New-York tribune., 1910-05-08
GEORGE 7.

The proof of ruler. to adapt a homaly
proverb is in his rule There is inevfta-
bly, much speculation concerning the dis
position and conduct. as King. of
George V. which intrinscally is specula-
ton and nothing more. The reign and it
alone will reveal the sovereign. 1t may.
however. be said with confidence that
such speculation may properly be marked
with large degree of optimism. And
that would be the case even if our
knowledge of the King were less favor
able than 1t is. With kings and emperors.
as with presidents and governors and
mayors, ii is generally true that upon
their accession they rise dt least toward
if not to the height of their office. We
could cite several conspicuous examples
in recent years. in Europe and in Amer
lea, in which occupants of important
offices have happily disappointed appre-
hension and have filed their places with
unexpected satisfaction.
In the case of George Y, however
there is and has been no ground for
apprehension nor indeed for anything
u.
IS SO for various reasons. His inherit
ance was good. His early training and
associations. in the home of his parents
and at the court of his grandmother,
were in the highest degree admirable.
His habits in mature life as husband
and father. have been exemplary His
bearing as prince and heir apparent both
= fo@h
nation and empire. has been irreproach-
able. He is commonly accredited with
more conservative and less democratic
temperament than his father possessed.
vet he was a prime favorite with his
0hipm0teS in the navy and he has never
lacked unaffected affabiiity toward all
with whom he has come into contact,
while he has more than ONCE publicly
dwelt upon the necessity of sympathy
between rulers and the ruled If he has
not always displayed the alert and versa
tile interests which so engagingly char
acteriZed his father. he has manifested
sdgacity and a sObr1ety of judgment
which are most TeasSuring and auspi-
cious- Two personal facts. moreover,
One is that he has been sailor prince,
intimately and creditably associated with
that service which is traditionally dear
est TO the British heart The other is
that he is happily married to one Of the
most admired and beloved of native
English princesses.
He succeeds TO the throne not only ut
E h.ara
tary soFereigns almost invariably must
do, but also at q time Of peculiar stress
and trial in the affairs of his kingdom,
It is time of intense foreign rivalry
Iii certain directions, and OF eYtraordi-
nary huX in domestic politics. There has
been irrepressibly raised the most i'm.
portant constitutional Issue since the
Stuart days, an issue so tranScendent as
TO make references to rerolutfon-not, or
course, dynaStic-seem scarcely exagger-
ated. Into the controversies of nartisan
politics. even when constitutional issues
are involved. the sovereign is not SUD-
posed to be drawn. But years within our
memory have demonstrated more than
once the immense value of the service
stitutionally perform in political crises.
Grave responsibilities and heavy burdens
are thus confronting the new King. but
happily there is a promise that he will
be competent 10 deal with them credit
ably 20 himself and proftably 10 the
nation. For several years his association
with bis father has been particularly In
innate. not merely in personal. domestic
and social affairs, but perhaps even more
notably in affairs of state, and the ac-
cord between them has been complete
There is thus cause for expectation that
he will prove himself the successor not
only 10 his fathers throne, but also 20
those wise and benevolent policies which
made the brief reign of Edward VII so
fruitful of good to England and the
world.