the House OF
Lords, being Of that kind Of timber which constl-
tutes the very best material for the construction
OF the upper chamber OF the British national leg
islature namely the combination Of the high bred
high prfnctpled weli-to-do English country gen
uernen with the experienced man Of the world
ToT1