Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-11-02

The policy of his father-who had freed
the scrfs and showed disposition to pre-
pare his country for more liberal gov.
| ernincnt-was not his. Under him the
Anes were drawn stricter in every dircc-
t'on against progress. The press was fc,
ersd absolutely. Siberia became the nor
or OF the century and the Jews became
me subjects of the most malevolent persecu-
ion. The administration of the govern
nent during his reign was hard and cruel
N the extreme His policy regarding not
snly those who favored frccr thought and
reer government, but also toward all his
'ubJects not of Russian blood, was repres-
sive to the last degree-in word, it was
or Hanslavism and autocratic rule.
he was the second son of Czar Alexan-
Ter H. Ee was born March 10, 1915. His
mother was the Princess Maria, daughter
sf the late grand duke of Hesse- Darn
stadt. Being the second son, Alexander
originally had little prospect of ascending
the throne. But the death of Nicolas, the
ilrst son, April "a, 1865, at the age of %,
made him heir to the throne. Nicolas was
engaged to marry the Princess Dagmar,
laughter of the king of Denmark and SIS
Ger OF the Princess Alexandra, who mar
| siei Albert Edward of England Nictorias
| oldest son. Before his brothers death
| Alexander was in love with the Princess
! Metch2rcSi, who was one of his mothers
maids of honor. She was n beautiful girl,
and Alexander had told her of his passion
Alexander ii was not pleased with this
and sent his son away
During his absence his sweetheart was
forced to accept an offer of marriage from
Paul Dcmidoff, prince of San Donate, and
so when the elder brother died and it was
| decided that for reasons of state Alexander
should marry the Princess Dagmar he
made no determined opposition. Tho
marriage took place Nov. y, 1855, and al
| though authorities conflict about almost
everything else pertaining to the life of
Alexander III there is no doubt that the
married life of the couple was almost an
ideal one, notwithstanding the unusual
circumstances which lied To their union.
Czar Alexander III was killed by a nihlist
| bomb March Is. 1881, and his son sue
ccedcd him Immediately as Gar Alex
andcr III. During the years that he had
| been heir apparent he seems to have ne
elected no opportunity to fit himself for
| the exalted and arduous duticsbefore him.
Alexander III was a man of remarkable
physical force. He stood 6 feet inches in
| his stockings, and it is told of him that he
could take a silver coin of the size of q dol
lar and double it between his thumb and
forefiuger. When in 1888 his train was
wrecked and a number of persons were
| killed, it is said he saved those who We're
in the same compartment with him from
injury and perhaps death by supporting a
portion of the fallen roof with his shoulders
till assistance came. He kept himself in
| good condition by the most severe manual
labor. He had plenty of personal courage,
and showed this not only during the war
with Turkey but in driving IN an open
carriage and walking wherever the oeca-
sion seemed to demand it. He was always
accompanied by a guard. but nihilist
does not fear death when he thinks he
should kill "a car.
1t is a fact that whonevcr Alexander
III appeared in public he was greeted with
the most extravagant demonstrations of
| loyalty on the part of the people. He was
| a hard worker. His work consisted prin-
| cipally of the examination of edicts,
| ukases, laws and all sorts of reports on
| all sorts OF subjects, on the margins of
which he would write decisions or i'm
| pressions with a frankness and an aban-
| don that Were refreshing. "Thcy are a
set of hogs" What beast he is" are n
| couple of his comments On one occasion
he wrote on the margin OF an imperial
| council document: 1.-The council thought
| to trick me, but they shan't" This gave
| the councillors much distress for what
the czar wrote was always glazed over
SO as to preserve it forever They want
ed it erased, but it was long bafore any
one summoned up courage to prefer the
request To have those words preserved
| for posterity was to endow the councillors
| with an invidious species of Immortality.
explained matters to his majesty "What
rot!" said the ear. ''Bu. you may strike
the words out"
| Five children were born to the car and
czarina. Nicolas sAlexandrowitch born at
| St. Petersburg May 1S, lSiS; George Alex
androwitch, born May Q, 1871; Xenia Al
exandrowna, born April q, 1873; Michael
Alexandrowitch born Dec. ), 1873, and
| Olga Alexandrowna, born June 13 1sS2
| OF his children, the car, as a model fam
! lily man, was very fond, and many stories
are told of the methods he used to adopt
to give them pleasure. He was very fond
| of 1vlDtpyr m :ifrica1c opd- bg xyas paver