The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-12-23
KING HAS CHAMPION
IN EWING
FORMER UNITED STATES MINIS.
TER TO BELGIUM TELLS OF
LEoPoLo's LIFE.

james :. Ewing Of Eiooutin gton.
Illinois. was United States ambassa-
dor To Belgium under the second al :
min'stratfon of President Cleveland.
For years he has been student OF
the character If King Leopold and.
in view Of his unusual opportunity for
observation al close range, his opinion
is of interest.
1t is probably fact tina. nine per
sons out Of ten in the United States
think of Leopold as man Of dissoIuta
habits. a king who thinks nothing of
the welfare of his subjects. and as
regards his operations in the Congo
Free State. Il tyrant of the most alb
solute type. With this estimate Mr.
Ewing takes most decided issue: in
fact he voices the conviction tina; the
Belgian King Is the ablcst monarch
upon any European throne.
His Personality.
While admitting that there has been
much to criticise in the domestic af-
fairs of the king. Mr.. Ewing says that
nine tenths of what has been written
is untrue and the remainder has i'm
the majority Of cases been grossly ex-
asgeraied. There is one instance in
particular that the former minister
can vouch for. At one time the news
papers of the world took up the cry
that the king was swindlins his sister.
the Princess Charlotte. out of her
property. The princess was subject
to fits Of insanity and when in that
condition loudly berated the king.
Leopold paid no attention to her IT.
rades. however. built her All elegant
hat
lived and was attended daily by some
member Of the court. In one Of her
fits OF insanity she sci fire to her
palace aud it was burned. Leopold
Immediately building another sor her.
at the same time conserving and pro-
tecting her property.
Home Life Unhappy. ~
Another fact that Is scarcely con-
sflered by the average person when
forming an estimate of Leopold is
that his home life has always been an
unhappy one. Ills only son, who was
greatly cherished by the father. died
at the age of IL years. anG the other
children of the king have given him
no end of trouble. That Leopold HIM
self has been guilty of many indis-
cretions no one win deny. but the vast
majority of the charges brought
against him have been entirely with
out foundation.
Remarkable Attachments.
Mr. Ewing characterizes the king OF,
the sel2ians as kind hearted. po,it :
and affable in u high degree. demo-
cratic. IL remarkable linsuist. lover
of the arts and sciences and states
man of the highest order. His knowl-
edge and control of various languages
Is truly wonderful. ON one occasion
Mr.. Ewing heard him address five
representatives of different nations III
as many different languages I'm the
course OF not TO exceed three min
utes. lie is a master of the English
language and speaks it without the
usual foreign accent.
Popular in Belgium.
Leopold Is popular with his subjects.
the principal opposition to him in his
own country. coming from u faction %
the liberal party composed OF social
lists. anarchists and other malcontents
who are opposed to the monarchial
form of government wherever found.
The king has always been solieitous
for the welfore of his subjects. has
made Brussels next to Paris in beauty
and has helped to make his little
country the garden spot of the OLD
World. Belgium is no more than half
as large as Illinois and is densely
populated. the average being sou In
habitants to the square mile. The
average size of farm in Belgium il
ia acres. yet the people are known
us the most industrious and thrifty in
the world. There it Is TN unusual
thing for "A man to be out of work
The winter before AIR. Ewing returned
10 the United States the number OF
men out of Work did not average So
while on reaching Chicago he found
literally hundreds of thousands of
Workmen out of employment II. was
deeply impressed with the thrift and
industry of the Belgian people and is
Of the opinion that this country can
learn much i'm this Respect from the
little nation across the sea.
The kings regard for his people was
undoubtedly tile primary Cause Of his