THROUGH AMERICAN EYES.

Bush Advocate, Volume XXII, Issue 110, 13 May 1910, Page 7

THROUGH AMERICAN EYES.

TRIBUTES TO KING EDWARD'S ABILITY. King Edward was the subject' of a character sketch in the Century some years ago, by Mr George W. Smalley (the New York correspondent of The Times). The writer declared that "he has far more knowledge and a far higher capacity for rule than is commonly supposed.'' His Majesty had been of late profoundly interested in matters of public concern. He knew the politics of Europe:—"ln such matters the Prince took care to keep himself informed. He was extremely well served, and he missed no opportunity of enlarging his means of knowledge. He liked early news. You could) not do him a greater pleasure than, to tell him or telegraph him of some fact before it became public. I could name men who, being in a position to know, and being admitted to his confidence, which he gave discreetly, went almost nightly to Marlborough House, with their budget of news, domestic and foreign. His household knew what their master expected, and they made it their business to supply him with it. His influence was often invoked from abroad, and often, though in a different way, at home. His intimacies with English statesmen: stood him in good' stead. Perhaps I may mention two, each very different from the other. I mean Lord Salisbury and Lord Rosebery, both Prime Ministers, and both, whether in or out of office, deep in the confidence of the Prince." "I do not believe he will, ever care to play the part -of King 'Log. His is a strenuous nature. He has, very fully and strongly, the pride of kings, and what the pride of kings is a Republican who has lived all his life in a republic can but faintly conceive. ' After • touching very lightly on, his past record, the writer said:—"He knew men. He judged them well. He observed and reflected. To books he has never devoted himself. I once asked One of the men most .about him, 'Wliat does the Prince read ?' The answer may well startle you. 'He reads nothing.' 'You mean he reads little.' 'I mean he reads absolutely nothing. We lay before him what we think he ought to see, and he reads that, but yon will aiever see a newspaper, and still less a book, in his hand.' It may have been true at the moment when it was said, though I am bound to add it was denied by other authority equally good." Mr Smalley informed his American audience that the English had ever shown an affection . for the Prince of Wales. Wiry? asked Mr Smalley, and answered: "He was worthy of it." One ground of this endearment was the revolution he and the Priiir cess effected in the relations between Court and people. "They mingled with their fellow-subjects, accepted invitations in London and to> houses in the country. It had never been done before with anything like the same freedom. Strict etiquette was against it; from the Continent the Court pedants looked on aghast." Mr Smalley tells a story of the Kaiser's visit in 1889. When he arrived he merely touched his hat in response to the welcome of the distinguished party who came to meet him. The Prince of Wales shook hands with them cordially. The Kaiser quietly took the hint, and when he bade them good-bye, shook hands. The, writer set down his own• impressions of the King:—"First of all, the impression of real force of character. Next, that combined shrewdness and 'good sense which, together, amount to sagacity. Third, tact. . . Add to it firmness and courage, and base all of these gifts on immense experience of life by one who has touched it on. many sides, and you Avill have drawn an outline of character which cannot be much altered. Add to it the Prince's constant solicitude about public matters and his intelligent estimate of forces —which last is the chief business of statesmanship. Add to this, again, the effect upon the hearer of his conversation'; from a mind full, not indeed of literature, but of life, a conversation of wide range, of acuteness, of clear statement and strong opinion, of infinite good humor."

A QUICK INTELLECT. An anonymous writer in- Harper's Magazine for August, 1898, controverting an impression that the Prince lacked both the intelligence and the interest to take an active part in public affairs, recalled an incident that took place apparently in connection with the anti-Jewish agitation which raged some years ago in Russia. Re said: "Here is an instance that came within my personal knowledge. A few years ago an attempt was made by certain philanthropists to influence the sovereign of a Continental nation in favor of a certain class of his people who were suffering from illtreatment—which was not known —so it was believed —to the sovereign in question. Circumstances so complicated the matter that the mere study of the facts, so as to grasp the situation, was no mean test of any man's abilities. The Prince sent for the person concerned in the negotiations, and listened attentively—but without taking a note—to a long statement bristling with technicalities and side issues. Shortly afterwards his Royal Highness again sent for his informant, and read to him a lengthy letter of at least a dozen pages, addressed to the Princess of Wales, who happened at the time to be staying at, a Court where the sovereign; concerned was also a guest. This letter was a masterly description of the whole situation, without omitting one essential point or including an irrelevancy, and was, in short, a document that indicated an endowment of mem-

ory and intellect given to few professional lawyers or statesmen. When the special request involved was granted no one knew that to the Prince of Wales was due the gratitude of those he had secretly helped. It may be added that this episode took place at Horn burg, where the Prince is not generally believed to devote himself to secret and laborious philanthropy. The incident is only one of a number."