THRONE FOR AMERICA.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 302, 15 September 1908, Page 9

THRONE FOR AMERICA.

e -• ROYALIST "PLOT" ON BEHALF OF "QUEEN HELEN." " SECRET COUNCIL OF SEVEN." It seems to bo- lucky for Mr. Roosevelt that .lie refused to accept' another term of office as President of tho United States (says the London "Daily News" of July 31). Troublous times are in storo for his successor.' Within three years from now Republicanism will have "bitten tho dust," and Helen of Now York, who is understood to be every bit as beautiful as Helen of Troy, and a great deal richer, will bo seated securely upon the brand new throne of Amoriea. The Royalists of the United States, "organised for tho purpose of securing real liberty," liavo said so; and if you call ■ atthe Savoy Hotelto see Mr. Louis'A. Gourdain, a member of thoir "Secret Council of Sevon," you, will find it extremely difficult to laugh, at His plain; self-possessed forecast of tho sensations which are in store.Mr. Gourdain, dark, thin, and clothed in black, looks like a figure of mystery out of a book. His black eyes are searching, but his smile is bland. At one moment you might,tako him for a kind-hearted Sunday school teacher. At another ho suggests a Napoleon, thinking in continents and absolutely confident that ho has only 'to say tho word to change "shall be" into "is." , His optimism is as superb as his philosophy is quaint. ' The people, ho argues, should never be allowed to govern themselves, because of their ignorance. "There is an idea over here," lie observed, "that America is a freer country than England. That is a mistake. "The fact is, a republic is.an unnatural form of government, just as it would bo an unnatural form of government for a beehivo to be controlled by the majority." "But the Queen Bee is born for the particular purpose of being queen." "Precisely," agreed tho potential Queenmakor. "And if our queen has been found to possess all the qualities desirable for. such, an office, if she has conformed to all tho Council has of her, that is surely evidence that she was meant for tho position. How are you going to put it into words?" ho retorted when asked what was tho test for queenship. "Wo know, anyway, that she is the right woman." ;■ It must not be supposed that the mysterious, young, wealthy, beautiful, and unmarried Helen pushed herself forward. "Tho movement," Mr. Gourdain explained, "started in . 1903, and we considered for a long time as to wnom wo should select. Sho has boon chosen by tho unanimous consent of the Supremo Council, which has forty-six members—one for every State." Mr. Gourdain admits that thero aro difficulties, but expects that tho Royalists will have emerged victoriously from the inevitable war, and that all will bo settled comfortably within three years. "Whero are your soldiers coming from?" ho w?.s asked. "We have got the best United States fighting material with us,"' he replied quietly —with which disclosure, no doubt, the "best fighting material" will be hugely delighted. "Wo have been working secretly sinco 1903, but we shall strike decisively when tho time comes." : He was talking without tho slightest trace of excitement. Other emissaries of. the Council are at work in St. Petersburg, Germany, Spain, Japan, and Italy, and they claim to hav'o influential friends in all countries.