New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-08-18

Prime Minister demanded and the King
promised that, in a certain event, the
Royal prerogative should be used for
the creation of a body of Peers numer-
GUS enough to insure the passage OF
the Parliament Bill through the Upper
, House. Ii was Constitutional ques-
ton Of the first magnitude. The King.
new to the Throne, necessarily mex
perienced, was confronted by q very
able, very adroit, Prime Minister, long
Versed in public affairs. a powerful
majority behind him; and the country
either with him or not against him;
which last Is as much as can be eX-
Ipected of an electorate numbering some
seven millions when point of Consu-
tutional procedure. even though revo-
lutonary. is at issue.
But there were Conservatives, no
small number of them, who took no
account of the circumstances: who
thought it the business of King to be
a Conservative, as in one sense or in
several senses 1t well may be; and who
thought themselves entitled to use lam
guage about the King unheard from
any loyal mouth for more than two
hundred years. They said often what
the Seven Bishops friends said OF
James Second; what the Jacobites
said OF William Third; what we our
selves said Of George Third: loyalty
not being then the point. They said
il in all companies and to all corners.
l have heard language used which it
is impossible to print. Feeling ran
high. Happily il was too violent TO
| last, but for some time after the
Prime Minister had allowed the facts
from his own point Of view, to ne
known. the popularity Of the King
was. among Conservatives. at very
low ebb. That IT is so no longer is
due TO a truer perception Of the 1acts
and of the Kings position and OF the
difficulties amid which he took his de-
cision.
But, for the same reason, the KING
popularity with the Democracy IN
creased. An impression went abroad
that as between the privileged classes
and the people he was on the SIDE OF
the people. That perhaps did him as
much Injustice as he suffered at the
hands of the Conservatives Nor Is IL
TO be supposed that he would accept
one view more than the other. For the
business Of a King is TO he King OF all
his people; not Of one class not Of the
classes as against the masses, nor OF
the masses as against the classes; out
Of all. That was his Fathers view.
That. no doubt, the Son had been
taught. II is the Constitutional view
and there is no reason TO imagine that
the King ever meant TO depart by
single step from his strict Constitu-
tjonal duty. All the same, he could not
but be aware that political power had
passed. in 1892. from the Aristocracy
tn the Middle Class and, in lSSl-c3.
from the Middle Glasses TO the Labor
ing Glasses. He had seen this eX-
tremely Radical Ministry thrice re-
turned TO power by three General Elec-
lions. He knew that so long as they
remained his Ministers he was constl-
tutionally bound TO act upon their ad-
vice. He was not called upon 10 dis
tingllish between Radicalism and De-
mocracy. nor perhaps to think the duty
Of checking Parliamentary usurpation
( 10 be his: nor 10 consider whether
Cabinet might come TO be only an
other name for Oligarchy. He con-
formed TO traditional usage, and to the
authority of precedent as he under
stood it. That, TO his mind, was both
Constitutional and Conservative, and
/ he acted accordingly
His action in that matter may be
thought TO have modified his whole
attitude TO Democracy. At any rate,
he has ever since shown himself in
I sympathy with that popular element
which IL Is the custom 70 call Demo-
cratic. He went among the people;
not on occasions of ceremony only.
The svrnpathies Of both King and
, Queen widened. The expression OF
them became more frequent. They
reached the cottage as freely az the
castle. Little acts OF personal human
kindness TO people in humble circum-
stances were done In human, manly
and womanly way. When Mrs. Ram
saw Macdonald, wife Of the Labor
Party leader in the House Of Commons
was i'll the King telegraphed to ask
how she was getting on. When
ia orer wrote to the King that his boy
three years old, wanted to see him as
ne passed I'm a railway train, the King
showed himself at the window. When
tbe women and children Of the railway
or mining strikers were in distress he
sent them-but not the strikers-a mes
sage Of sympathy When accidents or
tragedies befell--a colliery disaster the
Titanic. or whatever else. and even TO
sufferers abroad-a telegram from the
King and Queen soothed the griefs or
which neither could hear unmoved.
There have been scores of such incl
dents and of other Incidents; some
times grave, sometimes only awkward.
When an Eton boy at Henley VINO
came up for prize shook the queen
outstretched hand holding the medal
tho King alqo took the boys hand, That