Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1907-03-09


Fritz.
that it actually threatens the friendly
relations of the millions that make up
the population of the two countries.
A few days ago the Duke of Cum
berland, an officer in T. BlLish army
who is now far along in years, an
nounced his unalterable determination
to maintain his right to the throne OF
Hanover and of Brunswick.
Once the two made one kingdom
but later they were separated by the
German government, so that now Han
over is mere province. II the Duke
of Cumberland would disavow all
claim to Hanover 1t is barely possible
that he might succeed in becoming
ruler of Brunswick but he is obdurate
in holding his right to both. and all
Europe knows that the power behind
him CHAT sustains his courage is the
personality of King Edward VII.
The Duke of Brunswick forced the
issue last October by giving the duke
three months in which to resign his
claim to the Hanover crown. and thus
reconcile himself with Prussia The
diet specified that unless he did SO,
he must expect to lose all claim to
Brunswick. and see another elected to
his dukedom The duke declined, and.
as was expected. proposed to leave the
question to the imperial courts to de-
eide
The king of England is making the
fight for Cumberland, and the duke is
contending so that his son, Ernest Au-
gust, may succeed to the title and
income
To gain an appreciation of the seri-
BUSINESS of the quarrel of the royal
rivals for Brunswick, it is necessary to
go back to the time of George l, When
this king succeeded to the English
throne he was both duke of Brunswick
and king of Hanover. AT that time
the German empire had not yet come
into existence. The country which the
iron hand of Bismarck was to WELD
into one of the mightiest of modern
monarchies, was number of detached
and Independent states, each having its
own ruler.
King Edward is of the house of
Brunswick Hanover, and had no wo-
man ruler of England come between
him and his ancestor, George |, King
Edward would now be the king OF
Hanover and duke of Brunswick, as
his ancestor was, and this would have
prevented the present controversy.
But just as women in humber walks
Of life upset the plans of men, so
do queens change conditions for kings.
Under the Salic law, Queen Victoria
could not inherit Hanover and Bruins
wick. This made a break in the sue
cession, and they went to her uncle,
the Duke of Cumberland, eldest sur.
viving son of George III. The present
Duke of Cumberland and contender for
the title is grandson of that duke.
Cumberland, they say, can have the
place If he will but yield his preten-
sions TO Hanover and gain the friend
ship of the kaiser, but among diplo-
mats this is thought to be ruse to
persuade Cumberland to yield up his
rights, and then decline TO give him
his promised reward.
The duke. who is reasonably
astute observer, has declined to fall
into the trap, He demands all or
nothing. both his titles, Hanover and
Brunswick.
Prince Won Buelow, chancellor OF the
German empire, is leading the battle
for the kaiser's second son. He plans
to have him as regent, TO which office
he could be appointed by the kaiser
or as reigning duke. to which position
he has no claim, but this could be
overlooked If the Brunswick diet
vonchsafed him an election.