Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-03-18
Alexander III.

The adage " Uneasy lies the head
which wears a crown" never had q
more thorough exemplificati on than
in the closing years of the life of
Alexander II. of Russia. 1t must
indeed have been ",fitful fever"
when scarcely a month passed in
which some attempt was not made
to encompass his death by the hand
of the assassin instigated by the nj
hilists, whose atforts to overthrow
the government were moro in the
hope of their leading becoming up
permost than any cause of complaint
against the Gear. He was pre-em-
inently fitted for ruler of a mighty
people, by nature and education.
He was carefully instructed, mainly
by native men of letters, and before
seeing foreign countries travelled all
over Russia, to familiarize himself
with his own country and study its
relations with the nations in which
it was brought into the most init
mate contact. 1t is to this compre-
hensive course of practical instruc-
ton that we owe his kind feelings
towards our own country, resulting
in many acts of friendship which
tho late war taught US to properly
value. His judgment and percep-
ton we're remarkably clear, and
these combined with a gentleness of
character inherited from his mother,
. royal princess of Prussia, made
him favorite with his playmates,
and taken with the many humani-
tartan projects conceived and exc
cuted by him during his reign, ef-
fectually precludes the belief that
he became the despotic tyrant which
the communists would have the
world believe in later years.
In April, 1S41, Alexander II mar
1ied Maria, grand duchess of Hesse-
Darmstadt, aged II. It was said to
have been love match, the prince
having made his choice from host
of German princesses. In Febru-
AIRY, 1855, at the age of 81, he
mounted the throne at a most c:iti-
cal moment for Russia. His prede.
cessor left the country involved in q
war with England, France, Turkey
and Sardindia. Although he had
strongly disapproved of the conflict,
he unAinchingly continued the course
which had been the designated poll,
icy of his people, until the succeed
ing year, when the neutral German
powers served as mediators, and
secured a treaty Of peace. Russia's
loss, by this conflict, of her naval
preponderance on the Black Sea, as
well as strip of territory, demon
stfated by costly experience the de-
ticencies of the SUSTAIN or policy of
his predecessor. Alexander now
began the many liberal reforms
which have distinguished his reign.
The tight lines hitherto drawn were
relaxed; exiles were pardoned; the
nation was freed from military rou-
tine; censorship of the press was
abandoned, espionage prohibited,
official corruption punished, indus
try and trade encouraged and COM
merce developed; the serfs were
freed, and through his enlightened
policy the whole of his wide domain
has been covered with network of
railroads.
It cannot be doubted that the
Gar had the good of his country
and people at heart to an eminent
degree. His reign has been one of
marked prosperity, and the high es-
timation in which he is held by the
lesding nations is shown by the fer
want expressions of sympathy COM
municated to the Russian govern
ment since his demise.
IF the individual who writes the
headlines for the Portland Telegram
il true prophet, the fate of San
Francisco is sealed, and by the same
token Portland will rival the most
populous cities on the continent in