Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1910-05-13
PNEUMONIA ENDS
LIFE OF EDWARD
GREAT BRITAIN'S RULER DIES BE-
FORE SUBJECTS REALIZE
HIS CONDITION.
LOVED ALMOST UNIVERSALLY.
as Statesman, the Late King Was AL
ways Active and Particularly
Successful

LONDON. May liking Edward VII.
iled from pneumonia at as Friday
hsht at buckingham palace. Death
struck down the mightieSt ruler of the
world with as little conjunction as if
as victim had been the meanest of that
hlngs subjects. The prayers of the
whole nation. bound to their monarch by
centuries of tradition and by love born
at complete and intimate knowledge Of
their rulers fOibles almost as much as
of his greatest virtues, availed to stay
the hand of the reaper not a jot
King Edward died almost before his
subjects had begun to realize that he
was seriously i'll. He was taken sick Il
week ago After three days serious COM
plcations began to develop. The fourth
day his physicians issued bulletin that
stirred the whole nation to its depths.
On the sixth day the King was dead.
Sketch of Kings Life.
When Edward VII breathed his last
there came to close the life of a unique
personality. lie was loved almost uni
| versally, hrst of all as a man whose nat
| ural attributes made him dear to the
hearts of his subjects, and next as Il
monarch whose ability to fulfill the role
demonstrated conspicuously. Edward
VII, by the grace of God, of the united
| kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
and of the British dominions beyond the
seas King, defender of the faith, Empe-
| ror of India was his title.
Subject to fierce criticism in his youth
| because of his manner of life, he lived
down an unenviable reputation through
| long years OF more careful conduct, and
succeeded in winning the confidence of all
! .nnonla oc oln,DSt 9th cnvorniun
Of Great Britain except his mother,
| Queen Victoria, had done.
| As a statesman, he was active and
successful particularly III the field of
foreign affairs. The fact that he was
the idol of the people made him a use
abled him at the same time to WELD more
influence than had been conceded to the
throne in the past. He was an able
diplomat, and in all the more important
questions of foreign policy which came
up during his short reign he made him
self felt. ~
In domestic politics he was less active,
! but be succeeded in Strengthening the
position of the monarch with the masses,
effectually killing whatever ant-royalist
sentiment existed at the time OF his
accession His. Influence with his min
sters in an advisory capacity was much
more pronounced than was that OF
Queen Victoria, although his attitude on
she political questions of the day was
not defined.
! Edward VII. assumed the throne on
| the death of Queen Victoria on January
| %, 1901 so that he was King less than
ten years.
Noted for craftsmanship.
| 1t was as a sportsman that the Brit
| ish people loved most to think of hlln.
| He was an enthusiastic patron Of horse
racing, and was fond of yacht racing,
cricket, athletics and shooting.
! His love Of cards was almost pas
| sion in his earlier days, and his gam
| bling for high stakes got him in trouble
several times. When in 1909 his horse
Minoru won the derby at Epson there
was a scene Of enthusiasm at the track
which was unparalleled. Twice before
he became King lie won the derby, with
PersimmOn in 1896, and with Diamond
| Jubilee in 1900. ID.
| In personal appearance the King was
| the typical Englishman. He was rather
| below the average stature, of strong and
| heavy build. His ruddy face betokene6
| good health and good spirits up to .
short time ago. He wore his gray beard
| trimmed to a sharp point. His thin
| circle of gray hair diminished until he
was quite bald. Even In his later days
| he continued to be one of the best
! dressed men in Europe, and was regard
| ed as @ model for quiet refinement Of
| dress and bearing.
| At the state functions i'll which he
| participated. Edward revived all the
| pomp and circumstance of medieval
| days. He drove to Westminster on the
| opening of Parliament in one of the
| sumptuous royal coaches, attended by
| heralds, equerries and Outriders, and a
| vast retInue, forming a pageant Of royal
splendor On these occasions the King
wore the full Iobes of majesty.
TactfulneSs, which he possessed to q
| marked degree, was a conspicuous char
| acteristic of the late King, although he
was frank, loyal and warm hearted al
ways. Those who associated with him
have said that he was emphatically the
| good fellow simple and courteous, but
| a stickler for the Difference which his
| rank demanded.
Had Wide Education.
He was born in Buckingham palace
on November 8, 1841, the son Of Queen
| Victoria and Prince Albert of Sake
| Coburg ard Gotha. Educated by pri-
yate tutors CT a plan outlined by his
| father, he later studied at Edinburgh,
| Oxford and Cambridge. A long period
of travel followed, during which he went
| over Europe and the east. In 1860 he
| made "a triumphant tour through the
United States and Canada.
The prince was married on March 10
| 1868, to Princess Alexandra, Oldest
daughter OF the DANISH prince who be-
came, some months later, King Christian
| TX. Six children were born, two of
whom - the Duke Of Clarence and
| Prince Alexander : died. The sur
viving children are George Frederick,
| Prince Of Wales, Duke Of Cornwall and
York, who now becomes King; Princess
Louise, who was married to the Duke
of Fife; Princess Victoria Alexandra
| and Princess Maud Charlotte, who was
married to Prince Karl of Denmark.
| now King Haakon VII Of Norway.
The King was of the house of Han
over, which dates from the accession to
the throne of King George L. in 1714.
Twice before ascending the throne
Edwards life was uespaired of.