The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-06-25

LONDON. June 2..-After three /
days OF coronation Festivities. marked !
By the most striking contrasts in
England's political and social his
tory. London s>Snight turned YEARLY
10 rest
The king and queen returned this
afternoon from Portsmouth where
they reviewed the greatest armada
ever gathered together. Both showed
! plainly the strain of the last few
days and they repaired TO Buckingham
Palace for much needed season of
lquiet- The queens condition was
/ such that the court physicians issued
an imperative order that she cease
temporarily her active participation
+ in the festivities that will continue
+ internationally for another week
Now that it is all over, the corona
! ton, the royal PROCESS" and the naval
review, sober minds are trying to
/ count the cost. Not merely the cost
in MONEY, for this reaches to such
vast proportions that there is no way
] of estimating it Nor is this money
cost the pulling phase of the situa-
ton. What is worrying the friends of
the government and the monarchy, is
the cost in public opinion in the three
days of pomp and pageantry.
You can get any answer to the ques-
ton you desire, depending wholly up
on whom you interview. The aristoc-
racy, which viewed only the glittering
side of the affair and whose character
istic short-sightedness never permits
it to see the somber accompaniment
1 of the temper of the great middle
class and the specter of the down
trodden, tells it that the coronation
was the greatest in England's history
and enshrined their majesties in the
hearts of the empire as no rulers be-
fore them.
But the others will tell you a diff
j ferent story They will remind you
of the failure of the expected crowds
! to materalize, of the lack of genuine
, enthusiasm among the mass of the
people, of the carnival crowds that
fought shy of the coronation parade
and the succeeding days procession,
only to fill the streets and engage in
ribald mirth the moment the proceed
ings were over, the cheers for John
Burns, the former socialist and labor
. leader, after the king and queen had
passed.
They will point to other things,
| too, which the straight laced tory
would rather have forgotten. They
e will even call the whole thing joke,
: the GROWING of a man of ordinary
: attachments as the ruler of the Brit.
i ish empire, when the government has
e swept every vestige of power from his
I hands.
? So it is probably too early to count
d the cost. A year, FIVE years, ten per.
haps, may eiapse before the answer
is known.
One significant question has been
raised in London. lots of times this
J. week: Will England ever witness an
9 other coronation? King George is a
e middle aged man in good health and
of splendid habits 1t is not unreason
v able to expect his reign to cover a
quarter of century. With British
sentiment changing as it is, with the
death blow to the peers all ready t
be delivered by parliament, with
Lloyd George actually putting into
operation movement that only few
years ago would have been considerec
r. the extreme of socialistic and pater
nalitic government, with the masses
awakening and trying to bridge the
chasm between the top and bottom
Q 1t would be a bold prophet who woul'
n attempt to say what % years will
d bring to pass.
e. The mere fact that the people ar
asking-even granting that the ques
~ ton Is idle-whether there will eve
10 be another coronation indicates dis
is illusionment in the public mind re
re garding the hereditary principle.
~ Coronation week ended this aftel
~ noon with the great naval review
- spithead, where nearly two bundre
,a of the mightiest war craft in tn
10 world laid in imposing lines. throug
n which the imperial yacht and Its col
re vov steamed England contributed 16
10 of the warships and they were MAJ
Is, ned by more than fifty thousand sal
- crs
oy The sight of the battleships was b
er far the mosr imposing thing of tn
st week, with the possible execution
ng the solemn browning itself Foreigl
ers especially were impressed wit
. England's show of naval power. tn
climax came at the close when 800
- guns fired salute that shook II
nd very foundations of Portsmouth.
The queen. tired and worn, appea
ed to IKE but little interest In II