The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1909-12-23

people. Prince Albert has travelled
extensively and is a man of affairs.
In appearance he is strikingly like the
late king, but their dispositions and
temperaments have always been In
marked contrast.
Prince Albert has been a great stu.
dent OF politics and economies, and
has frequently lectured on these sub
jects in public. To broaden his grasp
OF the affairs of the world, he visited
the United States and other countries,
always studying and always adding to
his store of knowledge and philoso-
ply.
One OF the most powerful men in
Belgium, who knows King Leopold
better than any other man, is Senator
Winer, the kings trusted friend and
confidential legal adviser. He assisted
Leopold in drawing up the Congo
project and probably will handle the
disposition Of the kings fortune.
Senator Winer welcomed the Asso-
ciated Press correspondent most cor
daily last night. He insisted that
Leopold was greatly misunderstood by
the world. He pictured the kings in.
tense admiration for the United States
which bis majesty was anxious to WIS.,
II, but was prevented by the Congo
criticism. However, the king had pre-
vailed on Prince ALBERT to go, as he
considered this a most useful prepare
ton for the future ruler of Belgium.
Admired Roosevelt.
The king had a marked respect for
Theodore Roosevelt. He never liked
photographs around, but placed Roose.
velt's autograph picture in his favorite
office in the Brussels palace, beside
those Of Princess Clementine and
Prince Albert. Continuing the senator
said:
THE whole truth in the Congo"
Senator Winer went on, was that the
system was bad-worse than the king
thought. The eternal cry was Rub
Ter, and yet more rubber and II must
be remembered that the military com.
manders in the Congo had the double
capacity of soldier and merchant; they
had to get rubber. Nevertheless many
Soiru. The paper charged that Baron
ess Vaughan was constantly at the
bedside of the king. even being pres
ministered, whereas the kings daugh-
tiers and his nephew were not admit
ted.
The question was put by the Soiru
to Mgr. Cooreman, the venerable royal
chaplain, if the king had married Bar.
oness Vaughan according to the provi.
sions of the religious ceremony, at
ding that all Belgium was astonished
and s~candalized that the church would
sanction the presence of the woman
neal the kings couch while the priest
came on his sacred mission.
His Conscience Clear.
The chaplain intimated that the
marriage existed and said that his
conscience al clear about his visit
to the king. The cburch's codes or
morals, he added, was the same for the
king as for the people and in conclu.
sion he said:
From the standpoint of the church,
the kings situation was regular"
Baroness Vaughan is the daughter
of parents of the name Of Delacroix,
who were concierges, or ~janitors first
at Liege and afterwards in Paris. Her
mother is dead and her father is an
inmate of an asylum for the insane.
She Is the mother Of two children.
King Leopold spent a great deal Of his
time with the baroness and gave his
ministers much concern on this &C.
count. At one time there was talk of
his ~abdicating, but, as months went by
his subjects apparently became accus.
toned to his ways and a%bdication be.
came a thing of the past.
King Leopold was looked upon as
one of the s~hrewdest and ablest men
of the time. He was essentially q
man Of business, cold, ~reticent and
calculating. He was of particularly
Independent spirit and more than once
Is said to have told other sovereigns
who attempted to advise him in con.
nection with his private affairs to
mind their W business. For this
reason King Leopold had become es.
tranged from many of the courts of
Europe.