New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-22
"IDIOT ARCHDUKES."
A LIBEL on THE HAPsBURGs-BRILLIA
AND ACCOMPLISHED MEN

70 te a remark
moment OF petulance and irritation. resulting
probably from digestive troubles. that the male
,,emhers Of the imperial house OF Hapsburg are
indebted for totally undeserved reputation OF
.,un,d,ty. 1t is probable that he never for one
moment thought that his uncomplimentary but
merely passing reference % them as "Austria's
idiot archdukes' would be placed on permanent
record But 1; has been constantly repeated on
his authority until 1t has become so popular
s.vinc that most people arc now convinced that
overv archduke OF Austro-Hungary is necessarily
az ,mbecile Now. this is so far from the truth.
50 gross a calumny. totally undeserved repu-
cation. that it is only just that the wrong should
no riehted: and as the reigning family OF Austria
e AZ present more than ordinarily in the public
mind IN connection with the tragic death Of the
Young and promising Archduke Ladislas, follow
,g so closely upon the violent end of the septua-
o.,a4an Archduke Wilhelm and the twelve-year-
o,d A-chduke Robert II may be considered timely
% correct few of the popular errors upon the
subject.
n. course there are some OF the archdukes who
might AT pinch be allowed by ill-natured and
,aundiced critics to deserve tho qualification APP
rI,ed 70 them by Prince Bismarck. But they are
few IN number not more than two or three at the
most and when 1t is borne IN mind that the reign
ing house Of Austria is composed OF more than a
hundred archdukes and archduchesses, II must he
admitted that the proportion OF fools TO the family
&c distinctly below instead Of above the average
d.. with regard TO the remainder. they are nearly
all ~ them possessed OF intelligence. talents and
attainments of one kind or another that would
have served to win for them II not fame at any
rate eninence. had their lot been cast In less
exalted sphere OF the social scale. This is par
,icularly the case with the younger generation
and several are men Of such brilliancy as TO LEAD
% the conviction that their imperial rank has
,roved an obstacle and an impediment rather
than an advantage TO their career
THE ARCHDUKE JOHN.
Foremost among them all In this respect was
Tho Archduke John. whose fate Is still shrouded
with SO much mystery no one save certain Illus
.~,o,s nersonages at Vienna knowing with GER
.,.r rvhether ne "a alive or dead There was
thing tha. he undertook in which he did not
quickly strike out bright and original line Tor
himself II is we'll known that the late fleiu-
Marshal Won Moltke regarded him. In spite Oh his
youth as one OF the most accomplished sHa'e
cis,s in Europe and as destined to play al ii'i
nor,ant part in the next great war IN WhiCh AUS
tr,a should become involved. Music astronomy
architecture chemistry. botany. are only ""
~ the things at which the ArchuuKe "ieu mo
hand with remarkable success; as panphe'eel
ba achieved celebrity that extended far peEo'iu
~ .ror,ia-s Of Austria and when he set out to
study seamanship he experienced no ui''''ui'' 80
.h,o,r,,e masters certificate within tenth
mar, ~ the time usually required by candidates TOT
a,,,orras ~ that kind Unfortunately. he made
many enemies This arose partly from MS hao''
., sneakjng his mind. regardless Of the conse
hores and stupid people. Especially did ne aphor
co.,.rsrs and the atmosphere Of the Imperial
court with all Its restrictions CT etiquette ana 'he
.o,,o,rass ~ its set speeches and Formally mac
49,. .eoo, =. sxasnerating him 10 the last degree
a. ana occasion A man who wished to make
x,ose,f agreeable 10 him deplored in his presence
,he ,oss If the Grand-duchy Of Tuscany by MS
.,aar brother Nonsense" exclaimed the Arch-
drre 1.-THE Tuscans are Italians; the Italians
,orgad for national unity. and the existence OF
~. crand-duchv was an obstacle TO the fui-
elnent NJ their desire. I. was indispensaoie'
.bera-ore that the Grand-duchy should dlsap-
roar The people are not created merely Tot 'ne
rr,,ces" The face Of the courtier and OF al
others present was study; for this speech III
though II would have been perfectly natural III
the mouth Of an American or even a rreic"i'ia"'
IN that II an Austrian Archduke was nothlhs iee'
than rank heresy. and merely con'riou'eu -
"a .o tho number Of those who looked upon
PRINCE John as particularly dangerous man
t-.a, those who wished him well and were Knoly
a,s-osed toward him were accustomed TO NICK
name him "the Baron owing 20 the Varieu
character Of his interests and Accomplishments
tho reason for this sobriquet being that WHEN"
ever a man In Austria wishes to become o"' vi
he endeavors TO give as much public evidence a'
nosslble Of the fact that ne is man ih'e"e0'u-
ally far above the common heru'
The story of his renunciation or MS Imperial
title and prerogatives and or MS departure ioi
South America under the name or Jonh vi"
,s ,oo VOL known TO need more than passing
reference here. He took the step oecau9e "e
cor,d M longer bear the restraints and trammeis
by which he environed as an archouNe' anu
,ha only. srbtec, of surprise is that man OF ms
h-,1,ianc,, should have been able 10 hide MN
self so entirely from view FOR ,hat ne u go ~
dead few people are willing to believe ana III tie
latest issue OF the Almanach de Coma ms nan IN,
ss,,,,ee ~, among the dead but among the Nv
ing the mysterious word disappeared Deins
snnorSed - mat portion Of the Almanach when
refers to him.
AN IMPERIAL SANAET
Equally clever and talented though perhaps
Jess brilliant is Archduke johns eioer olo'ne''
Louis Salvador. who has spent his entire NE III
laborlous historical and geographical researches
and has published several remarkable "orHs
upon botany and natural history-"orKs tna'
have won for him considerable ceieorlty IN Ine
scientific world and a membership IN the IN
s,itute OF France. Like his brother Johh' ne
has a great dislike for all the surroundings ana
etiquette which hem in royalty. and with the
object OF escaping therefrom ne has ouiit MN
self an extraordinary house. or ratnei' ss ses
Of hausas an the island of Matorca, when Dear
tho name Of Miramar. and occupy the entire
flank ~ a mountain sloping down to the sea. Al
though ne is on terms OF great frienasnp VIII
aversion o. strangers possibly on account OF
his extraordinary costume. which when on tns
island consists of mere jeans. straw sdnuas anu
old fat cap with long visor re ma nc