New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-02
UEITU OE TIE (Z.IR.

Pussia ,nourns a sovereign who had all The
characteristic Slav instincts. traits ana aspra-
lions vet was withal 4 man OF peace. ahd n'"'
many sacrifices III order 10 avert European VIII
The end Of melancholy reign has Dr"h invest
ed with elements Of pathOs by hopeless Su"S
ole with a mortal disease. and the sympa'hI'S
az the world -havc been naturally excited. No
where are those sympathicS keener IMAM III
America. where il Is always gratefully r'ihehi-
bered that Russia was more frlehdiy 10 Tue
United STATES during the civil conflict ihail any
other European Power.
1'hc death Of Alexander III * less tragic thah
his life has been. Stricken with an lhc'iiaoi'
disease. which deled the resources OF surgery
and medical science he has closed his reign III
neoce and quiet. with his wife ana children
ohont him. like the humblc>t peasant Ill MS
realm Perhaps the only weeks IL reign over
shadowcl with suspicion and apprehension wien
he had ceased 10 dread assassination were those
al ia. close when the invincible conqueror had
set = seal upon him which protected him against
cnnsniracy Then AZ last h. was left 10 ne III
noacn without menace Of violence. Before his
illness WAS known 10 be- mortal he reigned Ike
De Ounceys Caesars with sword suspended
hv 4 thread over his head. pOwerlcSs. though
an ,utocrat To convince himself that h. was
eyer secure against aSsasSins. Startling - was
tho c,tastrophe of his fathers death II was less
,ragic than his own l.fr rs monarch enconi-
nass41 with seniinels and detectives, an army
an ouorl when he entered his capital or made
railway tourney. and his fortress palace
hiding place
In the retrospect Of such a reign personal
characteristics and imperial policies are of slight
with he.
njncqnce of the cars destiny hunted >over-
elm. brave soldier he undoubtedly was. and.
bred In barrack and camp. he could have only
one idea Of government. ana that was martial
law Warned by the fate Of Alexander The
Iib.rator he set his face s,crnly against liberal
tendencies in government. convinced that Russia
was more Asia,ic than European and that III"
old reactlonary ways were best. He allowed
cabals and triumylratc> 10 govern the Empire
because that course was predetermined by race
traditions and dynaslc preccdeniS, ana because
also he lacked the strength ~ character required
for any new departure. Indolent by nature ana
disncllned to undertake the arduouS business
Of governing on original lines. he was power
fully influenced by caprice and his personal
relations with the reigning families in Europe.
sacrificing in the Balkan great interests won by
terrible campaigning and rrconclng ih" Sav
70 GERMANY on the OH" hand and oh the other
10 Great Britain. KusSiaS only rival In Asia.
All these characteristics Of The car have
strongly swaycd the dcSiuics ~ millions ~ sub
iecis with whom loyalty = 4 fanailcal religion
Bui in the perspective which j. opened by
retrospect If hi, reign these Influences OF weak
and vacillating nature upon race ambitions ana
national fortunes pass almost without ObScrya-
ton and the great fact Of an autOcratlc rulers
uuceasing struggle with aSsasslns and conspir-
atOrS looms up in commanding Importance. The
secret history Of the reign, II it could be written
in detail would be one of the most amazing
chapters OF history. For parallels to IT, one
would need to revert 10 the reign OF Com
Inodus or 10 Caligulas scppesS nights and
solitary wanderings III his palace. The Caesars
were temporarily released from fear Of violent
death when they were crowned for ii was not
until their crimes had made them odious, or
their policies had melted military revolt or pal
ace intrigue that their lives hung upon the
capriceS Of Il jealous slave or a restless prctO-
rian guard Alexander III from the opening II
his reign was harasscd by morbid dread ~ as
sassinaiiOn At last comes Death the cynical
scene shlfter. alik. Indifferent whether life Is
comedy or Il tragedy, and rings down the
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