The Washington herald., 1908-02-16

any attempt has been made on the life or
the sovereign when out driving the car
riage step has almest invariably played
an important role in the matter by en-
abing the assailant to get within striking
distance That is why the carriages used
by King Edward ard Queen Alexandra
are not only very high from the ground,
but have no step visible for entering or
leaving tho conveyance. There are steps.
but they are folded up inside the carriage
doors, and only let down when needed
for the purpose of entering or descending
from the vehicle
II is said that both King Carlos and
his two sons were armed, and that the
crown prince in particular killed one OF
his assailants and wounded another be
fore being himself laid low. Rulers habit
ually go armed, though the Portuguese
crown prince is the first scion of royalty
to have turned his revolver 10 good ac-
count.
Edward Carries Pistol
True. there are stories of Alexander III
and Of the present Sultan of Turkey hav-
ing shot retainers, mistaking them for
would-be assassins, but these rumors have
never been authenticated. King Edward
Is well known to carry pistol. That he
used to go armed when still Prince of
Wales was shown on one occasion when
he was riding in Hyde Park A horse
which had first bolted and then collided
with the ratings had sustained such
shocking injuTies as TO render it impos-
slbe that it should recover rs ii was
suffering dreadfully. the riders who had
assembled on the spot decided that II
should be put out Of misery AZ once, and
accordingly called upon the policeman
who had apeared upon the scene TO shoot
the animal
The policeman declined on the ground
that he was unarmed. and further added
that he had no authority to kill the horse,
even if a pistol Were 10 be furnished to
HIM The then Prince of Wales, who was
looking on, thereupon produced a small
revolver from his pocket and shot the
horse. thus revealing the fact that he
was the only man in the crowd who was
carrying pistol
Kaiser Goes Armed, Too.
The Kaiser is never without his revoi-
yer. He is extremely sldllfu in the use
OF the weapon, and his Jaeger, or body
servant, who accompanies him every
where. inspects il every morning TO make
sure that it is in perfect working order.
Firmly convinced that he is going TO die
By the hand of an anarchist, this fate
having been prophesied to him long-ago,
he is determined TO put up a fight for his
life, and TO have at any rate the salts
faction. if he falls. Of inhicting some in
jury on his assailant.
President Roosevelt, on a memorable
occasion. in a public ceremony al Wash
ington, when the wind happened to part
the skirts of his coat, revealed TO those
who were standing behind him that he
carried a pistol.
Nor can any one blame him, or the
rulers of Europe for thus going "heeled.
They are aware of the constant peril of
attempts made on their lives not merely
By anarchists and by revolutionists but
also by cranks OF the character of the
assassin OF President Mckinley. while
the experiences of the past forty years
have furnished numerous proofs that not
even the most carefully and deliberately
organized system Of protection on the
part of military guards and police can Sc
cure the executive of a country from his
would-be murderer.
If rulers usually 20 armed. it is not only
for their own sake. but likewise for that
of the people over whose destinies they
preside. since the murder OF the head of
the nation invariably leads to a crisis and
to a disturbance Of the normal course of
events. Indeed. it is incumbent upon
them TO take every possible measure that
they can devise to protect themselves
from the danger Of assassination
Copyright. 1903. by the Brentwood COmpany1