New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-04-26

rectly obstruct party plans for the aar-
tisan use OF the Army ia possible That
Is not a criticism but eulogy; which
ever be the party concerned. The in
terests and duties OF the King are not
party interests or duties, but those OF
the Kingdom and the Nation. Matters
have gone very far indeed when Il be-
comes possible TO make that a subject
OF complaint II may be that Queen
Victoria strained her prerogatlve when
she refused to allow Mr. Gladstone 20
make Mr. Lowe Minister Of War IN
1865, when Mr. Gladstone was forming
his first Ministry. At any rate he gave
way. AIR Lowe was appointed to the
Exoheoucr, and AIR. Cardwell became
Secretary OF state for War. The poln,
is one 20 be settled by constitutional
lawyers. or, better stnl. by practice ana
precedent.
There is. however. a group of men,
numerous and therefore powerful group
Of extreme Radicals who have sus-
pected and continue 10 suspect the King
OF not liking either Irish Home Rule
or tho methods employed 10 put n
Home Rule bill on the statute book. OF
evidence there is little but these gen
tlemen have q highly developed fcmi-
nine gift OF Judging without evidence.
They have prepossessions- avoid the
word prCjudice-and are governed by
them; when passions run high. They
interpret the most innocent acts and
expressions Of the King in this mis-
leading light. They say he was behind
General Cough and his colonies when
they offered their designations rather
than march upon Ulster. Again there
is no evidence, but IL is characteristic
of revolutionary times that suspicious
take the place OF facts. They say his
Household is Tory. They forgot that
the Kings first Private Secretary, who
stands to him in a relation more init
mate than any other official, was Lord
Knollys. a Radical; and that Lord
Stamfordham. who succeeded Lord
Knollys and still holds the office. has
no politics at all. When l suggested
this TO my Radical friend his answer
was;
Well King is a Tory. anyhow, and
he ought 10 have a Radical Secretary"
But YOU never quite know in what
sense an enthusiast uses the word
ought" / asked:
What are YOU going TO do about it?
Are you going to put Republican
plank in your next PLATFORM
no. we should lose the election on
that. The country is not ripe for it.
The people are stupid
He paused as II searching for a point
Of view, and went on:
They are stupid. You know some
thing about England. but you don't
know the majority Of the present cleo
torate. They are stupid and they never
will be anything else. That is why VIC
nave TO resort to means Of winning an
2 election or managing a party which are
T in themselves regrettable. They don't
care deeply. if at all. about great issues,
National or still less Imperial They
7
about beer. They care about wages
and grievances under the Insurance
Act, and about land questions if they
+ happen TO be agricultural laborers.
/ They don't connect the King or the
f Throne with any Of these matters.
That is why 1t would be useless to
offer them a Republic. Besides, they
don't know what Republic is. AS t.
the Army, and the issue OF what
| Churchill calls the Army against the
I People you could not make them
understand a case unless they are
strikers who want to use violence"
This is one of the men who cry, in
public, Trust the People," yet refuse
to allow them TO vote on the question
which Of all others most deeply CON
/ Germs the People,-whether the United
Kingdom is to remain a Kingdom or to
be broken up. The business Of n King
/ is 10 consider the welfare Of his King
dom and keep it intact. If he does not
/ they resent it, even though he departs
not a hairs breadth from his constitu-
y llOUdl IlEiliS anu QuA4fSs ain Vel ldl
from associating myself with my
friends views. leave all the respon-
sibility for them to him. 1 don't know
whether it will strike you as remark
able that a Radical, a Democrat in
theory, an English Republican, should
hold and express opinions OF this kind
about his countrymen. But 1 think
him quite sincere and quite devoted 10
their interests. Only, like other Radi-
Gals, he is devoted to them in his own
way, and is convinced he knows what
is best for them better than they do.
As for the King, whether in relation
to the Army or to his People, l think
him a loyal, honorable gentleman. He
is, Of course, incapable Of tampering
with the Army or Of sacrificing any Of
the rights Of the people. He hardly
has the power, if he had the will. AS
/ King he can do no act except by the
advice Of his Ministers. His position
as Head Of the Army is mainly decora-
tive. II the Army is TO be attacked he
: can do little 70 defend it. During the
tumult Of the last week he has con-
suited constantly with his own Min
listers; with Generals like Sir John