Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-03
Rulers Who Are Close to
Their Subjects in Spirit.
STORIES OF ROYALTY
EDWARD VII AND EMMANUEL III
ARE GOOD MIXERS.
Simple and transformations Habits of
! Franz-Joseph - Anecdote of the
Pope Revealing His Democracy.
Written for The star.

. w 49, AAAS ~>sAAASN~ Is
Written for The Star.
Did you ever stop to think that royalty
| itself is quite democratic these days?
All the time we Americans are reading in
the cable dispatches and in books and Pc
riodicals anecdotes illustrating democratic
traits in this king, that emperor, and this
heir to throne There's democratic Ed
| ward VII. Italian publicists are united in
proclaiming that Victor Emmanuel is sim
iarly close to his people in spirit. The
whole gamut of royal heads is run. with
the exception of kaiser. car and sultan
and 1t would seem that each nation takes
particular delight in heralding the simple
unaffected, democratic ways of the heir to
its own throne.
Surely, somebody ought to write a treatise
on the why and wherefore of the democracy
of Kings. AS for this article, it will con-
tain anecdotes and incidents which are
quoted in various European countries 10
prove to the world at large that their rulers
in fact and their rulers presumptive are,
at heart. real, simon pure democrats.
Democracy Of the Kaiser's Heir.
Heir of an emperor whose undemocratic
tendencies are frequently even more marked
than those attributed to the car by his Sc
verest critics, Crown Prince Frederick VIII
liam of Germany has been pleasingiy noteo
among Germans generally for his demo-
cratic ways since his student days at the
University of Bonn.
The crown prince entered Bonn in the
spring of 1901, and before long stories be-
gan to be circulated of his unostentatlous
carriage as a student. True, he Hved IN
magnificent villa, surrounded by house
bol1 Of blp nratenSiOnS. but his
way to and from the university he ever
had a ready smile for the citizens ana a
greeting for all who cared to converse with
him. Moreover. he entered into the spirit
Of the students life, and frequently made
Informal trips with many of them round
about the historic city.
One of these excursions led to the neigh
boring town of Godesburg. When the party
started to take the train back to Bonn,
they found all the frst-class carriage ac-
commodations taken and the rest of the
train packed with native travellers and
tourists. Several of the crown princes
companions appealed to the depot master,
who, as soon as he realized the situation
and was able to overcome his aStonlSh-
ment, offered to turn out forthwith some
of the frst-clasS passengers, in order to
make room for his emperor's heir and
friends.
But the crown prince would have none
of it. ''TfAy have paid for their compart-
ments he said land they are entitled to
them. But will you be SO kind as to get
some benches and chairs and put them in
the baggage car? 1t is cool in there, and
we shall enjoy the ride very much
The crown princes companions are au-
thOrity for the statement that he reveIed
in the unusual ride and put the baggage
officials at their ease by entering naturally
into conversation with them and trea ting
them as his equals in every way.
During the young mans recent soJourn
in Italy, where he daily saw his fiance UNI
til the royal parent ordered him home In
anger, he was remarked for his simple
bearing and genial good nature. Every
day he could be seen abroad unaccompa-
MED by even the semblance of retinue,
and his usual mode of going from point to
place was the rather natural and demo-
cratic one of walking.
Democratic Victor Emmanuel.
When Victor Emmanuel was a youth he
was in the habit of riding out in state with
his mother, while his father, the late King
Humbert, invariably endeavored to escape
from the auirinal by side door. The Ro-
mans. noting this apparent love of cere
mony in the Prince Of Naples, shook their
heads and declared that after Hunbert
there would be King of Italy fond of show
and a stickler for court etiquette. The
princes personality strengthened this i'm
preston; from boyhood he had seemed to
be of unattractive disposition, TO say
the least.
But he had not long been seated on his
throne as Visitor Emmanuel Ill before
the popular opinion of him underwent
complete revolution. On the occasion of
certain festival, one of his ministers
made long and pompous discourse before
him When he had finished the king
reached over, grasped his hand and said
heartily, THANK you" The courtiers
gasped-they had looked for a dignifed
speech befitting the royal station. AS sto-
ries of court life will, this incident got
nosed about, with salutary effect.
Again, the king soon made it known that
he did not approve of tedious and expensive
receptions, and further shocked the stick
lers for etiquette by doing away with all
state parade in his private life. And, as
he won the hearts of the populace by such
acts, SO he bound the celebrities to him by
abolishing at court balls the rule which
made it imperative on the part of the ce-
lebrities attending to take a turn on the
floor with the princesses and the ladies of
honor. In fact, since the enthronement of
Victor Emmanuel very few state balls have
been given, they coming under the royal
ban, along with other forms of pomp and
circumstance which have been associated
with royalty these thousand years and
more.
On the occasions when he is compelled
to officiate in his official capacity the king
does SO with an unostentatious bearing that
wins the good will of all beholders. Re-
Gently he was called upon to review the
Italian veterans in Rome, assembled to
commemorate the death of King Humbert.
He not only reviewed the gray heads; he
insisted upon receiving them, and the pho
tograph accompanying this article reveals
him in human association and conversation
with them. Furthermore, this particular
snapshot shows that there is truth in the
remark of an enthusiastic admirer of Vic
tor Emmanuel THE king has a pleasing
way of getting down among the people at
all times and seeming to be one of them"
King Alfonso's Tendencies.
Those who are best In a position to know
declare that even the young King Alfonso,
descendant of as proud a line of rulers as
ever graced a throne, has become imbued
with the fever of democracy and numerous
anecdotes, illustrating this tendency in
WELL ME-
From Punch.