Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-10-06
AN ENLIGHTENED JAM.


There is no doubt that Ranjl will
prove far more enlightened jam than
any OF his predecessors. His long ex-
perience OF the cricket field, where
merit alone wins and the best batsman
or bowler. be he lord or commoner.
carried off the honors, has converted
him to democracy. Among his stanoh-
est friends Is John Burns. the repre-
sentative OF labor In the cabinet and
himself an amateur cricketer of no
mean ability. Something over three
years ago the Liberal and Radical d.
vision Of the Walthamstow division
asked the prince to contest the seat
In their behalf at the next parliament
tary election. Had he consented there
Is no doubt that he would have been
elected, but he preferred TO stick to
cricket That Is not the only form Of
sport In which he has distinguished
himself. He is a first class shot and
has bagged several lions and tigers IN
India as well as no end Of grouse on the
m0ors OF Yorkshire and Scotland. He
Is an excellent rider, ZOO, bu has
fought shy OF polo because that is a
game which requires long purse.
The matrimonial question Is the one
that is likely to cause him the most
trouble In his new role. Ranji Is d mon
ogamist. But Jam etiquette requires
Jam to take unto himself at least
half a dozen wives and maintain a
well-stocked seraglio In other respects
RanJi has another motive for Sticking
to the one-man- one-wife principle. He
Is In love with a peers daughter. The
peer has heretofore looked colby on
his suit and the lady herself has given
no strong proof that she reciprocates
his affection But It is suspected in
many quarters that II was RanJrs lim-
tied lnc rather than his complex
ion. VIII aused him to be classified
as "ineAs .oie.' His fellow country
man, Prince Victor Duleep Singh en-
countered no paternal obstacles, despite
the fact that he Is a shade darker than
RANT. when he applied for the hand OF
the Earl OF Coyentry's daughter. But
Prince Victor had good bank ac-
count. As the jam, RanJ will enjoy
the same advantage. II VIII be inter-
esting TO note whether his suit will now
prove equally successful. Cash is a
most powerful factor In overcoming
social prejudlces and caste distinctions.
SAME AS CRICKET.
And the same thing may be said OF
cricket. or that Ranj's own career
hhiN AAtH Ahi hlnA'h oAAlhAiAb lNNNls luz
average Englishman who only Eng
land knows has little prejudice against
alien races because OF their color. They
freely eat and drink with them and no
saloons, restaurants, or theaters ex-
clude them as they do In America. But
In the so-called better circles the color
line Is often drawn, especially against
the dark skinned man who Is not sup
piled with an abundance OF money.
Now Prince RanJitsinhki can boast a
line OF the most blue blooded eastern
fighting ancestry which stretches some
centuries further back than the con-
quest OF England, Also he Is gen.
tleman according TO the best English
standards. But as an oriental neither
birth nor good-breedng would have
caused him to be regarded as social
equal by the members of English swell
families. Had he distinguished him
self I'm scholarshlp--ha he carried OF
the highest honors at Cambridge aud
written learned works afterwards
most OF the aristocratic houses OF Eng
land would still have closed their doors
against him. But as the twice cham
pion amateur batsman OF England he
could not be ignored. That made him
social lion as we'll as popular hero.
In the best society ne has long been
persona grata.'
ELLIS ELLsEN.