The Detroit times., 1910-05-07
Late Kirg's Personality
Made Him Great Man

The life Of king. after il has end
ed. is a natter for historians But.
when the eyes of the world are turn
ed upon me of the greatest OF nations,
expectan and nquiring. history is
not thei wanted 1t is of the man.
the rulG who i'm lifetime was pubic.
~ known IN but a casual manner out.
side his own dOminiOns. that the
world is concerned with And TO
gratif' this concern, there Is but one
thing TO be used rs foundation-the
personality OF Edward VII. For IL WAS
personality that made him the ruler
ne vas; that made his people su-
prcnely happy; that steered the ship
of state through seas whose treach-
er, was never appreciated by his sub
jets, II was personality that made
A0ert Edward "A great man and a
geat king-for greatness cannot be
dnied him,
When. rs the prince OF Wales. his
Nldness was dwelt upon, the press
nd drawing room gossip alike burn
q with cXaggeration of his escapades.
When the time came that ne was 10
If head shaking The prince of Wales
vas known to his subjects as light
iearted. fun loving young man. before
@hom there were breakers because
he did not take life seriously enough.
He was unframed politically, for his
mother. the late Queen Victoria,
thought like other rulers that affairs
OF state might become complicated
by interference on the part OF the
crown prince If he were allowed too
much knowledge OF governmental az
fans. Little did England dream that
Edward had political ideas of his own
and was systematically preparing the
soil for their planting He cultivated
friends of the powerful sort. His mag
netic personality made this an easy
matter lie gathered about him such
an array OF strength that before his
death. his appeal 20 the subjects OF
the British crown, particularly IN
India. would have met with far
greater response than that OF parlia
ment
HIS love OF democracy, his familiar
know Ledge of the Workaday lives OF
his people. his blum. hearty manner,
and. above all his thorough sym.
pathy. made him loved as few other
mCnarchs were ever loved There
may have been greater Kings. and
there max be better in the future. but
il is still true that they never had
nor can hey have, more hearty
siuceTe, sympathetic love than had
Edward
Lingering doubts as To his position
in royalty were gradually diSpeiled as
the years OF his reign passed. and he
came cv,ntually go be considered by
All Englshmcn as the greatest man
In the world. The people looked 10
INN TO uphold the dignity and great
ness Of the empire. and they attrlbut-
cd To him powers of diplomacy which
even Tacchivaelli cuold never have
sugseded The knowledge which
gradully sank deep. that the king at
tened assiduously to his own ldngiy
duties and permitted no interference
with his policies. mastered the hearts
ofhis subjects SO completely that II
T. doubtful if ever European monarch
coupled so exalted \ position
The diplomatic power Of Edward
.as never known until it became
Known that he. more than anyone
else. kept peace in the world during
the Boer war While other nations
jealously watched the struggle be
tween England and the little republic,
a time when foreign fleet with
lights lowered could have passed
Gibraltar Edward worked day and
nicht using his influence with Ger
many 90 prevent spread of the war
Regardless OF what opinion may be OF
a sol
we're divided counseis and uttcrances
of despair-the then prince or Wales
tactfully held most delicate posi-
ton. and worked in behalf OF peace.
And later. when England was allied
with Japan. and Japan was heaplng
the greatest humiliation upon Russia,
the king STAYED of universal confa-
grafton and made an abiding friend
IN the ally of Russia. II required
diplomacy. indeed. 10 20 through that
thicket Of troubles. considering the
allegiance OF England and Japan.
These were by no means all of the
course Of events that must have
strained Edwards tact to the break
ing point
English people had little knowledge
of the responsibilities that rested on
the shoulders OF the king, and people
OF other nations had the smallest
measure Of realization When II is
considered that Edward reigning over
one-tlird OF the people Of the earth;
that the English flag flies over one
THIRD of the globe, that seventy out
of very hundred ships on the seas
rvsthe English flag. that there are
tire times more English subjects
thm Russian. and that the revenues
of the empire amounted to E225.000.-
90, the truth of uneasy lies the head