The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1888-06-29
FRANCIS JOSEPH.
Tho Somewhat shadowy Existence OF Ans.
trla-Huagary's Sovereign.

Inc emperor OF Austria Is q shadowy
parsonage compared with the other po-
tentates of Europe. He is Obliged to be
a constitutional monarch, but In being
so lie is not obliged 10 mingle more
than he pleascs with his subjects. The
Emperor OF Germany takes pleasure in
showing himself to his subjects when
ever his health will permit. The Crown
Prince with his family walks about the
streets OF Berlin. The Prince Of Wales
shows himself at all sorts Of gatherings
Even the Emperor OF Russia, though
he Is Obliged 10 take every precaution
against Nihilist conspiraeies, is more In
the public eye than this descendant Of
the Hapsburg. Francis Joseph was
born an absolute monarch, aud with the
idea that he has no equals. To what ex-
tent that idea dominated the Hapsburgs
may be inferred from an aneedote that
is told of Joseph III. When this
sovereign threw open the Prater and
the Augarten to his people, one OF his
mobiles remarked 10 him that there
would soon be no place where he could
mingle with his Peers. Elf / wished
to content myself with the society of
my Peers" replied the autocrat, 81
should be Obliged to pass my life in the
vaults of the Capuchins." Ii is in the
monastery of this order his ancestors
are buried. Yet Joseph ii used to walk
about familiarly among his people. ns
did also Leopold III. while Maria Theresa
was a motherly Empress. whom her
subjects regarded as personal friend
The present Emperor is not lacking
In anliable qualities. The constitution
Of 1915 deprived him of nearly every
attribute of sovereignty. except the
command of the army, which he re-
fused to give up. He yielded grace
fully, and now never attempts to trans
cend his traditional rights. He is
hard worker. He signs the acts of Par
lament that are brought him after five
O'Clock in the morning, and takes his
coffee at the desk where he performs
his work. Maria Theresa left twelve
sons. who, having been nearly as pro-
life as herself, have created a society
of Peers whom the Emperor may asso-
eiate with without sense of degrada-
ton. and who are sufficiently numer-
Gus 10 prevent his getting lonesome.
They form the principal part OF his So
ciety. As for the ordinary nobility,
they see him rarely and under the fol-
lowing circumstances: Sometimes
there is an aristocratic ball. at which
he shows himself. not to please with
gracious familiarity, but to dazzle by
his momentary presence. On these oc-
c;lsions he sometimes addresses few
condescending words TO few persons
of Importance. He appears also in the
same fl''tng way at the balls given by
associations Of burghers, students. or
of the industrial classes. Every year
there is court ball. To which are in
vited the chamberlains. the ladies of
the noblesse of sixteen quarterings. the
| officers of the army, and the chevaliers
who wear imperial orders. He gives
second fete, to which are invited the
families of sixteen quarterings and the
diplomatic corps. Occasionally the
Emperor offers a dinner. With these
exceptions he is not seen outside the
circle of his numerous relatives
Having been born to the rule bril-
liantly, he takes not unkindly to the
uuAftS tH6l ulS pOSitlOti ~ ~ COnetilN-
tional monarch imposes. He keeps
himself du courant with public affairs.
As he is not able TO read all the news
papers. there is prepared for him n
daily journal called the ReUteU Of the
| Press, made up of extracts from the
| journals all over the empire, and con-
tanning every thing that he cares to
know in respect to public opinion.
Personally he is popular. not alone at
Vienna, but in the provinces. He has
been doing his best TO Germanize the
empire, by having knowledge of the
German language diffused everywhere.
In his personal habits he is remarkable
for sobriety. He drinks little. His
only diversion is the chase, to which he
is so devoted that he will stalk a deer
with the most ardent huntsman. follow
the chamois to his remotest haunts, or
rise at dawn to get shot at the bird
whose only appearance during the day
is at that untimely and unimperial hour.
1t is not the Emperor, but his Ministers,
who are responsible for public acts, and
one who read the late speeches must
have remarked that while his words
were cool, conservative, unwarlike.
those of his Ministers were more sig
nificant and threatening. 1t is prob
able that though he is confident of his
army (and it is owing in a great meas
ure to his personal efforts that it has
been brought to its present degree OF
efficiency, he wants war as little as
any body in his dominion.-Cor. San
Francisco Chronicle.
The students of Trinity College
Dublin. raise So. 900 year. which the.
give to the support of the Church Mis-
sionary College at Fuchow, China