Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-09-14

other royal visitor on American soil,
and probably by the end Of the month
he will be in Chicago. This time it is
the Archduke Franz Ferdinand d'Este,
who will one day wear the crown of
AustrO Hungary and whose destiny is
to rule over 100000 people. The
Austrian man-Of-war KaiSerin Eliza
beth is steaming across the Pacific to-
ward San Francisco, where the imper-
ial prince of the house of Hapsburg-
Lothringen will first set foot upon
American soil.
The Archduke Franz Ferdinand
dEste was not born to a crown. He
beca heir presumptiye to the throne
of 4stro-Hungary through the cruel
Cir INSTANCES of the death of the
Oh 5Wn Prince Rudolph, the only son
of the Emperor Franz Josef, which oc-
CURED in 1889 at the castle of Mayer
ling. According to the rules govern
ing the imperial succession in AustrO-
Hungary, the Archduke Carl Ludwig,
brother of the Emperor Franz Josef,
and father of Franz Ferdinand, is the
next heir to the throne. He is, how
y y
younger than his brother, is far from
robust in health and should he survive
the emperor it is considered highly i'm
probable that he will ever assume the
rejgnS of government. His son, Franz
Ferdinand, is, therefore, everywhere
regarded as the future emperor of
Austria and king of Hungary. A con-
firmatiCn of this opinion is the fact
that he has been honored by the crown
Cd heads of Europe with decorations of
the highest orders of nobility Al
though only % years of age, he is a
general in the army of Austria, and
also in the armies of Russia and the
German empire.
The death of the Crown Prince Ru-
dolf was a personal grief to the people
of Austria. He shared with his most
noble and worthy father their love and
respect; but aside from all personal
sentiments, his ur .ilnely demise was
a shock to their political hopes. The
fact that the Carl Ludwig branch of
the HapSburgh-L Othringen family must
eventually come into power was eX-
tremely distasteful t. the majority of
the population. Their marrow views
and strict adherence to Romanism We're
in striking contrast to the opinions and
principles of the late Crown Prince
who was a man of most liberal ideas,
highly educated, and a writer of no
mean ability. e
The people of Austria had believed
that Rudolf would make generous
is,
apparent FROM the education and the
natural predictions of the Archduke,
Franz Ferdinand, that he will place
more reliance upon military than upon
civic measures. The difference in the
education of the young princes was
marked. Rudolf, who was destined
to become the ruler of Il great and
powerful people, was educated both in
civic and military lines Franz Fer
dinand, whose future at that time seem
ed % be limited to life in the army,
largely controlled by his own pleasure,
was given 4 strictly military education.
Franz Ferdinand was born in 1868
in Gratz, Syria, the Archduke Carl
Ludwig being governor of the province
at that period. His tutors were mostly
officers of the highest nobility, and he
was graduated from their tuition to be-
come a lieutenant of the fourth dra-
goons, which was stationed at Wells,
upper Austria. His companions in gar
rison We're chosen from the rollicking
set, and wine, women and song soon
threatened to wreck his career as they
had that of many a prince before him.
The Archduke Otto, his younger broth
er, was also an officer in the dragons,
and the scandals associated with his
name were of so much more serious
a nature that Franz Ferdinand escaped
censUre in a measure because of the
graver Offenses of his brother.
With the death of the Crown Prince
Rudolf public interest became aroused
not only as regarded the private repu
tation of the Archduke Franz Ferdi
nand, but also concerning his political
opinions. The result of investigation
proved extremely disheartening to the
intelligent portion of the populace
They learned that the prince was
naughty, proud, and cold man. He
was unwilling to associate with an,
except military or aristocrattc person
ages, and his political views were decid
edly behind the times, inaSmuch as h
was a firm believer in what is, in mos
countries in Europe, a dead letter-ab
solutiSm. 1t was deemed a particular.
sagacious movement on the part o
Emperor Franz Josef whom in Decem
Der, 1892, he decided to send his nephev
on a trip around the world that b
might come in contact with people o
all nations. and become acquainted wit
the different forms of government
His future subjects earnestly hope tina
he may, during his absence from Au;
tria, absorb many ideas concerning
rulers use and abuse of the power tina
he is soon to hold "by the grace c
God"
The imperial party is in charge c
General Count Leo Wurmbrand-S Stu
pach. This high official holds a pos
ton which Americans, unaccustomed [
court etiquette, can scarcely appreciate
In addition to is responsibility for til
princes conduct, Count Wurmbran
must at all times be within call of til
archdulSe In the event of a meetin
between the president of the Unite
States and the archduke, which wi
doubtless occur, all details of arrang