The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1908-05-07
THE DUKE Of WEST
VIRGINIA, ELK|NS
Serious and Frivolous Facts As Seen
BY Samuel Blythe in The Sat-
urdaY Evening Post.
WEST VIRGINIA SENATOR
HAS A KING BEATEN.
Senior Senator Has More Titles Than
ltaIy'S Ruler According to Who's
Who and Why.

The following article concerning
Senator Elkins appeared in a re-
cent issue of the Saturday Even
ing Post:
What is this news that comes
chirping oyer the cable? What
are these words that trickle in
from Rome. The King of Italy
intends to make Stephen Benton
Elkins a duke, or something in
order to equalize matters pending
the marriage of Miss Elkins to the
Duke of Abruzzi, Ha; or as Sena-
tor Scott, his colleague, would
say, Ha! Ha! Hal
1t seems the Duke of Abruzzi
has look in at the Italian throne.
If large number of coroneted and
other wise uplifted persons should
pass away in group-persons
now abiding in Sunny Italy and
having no occupation except to
hope those between them and the
crown will Choke-the Duke might
get to be King. Whereas, it
would be exceedingly bad form for
the papa-in-law of the prospective
King-a long, dim, mimeographed
prospect, by the way-to have no
titles, and it is the idea of the
present King to pin a few decora-
tons on the manly chest of
Stephen, to go to the button-box
and get button or two for him in
order that there may be no come
back from the other crowned heads
of the world if somebody should
come around one bright morning,
tap the duke of the Abruzzi on
the shoulder and say: Hustle
down to the palace and get on the
job"
The King of Italy undoubtedly
means well, but he lacks full in
formation. He hasn't kept up his
card index on the name Of Elkins.
Stephen Benton Elkins can show
a line Of titles as long as any
Italian scion of nobility, and,
what is more, if he needs Others
he is the boy who can go out and
get them. Titles for Stephen Ben
ton Elkins! FOrsoothl Look what
he has now, Duke of West Viz
ginia, Graf of Grafton, Margrave
of Sistersville, Grand Elector of
Parkersburg, and Prince of Gass-
away and Gracelands. Come on,
you puny Italian princelings and
lay your goods down on the coun-
ter. If more are needed, if this
bewildering array is not enough
we might be able to slip down to
New Mexico and tack on few
Spanish ones, just to help along,
for, as is known to everybody, M.
Elkins has been acquiring titles
for many years, titles not only for
himself, but, also, to yarioi $
mines, railroads, coal lands, tim
Der lands, ranches and other brio
a-brac of a similar nature, includ
ing large and lucrative interest
i'll Henry Gassaway Davis, late
candidate for vice President on
the Democratic ticket-one of the
latest, in fact, we have had in
some years, inasmuch as he never
did get started until it was all
over.
1t seems absurd, when we look
at it calmly, after the first out
burst of derision, that the King of
Italy should think any puny title
within his fist could add to the
majesty, the dignity or the avail
ability as a relative of Stephen
Benton Elkins. Wee who have
known him all these years can do
naught but laugh at this befogged
monarch over there in Italy, beat
ing his kingly forehead with his
mailed fist and scanning the royal
almanac to see where he can pick
out something that will fit the
case. Stephen Benton Elkins
needs no title from that musty
Count. Not he. But-and Just
here few words for the kingly
ear, kind words to kinder advice