New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-02-23
KING EDWARDS TOLL.
Uhot He Meant When He SAID He
Worked TscelUe Hours Doy.

his 70 the leaders OF the Church Army
'SI.rt IN England, who are endeavoring
ne'. 80 with the difficult problems created
70 80 appalling number Of isbering men
~ s-s unemployed, ana therefore IN want
"S,-.sDv mentioned that he was obliged TO
ih0 s rsrv hard himself. and that his ordinary
ss,s 6ay was not one OF eight, but OF twelve
- sne that be considered himself fortunate
h =, accomplished all he had 10 do in that time
W announcement. cahled TO this country and
~. s<s.s q the American newspapers has excited
p0e.,ss-ahle amount OF anazement among those
.ho have been accustomed TO look upon the
p.. monarch ss essentially man OF pleasure
% ss one Of the greatest sybarites IN Europe
~, question has arisen In connection herewith
aa v-hst the isbors OF the Britain monarch really
-,y therefore be as well TO explain that the
.t.s hundreds OF documents 10 sign on every
As - the year. Sundays included It must be
n mind that as q general principle no ed-
p-,rslive act by the government and no act OF
.s,-s-t !s valid IN the eyes Of the law until Il
90, TIE sign manual Of the sovereign. Every
- s,ne ~ tie government Of the day IN behalf
- ~. state and IN the name OF the nation is a
-.isn act no matter how trivial IL may be. and
srs-sgn act cannot be complete and therefore
W. until s. has received the soverelgn's signature
60, wears ago IL was estimated by competent
-,,,ss nat the number OF documents receiving
.s,,rarure OF Queen Victoria averaged at lssst
-. thousand a year. That would give about two
t-,s,.d ter each week day throughout the entire
80 months. Since that time documents reouir-
49,, N, ssu manual OF the British sovereign have
t increased. ana 81 is probable that to-day
- ,sne-, which Kins Edward Ia obliged 70 sign
80. between four hundred and Eve hundred g
- r.t nv readers imagine what this means.
..r,lly when q is borne IN mind that the royal,
- s-,,.-isl sanction cannot be lightly given, and
ass reithsr King Edward ner the German Kaiser
-. ~. rulers OF Austria, Italy and Denmark Will
- rhe,r names 70 any document without having
s1ly mastered its contents During the early part
% ~. reign OF Queen Victoria she was accustomed
"a rely entirely upon the discretion and judgment OF
~, Ministers and 20 sign without reading the
.r,-s lbruitted 20 her for signature by her con-
.,tvr,onIl advisers But one day she was disuayeo
- and that she had given her royal sanction 10
MEASURE OF which she most strongly disapproved
az which she Anew 20 be wrong. From that time
sorth she made point OF never signing any paper
uut she had satisfied herself as 10 its purpose ana
probsble consequence
IN. commission OF every officer Of the army and
rssv and the diplomatic corps, from adrnirals OF
ira sect field raarshsls and ambassadors down TO
N. NEST youthful subeltern or oeardless attaohe,
requires the signature OF the King. whose approval
il likewise necessary 10 the draft OF every IN
portaut dispatch sent out by the department OF
foreign snairs. AL the more important appoint
r.nts administrative well as judicial. must
have the sovereign's written consent. No one can
relieve the sovereign OF this particular portion Of
ID. work Any cessation Of Il would throw out OF
gear the entire Administrative machinery Of the
empire n the fret few days that followed the
tenise q Queen Victoria, King Edward was occu-
PED literally day and night IN reading and signing
me thousands OF documents OF one kind and an
ether that had accumulated during the few days
ef his venerable mothers brief illness.
TIE giving o. these signatures. arduous as Is the
work entaned when q monarch is conscientious
Constitutes but part OF the days business The
German and Austrian rulers require their Cabinet
ministers make at least twice week verbal re-
ports OF 81 important matters concerning their de-
psreneats IN addition 10 their written communioa-
tons Queen Victoria insisted upon this only IN
TIE case CT the Foreign Office. but King Edward
demands that he should be kept informed about all
matters OF moment. and be is constantly calling
upon this minister that government official TO
Furnish MIN with special reports. Not aSay passes
without several government tunctionaries being re-
ceVea In audience, and the interview is usually
followed by some action on the part OF the SOW
evsign o. the dignitary IN question. Then there
interviews 70 be granted 10 foreign ENJOYS, 10
persons connected with the administration Of the
reyal household. well TO men eminent in art
literature and science II must be borne in mind
that each Of these audiences means the discussion
q important business. for people are not IN the
habit o. seeking interviews with rulers OF nations
n order 70 indulge IN mere small talk immunity
from which, indeed, IS one Of the few advants ges
enjoyed nowadays by monsrehs.
Throughout the entire day and ottentmes far
INTO TIE Iight there IS s constant succession OF
messages arriving for the sovereign In London.
&c also Il Berlin and Vienna, the Minister OF For
slgn Affairs "a under orders 20 transmit 10 the
monarch Immediately its arrival copy OF every
dispatch that arrives from abroad, either by tels-
F-sph OF by mall, and the reading and discussion
Of these dispatches alone constitutes a tax upon
foysl tine and energy.