New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-05-07
EDWARD vi.


the world of one of its most conspicuous
and most useful citizens. A man who
as prince and king had lived under the
gaze of all nations for nearly seventy
years was necessarily well known. The
world abOunds in both fiatterers and re-
vilerS. But there can be little doubt
that the measured and matured judg-
ment OF history will give Edward VII
a distinguished place both in the line of
British monarchS and among the worlds
leaders in craftsmanship and civics
during the closing years of the nine
teenth and opening years of the TWEEN
tieth centuries.
The unprecedented length of the reign
of his predecessor caused Edward to
spend the greater part Of his life as
Prince of Wales; III his sixty years pos
session of it he associated himself with
that title TO far greater degree than
any of his predecessors had done. and it
can unhesitatingly be said that he in
vested it with a dignity and Importance
which it had not possessed before. Those
who dwell merely or chiefly upon the
career as prince do him much injustice.
His public labors as the representative
of his widowed mother were multifari-
Gus and burdenSOme, and they were per-
formed with unfailing fidelity and tact.
As a patron of art and letters his in
fiUence was great. discriminating and
benefcent. In political life, despite the
al Of II
tisanShip his services were Invaluable
For while he was not. as crown princes
often have been. in opposition to the
actual sovereign. but always showed as
much filiaI loyalty in public as in domes-
tie matters. he was able to impress upon
court and crown a measure of his own
catholicity.
Coming TO the throne at the late age
OF sixty years, he quickly demonstrated
the utility of his long apprenticeship
and the diligence and efficiency with
which he had prepared himself for SOW
ereign authority and responsibility. His
capacity for work was comparable with
that which had distinguished his mother,
while in the greatest affairs of domestic
rare and triumphant tact which he had
shown in his social and personal activi-
ties These qualities. added 10 more than
ordinary craftsmanship, TO a particular
ly comprehensive knowledge Of men and
affairs and TO an excellent Judgment of
human nature, promptly gave him a
commanding rank among the practical
diplomatiSts of his time. and enabled
him 10 achieve those Improvements in
the foreign relations Of the United King
dom and between some other nations
for which his too brief reign will doubt
less he most gratefully remembered.
Now, for the first time in centuries. there
is sincere and substantial good will be-
tween England and France, the chronic
animosity OF Great Britain and Russia
has given place TO mutual confidence and
friendlineSs. relations between France
and Italy have been greatly ameIiorated,
and the sting has been removed from
unfortunate and chiefly groundless bick-
erings between Great Britain and Ger
many. To recall these changes is to ap-
preciate the magnitude Of the services
which this royal diplomat performed
The ending of his life and reign may
not mark an epoch in British history,
but it does accentuate a crisis. 1t is an
interesting coincidence that whereas
only a few days ago an historic reveal
ton was made TO the world of the cir
cumstances and conditions Of the crea-
ton of the first Parliament of Edward 7
that great and general Parliament.
containing rot only the prelateS and
'baronS but the community of the land"
Edward VII has now passed away at
the very moment when the kingdom is
confronted with proposals for the most
radical alteration of the Parliamentary
system which has been known since the
reign Of his first namesake The exist
ence Of this grave constitutional crisis.
anxiety concerning which and laborious
attention TO the details of which not
imprObably fastened his failure of
health and strength. Will add civic CON
Germ 10 the personal and patriotic be-
reavement which the United Kingdom
suffers and in which ii commands the
sympathy of all the world.