New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-24
PRINCE OF HOLLAND.
Queen W1IheImima's Consort Yin
ming Good WU of Her Subjects.

without issue has had the effect Of turning pub
lie attention abroad once more to the domestic
Azsirs % the young sovereign, who viii celebrate
IN August next her twenty seventh birthday and
TIE seventeenth anniversary Of her accession TO
the throne Of The Netherlands. Provision is
made 70 the amended statutes for the exclusion
from the succession Of any children that might
Re born 20 the reigning Grand Duke Of Sake
Waimar now next heir to the Dutch-C Crown, az
ter his Cg5clination Of the latter His name, how
ever. IS not specifically mentioned in the new
law and instead Of the word "declnation" that
OF "abdioaton" has been used. While the true
purpor1 Of The measure has been thoroughly ap-
precisted IN Holland, # has been altogether mis-
understood abroad. Il was taken TO indicate that
the Queen contemplated ahdication. and, on the
strength OF this. stories have been widely circu-
lated 70 the effect that WuheIEnina about to
lay down her sceptre in consequence Of the al
legged misery Of her married life and Of the mel
sarholia resulting therefrom. Now, there Is just
ss little truth In the statement that the Queen
contemplates the abandon nent OF her throne as
there IS IN the tales Of the unha ppiness Of her
marriage. And under the circumstances few
words on the subject Of her husband may be Of
timely interest
There ls no more difficult position In the world
than that Of the consort Of the feminine ruler Of
a state position for which there is practically
no description or designation IN diplomatic phra-
seology save that Of lie Mari de Ia Refine"
which is likewise frequently employed 70 indi-
cate in ordinary life the husband who is reduced
10 an altogether subordinate role and obscuTed
by the brilliancy. beauty and imperiousness OF
his wife. Perhaps the best proof OF the fact that
the position OF the husband OF the queen or
empress regnant is abnormal Is furnished by
the circumstance that so few cases Of this kind
are TO be found in the history OF the Old World
Indeed. there are not more than half dozen ell
told. besides that of Prince Henry OF the Neither
lands namely Prince Albert of SAKE Coburg
Gotha, husband Of Queen Victoria: Prince Fer
dinand OF Saxe-Coburg consort Of Queen Maria
della Gloria Of Portugal: Prince Francis Of
Bourbon the husband OF the late Queen Isabella
Of Spain; Prince George Of Denmark, the hus-
band Of Queen Anne Of Great Britain, and Lord
Darniey. the III fated spouse of Mary Queen Of
Scots. II members Of the same nationality as
their wives-like. for instance Lord Darnley-
they arouse the most bitter Jealousy the part
Of their fellow countrynen- especially among
those whose birth is equal or superior 70 their
own. II foreigners. they are viewed with the
distaste that falls to the share Of almost every
alien. and. moreover. excite suspicion to the
effect that they are subordinating the interests
Of the land OF their adoption TO those Of the
land Of their birth
Prince Albert. the consort OF Queen Victoria,
suffered cruelty in this respect Although q
man OF the most blauleless character and Of the
most perfect tact and chivalry. he was made the
subject Of every conceivable attack by the news
papers. especially during the first ten or fifteen
years of his marriage The London press, even
THE Times" itself. was never tired OF abusing
him in The most cruel fashion for alleged Ger
man Interference" in the affairs OF the British
nation The advice which he was alleged TO
tender TO his wife the Queen. was denounced as
Unconstitutional" he was stigmatized as IAN
alien intruder and he was charged with usurp-
Ing privileges 10 which he had no legal or con-
stitutional right. His Impeachment was sug-
gested. and even intrigues Of an unsavory char
scter. for which there was not the shadow OF a
foundation. were laid at his door. II was only
coward the latter part of his twenty years Of
married life that Englishmen began to know
End appreciate him at his true worth. 70 trust
him a man imbued with sentiments Of the
most patriotic devotion toward the country Of
which he had become 4 citizen. and TO see In
him the most sagaclous and disinterested coun-
sellor Of their sovereign. Deeply mourned
throughout the land al his premature death. he
lives to-day in British memory and in the his
tory Of the Victorian era as Albert the Good
and there Is hardly big town or city in the
United Kingdom which has not commemorate
his virtues by means Of a statue or monument
Of some kind another
been much the same as those OF the former
Prince Consort OF Great Britain. In some re-
spects the difficulties which he has had to en-
counter have been even more serious. For he
came 70 The Hague to marry Queen WIlhelmina
as Z German prince and as an officer Of the
E'russian army-that is to say the Dutch re-
garded him as thoroughly stepped in Teuton
prejudices and saturated with TeUton inau-
euces. Now. II there is one nation which the
Dutch fear more than any other II is Ger
many. They are firmly convinced that she is a
menace 70 their political and above all. TO their
economic independence: that she aims to bring
HOLLAND into the federation Of states known as
the German Empire and thus TO secure control
Of her home ports and OF her rich transporting
Dependencies. These fears have been strength
ened by the indiscreet utterances. In speech and
n print. OF pan-Germanists. Who have even
gone 70 the length OF publishing maps en- which
Holland and her colonies figure as part and par
Gel Of the German Empire. Prince Henry, at
FIRST was looked upon by the Dutch as d more
or less willing instrument of these alleged de-
stgns on the part Of Germany. and from the
outset OF his married life he was, therefore,
viewed By his .Wife's countrynen with disfavor
and distrust With public sentiment thus
aroused against him. it was only natural that a
willing ear should be lent 70 any SANDER that
came along concerning him. no matter what the
source or irnprohability. He was charged. Ike
Queen Victoria's husband. with undue interfer-
ence IN the affairs OF the nation Intrtgues with
women were falsely imputed to him He was
accused not only Of drunkenness. but even Of
rnaltreatuaent Of the Queen Enormous debts
1872