New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-30

London MAY Is. Republcsnism IN Eng
land is y peculiar thing Briefly. the creed OF
English republicans is this: ~ believe re-
nublic IN he the best and fre6st form OF gov
eminent. but am strong supporter Of our
monarchy"
Tho English republican. does not see inc
absurdity Of this creed. and to those VINO un-
derstand him his creed is not quite as absurd
as il sounds
The average Engishman republican be-
lieves that it would be an excellent thing II
overv monarchy in the world was overthrown'
ALWAYS with the exception Of his own. When
tho Portuguese set up republic and deposed
their king thousands of republicans III Eng
land sent messages Of congratulation to the
new Portuguese government. The Russian
revolution was welcomed by English repubII-
cans with even greater enthusiasm. bu'
when. following it, II. &. Wells, one OF the
strongest and most uncompromising repuo-
licans in England, wrote letter to Inc
Times" suggesting methods Of carrying on
republican propaganda work in England ms
suggestion was so badly received that mr.
Wells thought it advisable to publicly TESTIFY
his own loyalty to the throne
Real Republicans Negligible
The fact is that the number Of real repuo-
licans in England that is, men who would
take an active part in any organized ehort 10
overthrow the monarchy-are so few that
they may be regarded as negligible. There
are at least seventy members OF Parliament
who are avowed republicans, but there is not
one who would dream Of taking part IN any
oovomcnt directly designed to upset the
English monarchy.
Among the working classes It would be I'M
possible to create any sympathy with repuo-
lican movement.
Mr.. George Borrows, one Of the leaders OF
the Socialist movement in England, said 10
me- in discussing this matter: The men we
want TO get rid of are in the House OF com
mons have no quarrel with the King, and
7 would not walk across the road to attend
republican meeting
Mr.. Borrows of course meant that II was
the capitalists in the House OF commons
whom he regarded as "the enemy not the
King.
The Labor members in the House of Com
mons arc soidly loyaiists. At the King $
coronation. in 1911, not single Labor mem
her absented himself from the ceremony not
even Mr.. Ramsay Macdonald, who is probably
the most advanced republican who has ever
sat in Parliament But he went to the Kings
coronation most faultlessly attired.
After the Portuguese revolution the late
King Edward. when discussing republlcanlsm
with one of his equerries-the late Sir Arthur
Ellis-said to him: "Our people Will never
rut me off my throne, and do you know why
81 am sure they will not, sir-they are de-
voted to YOU" replied the equerry. i oeiieve
thew are" continued King Edward but tne
reason they will not put me off my throne Is
that they know have good enough manners
to get off it myself if they did not want me
on it,"
King Edward spoke jestingly, but there was
wisdom in the monarch's words, as there
often was when he spoke even in jest.
The English people are profoundly con-
scious of the fact that their monarchy IS not
kent in existence by the hidden forces over
which they have no control. They believe
that if they desired to get rid OF the mon
archy tomorrow they could do so with as
little trouble as they can get rid of Prime
Minister who has become generally unpopu-