The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1916-11-30
BIG LESSON
OF THIS WAR

~ v
The lesson of the war, as far az Il DOOR
ssrns the monarchial principle q general.
10 that only the constitutional monarch and
the patriot king can survive under modern
conditions. For constitutional monarchy
In its various degrees, from that OF our
own crowned but democratic republic to
that OF Italy, Belgium, or Rumania. there
IL a great deal to be said. not merely from
the point of view of wont and custom. but
Of hard common sense. 1t IL on such mon
arches as those just named and on such
kings es King George. King Victor. kim
Albert, and King Ferdinand, and not upon
such kings as those OF Greece or Bulgaria
-let alone the two kaisers and the sultan
that the defenders Of monarchy, IL they
are wise. will base their case, He Is no
true friend of monarchy, but Its deadliest
enemy. who would, try to save King Con-
stantine, not on his personal merits an .
monarch, for that of course is impossi-
BILE, but lestthe cause of monarchy should
receive inj6ry. The thing il so evident an
hardly to need argument. Who can doubt.
In spite of the immediate accidents of the
war-merely local and temporary as we
are certain they are-whether King Ferdf-
nand OF Rumania or King Constantine or
Greece has the frmer seat upon his
throne7 The king of Rumania has played
THO tTu6 part OIL u COUSlllutiohdL ~
He has acted the part of the patriot and
the democratic king. The facts that he
IL a member Of the Hohenxollern family.
and that Rumania was before the war q
member Of the triple alliance, though with
q limited liability, might have seemed to
afford excuses for an attempt to play the
game played by the Greek monarch. or at
any rate for the maintenance Of neutral
ity and the sterilization Of his kingdom.
King Ferdinand made no Mtempt to seize
them. Instead he at once recognized that
his duty lay In thinking not OF his per-
sonal or dynastio position but OF the Will
OF the people over whose destiny he pre-
sides. When that win was clearly Shown
he not only made no attempt to hold Ru-
mania back. but Loyalty accepted the part
of Interpreter of his peoples wishes. Who
can doubt that 1t Ia he who has given
strength to the monarchial principle In
EUROPE, and not his Greek brotherf
A jTsutonio Argument.
The German emperor. feebiy supported
by the aged emperor of Austria and by
that most abject Of dynasts, the king OF
Bulgaria, has been e~ndeavoring IN every
neutral and allied court to ihstil into
European rulers the. poisonous and dead
ty notion that the monarchical principle
must stand or fall with me Hohenzoiierns.
"Romember that II the Hohenzollerns fall.
~ okAl III E1dISB0 a@hho "hNss ~
the actual words which the kaiser or his
emissaries are said to have used In this
context. Nothing could possibly be more
false. more contrary to the facts. In
reality, II We can imagine a temporary
success for German arms, 1t would not DO
too much to say that the ultimate DOWN
fall Of the dynastic principle was certain.
In spite Of the temporary success. mon
archy would havs been on it's trial and
have failed. 1t could never stand the
shock Of 30 fatal, so disastrous a triumph.
All true friends OF the monarchical sys-
tenn, IL they are wire, will recognize that
the future Of that system depends upon
constitutonalism and upon Its Develop
ment. Ef#, ... ..... - NA q
Unless the peoples can be brought to see
chat kings ace useful trustees Of demo-
cratic and national interests, provide con-
tinuity OF government, a mitigation OF the
party system, q protection from the worst
forms OF corruption, and from the passions
too often excited, especially in small and
undeveloped communities, by the scramble
for power and for the flashy symbols OF
authority, then indeed monarchy In
Europe is doomed beyond reprieve. Even
IL the glorious traditions OF our crowned
republic preserved Il as q unique
anomaly, and, in the words of the act of
settlement, secured the throne TO the
heirs Of the body of the electress Sophia
| who obey, the limitations set forth In the
bill OF rights and other statutes governing
| the succession to the crown, 1t would only
remain in the opinion OF civilized mankind
as "a freak OF the mad islanders" not an
o reasonable type OF free government