New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-17
RUSSIA'S PERIL.
UNCERTAINTY AS TO TIE SUCCESSION
TO THE THRONE-SOME PROF.
ABLE ASP1RANTS.

In order 10 appreciate the anxiety which has
prevailed not only in Russia itself. but also
throughout Europe for several weeks with re-
gard 10 the birth that took place last Friday
,,b. {, Is necessary take into consid
Grafton In the first plao, the fact that the
great Empire OF the Mort is'an autocracy and
.hot there is no National Constitution which
rr,>tdes for the succession to the throne or that
.,rihes the arrangements to be made for a
,,,c,. IN The event OF the heir being minor
. .h .ir,e ~ his accession. Nor yet does there
=, any Parliament representative body of
,le that would possess either the authority
10 mower TO deal with the crisis which would
~, almost certain TO arise Were the present Car
~, die without leaving any male issue. While
=, 20 possible that matters might pass off
.,roothlv and without conflict yet those who
know Russia best do not conceal their appre-
bensor that serious mbrcglio might ensue,
since the throne would practically be at the
mercy Of whichever of the brothers OF Alexan-
der III might have the courage and the ambi-
ton TO avail himself Of the means al his dis
possl for the preparation Of coup d'etat.
II mus; be borne in mind that Alexander II.
Alexander III and Nicholas II We're already
grown I'd at the time OF their accession to the
throne and that the protracted illnesses Of the
late E,,nperor and of Nicholas / enabled all
necessary precautions TO be taken with view
to the avoidance Of any trouble concerning the
transmission Of rulership from father to SON
But when Alexander died suddenly in South
ern Russia bloody scenes were enacted in the
streets iof 81. Petersburg and 1t was not until
hundreds Of people had been killed and thou
sands had been sent off in chains to Siberia
that the crown passed into the hands not OF
i ,tf,.r 1.stt
into those OF his younger brother Nicholas. the
most handsome and majestic ruler who has ever
held sway over any Old World nation in
modern times.
THE ROMANoFF STATUTES.
In Russia the succession to the Crown is nom-
nally ordered by what known a the fam
lily statutes Of the house OF ROmanoff. But these
are liable 10 be altered and amended by each
occupant of the throne. Thus Peter the Great
decreed one order OF succession which was modi-
fed by Catherine ! seven years later Empress
Anna changed II again. while Empress Eliza
beth still further altered It TO suit her own
views Empress Catherine II. who abhorred
her eldest son Paul. wiled the throne to his
younger brother Alexander but when she died.
Paul coolly put the will into the fire, repealed
the ukase that had debarred him from the sue
cession and assumed the reins Of power. In
1897 Paul issued an imperial decree providing
for the succession Of the crown TO his eldest son
Alexander and in the event of the latter's death
without issue. TO his second son, Constantine;
but no account taken of this ukase when
Alexander I died childless. since il was no,
the second son Constantine but Paui's third
son Nicholas who became Car.
The late Emperor Alexander III was the next
to amend the so-called laws of succession, and
about four years before his death he caused to
be published in the Imperial Gazette at ST
Petersburg a series of laws bearing his Sig
nature. one Of the most important of which de-
barred from the succession any Grand-duke
whose wife had not at the time Of her marriage
or within a given lapse Of time subsequently
become converted to the national church of
Russia The Importance Of this particular
clause. which was inspired by that gloomy ia
matte NJ. Pobiedonotzow, lay in the fact that
the Russian Emperor is not only the temporal
ruler Of the hundred million souls who populate
the mighty empire but also the spiritual head.
the Pontifex Maximus' or Pope of the Church
10 which tie major part Of his subjects belong.
II would therefore be obviously wrong, at any
rate in the sight Of TIE Orthodox. for the su e
preme head Of the national faith TO be welded TO
a heretic-a person, according 10 MuscoVte
ideas domed 10 perdition-and presumably in
ruencing not merely her husbend. but also her
sons-that is to say the heirs 10 the throne.
A PROGRESSIVE GRAND-DUKE.
This statute was aimed especially at the
Grand-duke Vladimir. second brother Of the late
Emperor. and the most liberal minded, and, II
the expression may be permitted. the most
Western Of all the members of the House OF
Romanof Alone Of all the foreign princesses
who have married Musccvite Grand-dukes. the
Grand duchess Vladimir who halls from Neck
lenburg- Schwerin. has stoutly and persistently
declined 10 abture the Lutheran faith in which
she was reared: this too, in spite Of all the pres
sure. nay, even downright persecution to which
she has been subjected by all around her save by
her husband ever since she came 10 Russia ds
a bride Yet she is scarcely what can be called
q very religious woman. Indeed. of all the ladies
Of the House Of Romanof she is much the most
zor,d,v and up-to-date Thus her hirtatons
are Of the most pronounced character SUCH in
fac. as 10 have called forth angry protest on the
MART NJ Alexander II, while TO ner passionate
t,,anass for gambling is attributed the presence
~ roulette tables in the salons and boudoirs OF
en- many Of the leaders OF society on the banks
NJ the Neva l should be tempted TO beheFe'
from, what have seen Of her, that her refusal TO
abandon the faith OF her fathers mas peeh
prompted not 50 much by conscientious motives
"a by patriotism. since she has never iorgotten
thu. she is above all a German Princess ana that
4, spite OF her Partisan elegance and chic she
was born member OF sovereign German
dvnasty that in point Of antiquity ana Illus
,r,ous ancestry. far outstrips the reigninS mouse
into which she mas married. Al st. petersburg
=, was the fashion while Bismarck was sun III
nover AZ Berlin 20 regard her as one OF MS
cr.a,,res. and there is no doubt that she shared
all the profound admiration OF her kihsioik at
Nec,l.nburg-Schwerin for the iron ChahceAoi'
Tb,s together with the fact that she i ho'o-
r,ousIv devoured with the most insa'iao,e am
b,,ion and eagerness for power ana tina ~ ~,
beauty and cleverness she wieius -,