New-York tribune., 1908-04-13
QUEEN STILL HOPES
Bill Modifying the Succession
abandoned by Her Wish.
Tcopyrlght 1905. by the brentwood Company

Copyright 1908 by the Brentwood Connpanv1
Jonkheer R. de Marees van Swinderen who dur
ing his long sojourn in this country as Dutch en-
voy married Miss Elizabeth Glover Of Washing
ton and is now Minister OF Foreign Affairs at The
Hague enjoys in very special degree the favor
and confidence of his sovereign and it is a fact
which 1t is we'll to bear in mind in connection with
the announcement that the Heemskerk Cabi-
net, OF which he is of the most influential
members has abandoned the project for the re-
vision OF that portion Of the constitution which
deals with the succession to the throne In October
1905 the young Queen. soreIy against her wishes,
mad this project of the revision the constitution
forced upon her by the ministers then in power
VINO caused her to issue, with manifest reluctance
royal decree appointing commission to study
ana draW up report upon the matter. In Sep
tember Of last year the Queen in her speech which,
though delivered from the throne on the opening
of Parliament. represents. as in England and in
oIher constitutional monarchies the views of the
administration rather than those of the sovereign
announced that the commission had completed its
abors the inference being that its report and its
project or law In favor OF the revision of that
part of the constitution dealing with the success
sion 10 the throne about to be submitted by
the government to the legislature and introduced
as one of its measures.
The matter became an all-absorbiug topic OF
discussion in political circles. in the press etc.
and then, early in January. the Cabinet suddenly
and rather Unexpectedly went out Of office and
was replaced by NJ. Heemskerk, NJ. Swim
deren and their other Conservative colleagues
who announce that they abandon all
sideration and action in regard to the report and
the constitutional revision commission and will
oppose any consideration thereof. at any rate
until after the next general election, which does
not take place until we'll toward the end OF
lS9-that is to say, eighteen months hence-when
the people will the opportunity sof intimating
at the polls whether or not they are anxious to
take up the matter again. It is no secret either
a The Hague or at the other courts Of Europe
that the Queen has been distressed by the action
Of the previous administrations in urging upon the
crown the legislature and the nation the question
o revision of constitution in connection with
the succession the crown. She has looked upon
the course of the former Cabinet in this affair as
premature and i'll timed. Moreover, there is a
well founded impression that the young Queen
regards the projected measure not only calcu-
lated bring her i'll luck but also TO hOodoo, in
a way, her prospects of becoming mother. And
if this so, who could blame young and
happily married wife, yearning for children ana
three times disappointed in her expectations OF
motherhood by misfortunes which could have
been avoided. for being impressionabe and SEN
stve in this respect? It must thoroughly be IN
derstood that the projected revision Of the con-
stitution relating to the succession 10 the crown
is based the inference that her marriage will
remain without issue. Now, there Is no reason
whatsoever for any such assumption. Queen VII
helmine is still quite a young woman, on the
sunny side of twenty-eight, married TO husoano
of about the same age. and TO whom she is deeply
and wholly devoted. The fact that the three
occasions referred to above her impending ma
rernity was officially announced shows clearly that
there is no reason whatsoever TO believe that
her marriage will remain without issue In fact
the most eminent gynecoogists Of Europe nave
declared quite recently that there is no reason
. -hatsoever why the young Queen should not have
a whole family of children If she would only take
proper care II herself and avoid tmprudences-
only Of course, the maintenance Of her health
and good spirits. so material to happy mother
J hood especially the few months Immediately pre-
ceding the latter. is not likely TO be promoted by
her knowledge that her parliament and her people
are SO convinced beforehand Of the fuulty OF
her expectations that they are already making
( provision for her disappointment.
/ There is a great deal of popular sympathy with
/ the young Queen, both at home and abroad, IN
/ connection with this matter, and there Is every
reason 10 believe that the present Dutch Cabinet
has acted in accordance with public sentiment In
cutting out the project Of the revision OF the con-
! stitution from its programme. Wlheimlne mas a
4 stronger hold on the affection of her Heges than
ever and they, spite OF their prejudice against
foreign princes, especially those hailing from Ger
| many have at length made a warm place in their
hearts for her consOrt convinced, after good deal
Of charaCtcristiCay slow ConsldeTat ton, that the
,1rior is 2 happv one that the royal couple in
entire sympathy with each other. and that henry
! is in every respect a model husband Queen and
prince share all each others tastes. occupations
interests and amUscments, in the same way as did
/ Queen Victoria and the Prince COnsort Of Eng
land Like Prince Albert, he acts the chief con-
/ hdanr and principal adviser of his wife in public
! as well as in unofficial matters, and so completely
has popular feeling changed toward him that the
Dutch view this no longer with suspicion but with
/ satisfaction. For by means Of a patience and Of
a tact Of which few believed him capable at the
/ time Of his marriage, ne has managed 10 COM
/ pieteIy aIIay all Dutch fears 10 his pro-Ger-
I man procivities and convince his wifes people
/ Of his complete devotion 10 her interests and 70
/ theirs. In fact he is no longer looked upon by
them as a German but with the utmost good will
. and favor as a Dutchman, any lingering doubt on
the subject that may have remained on their minds
I having been set wholly at rest by the splendid
galantry which ne displayed last year in the res
enc At the peri Of his own the survivors Of
the terrible WI eek Of the Harwtch Rotterdam pas
i.senger steamer Berlin off the Hook of Holland.
THAT CONTROVERSY ABOUT BALAAM
Lord SvaythIng's dispute with the members OF
[ the Jewish Religious Education Board, in England
ElaIu mira arla isnda In