The river press., 1910-06-15
ROYAL BlGAMjSTS,

"A news ltem from New YORK an.
nounces that q claimant for the Brit
ish throne, who makes his home in
that city, has issued q manifesto to
the British parliament and the public
generally, to the effect that he de.
mands the rights he should enjoy as
the drst-born son of the late King
Edward VII. The claimant is a
picturesque character who boasts the
q name of John r. DeGuelph, and who
lives in expensive style without any
visible means of support. The source
OF his income is a mystery to his as.
sOciates.
While this particular claimant for
the British throne may deserve the
title OF "Brooklyn pretender," which
has been given him by his critics, his
alleg cations recall the peculiar condi-
tions that attach to roy atty in Great
Britain and other monarchies. The
marriage laws appear to be of no eff.
feet in matrimonial alliances formed
by persons of royal & blood.
The new king OF England, accord.
ing to we'll authenticated reports,
married the lady Of his choice while
serving in the British navy, but when
he came into the line of succession to
the British throne (through the death
OF an older brother it became neces.
sary to transfer his marital relations
to q princess. and desert the wife
whom he married years before. The
latter may still retain his affections,
but it is the mand ate OF custom or law
that none except persons of royal (!)
birth shall wear a British crown.
BY reason of this decree, the pres.
ent British monarch-like many of
his royal predecessors-is a bigamist.
That is the situa alton from the gener.
ally accepted point of view, but under
the peculiar conditions attached to
roy atty his fret matrimonial alliance
is called "morgana attic marriage
one in which 1t is stipulated tha,
neither the wife nor the children shall
enjoy the rank or inherit the pos.
sessions of the husb and father.
A rem markable feature of these con
ditions is that the British monarch
with two wives living, is the nomina
: head of the British Episcopal church
"a shining example of morality anG
respecter of the laws that apply to al
British citizens except himself.
= The exemption of roy atty from tn,
opera alton of laws that must be obeye,
g by others, does not appeal to Ameri
, can citizens as condition that shoult
/. be tolerated by civilized and self
= respecting people. The reputation o
: q marriage called 'morgan atic," O.
D design nated by any other name, for tn
J., reason that it may result in destroy
ing the monopoly Of soft snaps eujoye,
by members of royal families, is a
outrage upon common sense and de
cency.
There is another side to the pro
j position, of course, as royalty ha
}. legitimate cause for complaint agsins
!. the custom in vogue. The selection O
q life partner being limited to member
of royal families, the heir apparent I,
. . mon archy must take what 10 offere,
! to him. His choice OF q partner I,
4 share royal honors is freq emily gov
. erned by considerations other tha,
true affection, and the ill.msted coupl
, suffer the consequences. The homo
i. Of being . king, coupled with the pen
atty OF having to marry . woman no
OF your own choice or disposition
may not be such . desirable suap .
lit is generally considered.