Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-04-16
SUNDAY. ..........APRIL 16. IL
Alexander's Coup d. Fiat.

The coup d. etot by which ALEXANDER. the
young King of Servia. overthrow the re-
rency and took the reins OF government
into his own hands was bloodless, but in
its details it was highly dramatic. IL par
took of both treachery and oriental semi
barbarism. Amid the sound of revelry TO
which the unsuspectIng regents had Deeh
inyited ALEXANDRA announced that ne
had attained his majority-which was not
n fact-and that he would hereafter rule
Seryia in his own name, and then placed
the Regents and Ministers under arrest.
When we consider some of the Ser
vim methods of the past the con-
clusion is justified that harsher means did
not play part in the episode simply De-
cause they were not necessary. ALExAN-
DIR and his supporters had laid their
plans so secretly and so we'll that the dag
ger or similar instruments for the summa-
nv and uuiet removal of Objectionable
persons were not introduced to give addl-
tional sensational effect to the scene. The
affair was, therefore. in sense Ham,
let with Hamlet left out.
However. Europe is much more interest
ed in what the coup really portends than in
how it was accomplished. ALEXANDER will
in fact not be of age under the Servian
law until August /. 1894. He has, there
fore, taken time by the forelock. Yet he is
said to have the army, which on its peace
footing numbers nearly 100000 men, and
the populace behind him, and consequent
" il practically in position TO be law
unto himself For some months back
affairs in Servia have been in a very topsy-
turvey condition and there has been great
dissatisfaction with the Regents. These,
the Young King charges, with great deal
of truth. have debased Parliament, ieo-
pardized the Constitution, and imperilled
the rights of the people. Consequently, If
ALEXANDER does intend to rule in his own
right, in oil the phrase implies, the corp
may prove of great benefit to the hitherto
distracted country.
But, after all, is ALEXANDER his own
master? If not. under whose influence
will he fall? That OF his proAigate father,
MILAN, or that of his scbeming mother,
NATALIE2 MILAN has heretofore been re-
cognized is the bought tool of Vienna and
NATALIE Us tuo SAtASSeAy VA
st. Petersburg. The Vienna Freie Press
declares in enc breath that the programme
for deposing the regency was arranged
by the ex-King and ALExANDEB's newly
appointed Prime Minister, and in the next
breath says tho Queen mother was re-
ceived at Livida Thursday by the Gar.
II both of these reports are correct it is
very apparent that Servia will be no better
of under ALExANDER's rule than she was
under the regency, unless the young King
is cast in an unusually independent mould.
With MILAN putty in the hands of
Austria-Hungar and NATALIE the slave of
Russia, continuance of the struggle be-
tween these two great powers for pre-
dominance of influence at Belgrade is a
foregone conclusion. provided ALEXANDER
does not give both the ex-king and the
Queen-mother to understand that he has
emancipated, himself from their claims
upon him, as well as from the authority
of the regents. Each has still a
certain following in Servia, and were
he to yield to pressure from
either the results could not fail to be the
revival in intense form OF the Eastern
question and the discord and the uncer-
talnty as regards the permanency of gov
eminent in ell Of the Balkan States which
always attend any new phase of that
vexed problem. For nearly year the
Powers, Russia excepted, have seemed
content to allow the Balkan middle &c
clear itself by gradual process of subsi'
dence of the moro turbulent and revolu-
tionary elements; but if these elements
are stirred to the surface again 1t Is not at
all likely that general tro ubie could b.
avoided. The treaty conditions abroad
are such that serious disturbance in Ser
via might cause serious disturbance
throughout Europe.