The San Francisco call., 1910-05-07


at GuildhaH probably will be given up.
Public opinion will doubtless demand
that the liberals program for reform
ing the house of lords, with a possible
appeal to the crown to make the most
important decision a sovereign has been
called upon to make in many years,
shall be laid aside for long time
They would be opposed to thrusting
upon King Edwards successor at the
very beginning of his reign. when he
was first graphing with important rou
tine work, a question so vital to the fu
ture of the empire.
TARIFF Is AT ISSUE
Throughout the nine years of King
Edwards reign the issue of tariff re-
form versus free trade, inaugurated by
the famous Chamberlain speech in May.
1903, has been continuously under dis
cussion.
The close of the year 1902 saw the
end of the long Salisbury administra-
ton and the accession of Balfour to
the premiership. On his accession to
the throne the king announced his in
tention, before the privy council, ito
walk in his mothers footsteps" but
while Queen Victoria lived almost a
life of retirement, interesting herself
mainly in home affairs, the kings in
f1uence has been devoted more to in
ternational affairs by visits to foreign
courts and by personal action of con-
stitutional character in various direc-
tions. He has made every possible eff
fort to bring the empire into the
friendliest relations with other coun-
tries and his efforts were so success
full he has been universally known as
Edward the Peacemaker."
Politically King Edwards reign has
been chiefly notable for the inaugura-
tion of a new era of social legislation
for the benefit of the people, which fol-
lowed the return of the liberals to
power after long conservative
regime.
The general elections in 1906, fought
on the free trade question, brought the
strongest liberal government for many
generations into power, and under the
Campbell Bannerman and Asquith min
istries many measures dealing with
education, old age pensions, the rela-
tions of workers to employers, and cog
nate matters were put into successful
operation, while the great Irish home
rule question has been to a great ex
tent thrust in the background.
The reign, however. closes at a pc
riod of great political unrest, with a
large section of the country vigorously
opposed to the new liberal policy of en-
croachment on the privileges of the
landed and aristocratic classes and
with the heated question of the legis-
lation of the house of lords. tariff re-
form and home rule still unsettled.
The kings death, occurring at mid
night, when the newspapers were going
to press, precluded anything beyond
the bare announcement Ali the MORN
ing papers, however, appear with heavy
mourning borders and full biographies
of the dead sovereign. They publish ed
itorials deploring the nations loss.
while many columns of dispatches from
abroad testify to the intensity OF inter-
est his sudden illness had excited
throughout the world.
Little yet has been heard on the sub
ject of the new king, the universal
burden of the editorials being to in
form the empire of the great loss sus-
tanned
King Was Not Careful
VIENNA, May 6.--Doctor OFT, King
Edwards physician at Marienbad, in
an interview today said:
1.-The kings age and habits involved
more danger in bronchial catarrh than
with ordinary cases. Generally speak
ing. the kings constitution would be
considered healthy and robust, but his
majesty would not take care of him
self and especially objected to remain
ing in bed. The king suffered from
spasms of the vocal chords due to
pressure of blood on the epiglottis.''
No Display for Roosevelt
LONDON, May IF Roosevelt's Witt
to England is carried ont it will be
shorn of all display. Telegrams from
Berlin say the German emperor will
proceed to England and that Roose-
velt's visit to Berlin must be postponed.