Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-04
TITLES IS GROWING YEARLY

thirty eighth birthday on the 23d of last
month. is the son OF DIR. John Contee
Fairfax a Maryland country doctor. who
wore his beard Uncle Sam style, and who
was notable for his democratic ways and
adherence of titles. This unpretentious
American who died in 1900 is referred TO
in his sons biography as the eleventh
baron" while the wife and mother, VINO
was the daughter of Col. Edmund Kirby,
U.S.A.. is listed as Mary, Baroness r arr
fax"
All Americans are familiar with the
story of the old Lord Fairfax. George
Washington's friend and employer who
nearly broke his heart over Washington
disloyalty to King George and VINO oieo
upon his vast Virginia estate few years
after the revolution. This lord being
bachelor. his title went to his brother
Robert. who had returned to England.
and upon the latters death IL fell upon
BRYAN Fairfax, rector of Christ Cnurch.
Alexandria. Va. another brother Inc
house of lords recognized this clergymans
title in 1900 but he never useo III, nor
has any of his descendants until the
present time. although they were repeat
eddy invited. as peers. TO ATTEND ili,p
tant court functions, such as corohatohs
and iubilees But when Albert Kirby
Fairfax. after his fathers death. was IN
yited to attend King Edwards corona
ton as Scotch peer ne go' Paistp the
for his peers robes and went. BEING .ne
first Fairfax who in recent generations
has developed any great genius LOT man
ing money, perhaps he consiuereu pa,
ticularly the business sioe on s"e nh,,itv
for since entering the Britlsh nopnlty
he has built ND a large and powerful Eu-
ropean clientele for his firm. Al any ra.e'
he conducts himself as MODEST uhpi
tentious American citizen Will VIII hacamse
Work and says he values the tue oecause
II ia a family heirloom. Like tne HTS
Lord Fairfax who lived IN Amerisd,, IA.
is a bachelor and once the mouse or io.ue
has put the pure peeraee , "a D ha telling us
rr,hether the future Lady Fairfax Is 10 DC
an American or an English girl
"Iord Astor" the Next.
His elevation to the peerage VIII not
vacate his American citizenship as long
as he retains his brokerage Office In wan
street or spends a reasonable part OF ms
time in the United States. Domicile is the
b.s;. of the State department ruling IN
such cases, affecting native-born Amcri-
cams. whose remaining continuously
abroad beyond a reasonable time creates
the presumption of expatriation. In
the case of naturalized American,
however. the question is not one or poilcy'
hut of law. there being a definite statute
under which allegiance to an alien : ma
tive ruler and state must be renouhceu pe
fore naturalization can be granted Thus.
this young Marylander can continue 10
enioy his dual personality as LORD or
Cameron ard Mr.. Fairfax so long as ne
can raise sufficient steamship fares to
make frequent visits to America.
William Waldorf Aston has pulled every
wire which might possibly lead him to the
peerage this since he expatriated him.
self here by becoming naturalzed as a
British citizen in 1892. He made good
Roadway at first by managing TO gam an
entree into the most exclusive circles or
both the nobility and royalty. but had
hardly enjoyed a year of his cherished
British citizenship when he lost his tenn
per. dismissed Sir Berkeley Milne from ms
come unlimited Sir Berkeley happened
to be a chum of the king. who WAS then
Prince of Wales, and thence arose Inc
latter's quarrel with Mr.. Astor whicn
was not patched up until within the past
year Then things began to look orlehter
again for Mr. Astor's coveted peerage ana
he got his son in the exclusive Lire
Guards Regiment. besides continuing as
all the while. to lavish his money upon
British charities, and the coronet was
said to be almost within his grasp. when
this spring he made the further blunder
Of presenting to an English museum the
flag of our frigate Chesapeake which was
to the British during the war
of 1872 Mr.. Aston bought this nag, ana
his giving 1t to England has so angered
Americans that the king is said to now
withhold the former New Workers. peer
age for diplomatic reasons.
Some hold that even IL the king De VIII
ing Mr. Aston cannot become a peer De-
cause of a law passed during the reign OF
William III which deprives. the crown OF
power to confer peerages upon naturaiized
aliens. a law enacted because that mon
arch was comforting too many English
peerages upon Dutch republicans Mr..
a Stor would not be thus disqualified, how
ever. from becoming a baronet or
knight British peerages were granted quite
freely I'm exchange for campaign con-
trihutions during Queen Victoria's reign.
and some of them cost their holders more
than a million dollars. but King Edward
has been reported to be adverse TO their
being marketed in this way. ana hence
they have been somewhat scarce during
JOHN ELFRETH WATKINS