The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-12-21
sERvIA AND ITS QUEEN.


E Curtis. IN the Chicago Reeord- Herald.
The country is excited by intrtgues At
tending the selection of an heir 10 the
throne Our guide ssssciousiy observed
that ..sOrae people complain OF having
too many children. but this is the nrst
tine / ever heard Of Hational politics
being disturbed By the lack Of one.
Servia is a little country bat is an
important factor in European politics. be
ing one OF the buffer states between
Russia and the lands that the car coVets-
Austrian and German influence IS
stronger in Servia to-day than Russian,
Yet there Is a Russian party which also
represents the interest or a family whose
ancestors once occupied the throne, ana
are all the time suspected OF being en-
ga st.d ia a conspiracy Co rsreyer power
These conspiracies are more frequent
than ever just nov. ard the neld for Ia
trigue is the more fertile. because Queen
Draga has not furnished an heir 20 the
crown, and the doctors say that she IS not
likely to do So Il therefore becomes nee
essary to select SUCCESSOR TO King Rick
ander In order 70 avoid = probable Eo~
and perhaps revolution and var IT ne
should suddenly die or be driven ron
the palace By selecting the heir APP
parent in advance future conspirsries
may be avoided. but the political inter
ests Of a great part Of the European
continent are directly involved in the Sc
lection. and the question IS, shall Rus
sia name the man?
King Alexander is a degenerate, and
his brief career is disgusting. he looks
as If he had escaped from an asylum
for the depTaved. but is by no means
feeble OF mind or body. on the con-
trary. he has a vigorous constitution,
and on two or three occasions has shown
nerve and power of command which
would do credit to a great general bn-
fortunately ne has inherited some Of the
depravity Of his father. the late King
Milan. who was probably the worst ruler
Europe has seen for a generation. hut at
the same time the son possesses a phys
ical and moral courage that Milan never
displayed
The national assembly placed Milan ~
on the throne, and IN 1863 he was crown
ed. While getting his education in Paris,
he had acquired habits OF luxury, gam
bling and dissipation. which united him
for the responsibility of ruling a primitive
and a restless country like SerVia- HIS
love of pleasure. his low tastes. reck-
less extrava gance and selfish disposition
were his ruin. He squandered the ma
tion's money and lost his private fortune
at cards His wife, Natalie keslSho,
daughter Of a colonel in the Russian
army, was compelled 10 leave him and
was finally granted divorce. Their do
nestle troubles and the scandals OF the
Servian court for a dozen years during
the reign Of Milan furnished gossip for
all Europe, and finally. enervated by dis
sipation and despised by his subjects and
all decent people, he abdicated In 1889 IN
favor Of his son Alexander, a lad OF l3,
who is now King OF Servia.
This precocious youth, when not more
o1H fall no "a cFfr a.
tons of Nine. Draga Maschin. who had
been a lady-in-waiting to his mother.
She is an ambitious and brilliant woman,
gifted with considerable beauty, and the
daughter Of q cattle dealer in Belgrade
named Lunjevitza. When sch was only
II or IS she married Colonel Maschin. an
engineer in the Servian army, who OBJ
tanned a divorce from her because of her
scandaIous relations with the young king.
which began when he was mere boy,
and since that time she has resided in the
palace and has absolutely controlled him.
His mother, the Dowager Queen Natalie.
attempted to bring the lad 10 his senses
and break of the relations, but Nine
Draga had more influence than the
mother, and actually compelled the latter
to leave the palace and kingdom Of Ser
via. Natalie is now residing at Biarrttz,
very much respected and beloved by
many people. although she made herself
unhappy and excited much hostility
among the Servian politicians by her
sympathy with Russia, and her desire 20
bring Servia within the Russian infiu-
ence. Whatever may have been said OF
her political imprudence, her character
has never been questioned.
Draga was ambitious TO share the
throne with her youthful lover, although
sch was nearly twice his age, but her
aspirations have been stubbornly opposed
by the ministers Of state and the leading
politicians or Servia. After the addiction
Of his father, Prince Alexander. during
his minority. ruled the country through
three regents, all venerable and patriotic
men, but it became necessary for DraSa
10 get rid OF them for her own safety
and the success Of her schemes She
found the young king willing tool. and
one night when ne was only u years old.
he invited the regents to the palace. and
while they sat at dinner .hey were ar
rested upon a charge Of treason and
thrown into prison, while he proclaimed
himself king. This coup d'etat was sue
cessful, for the army admired the au-
dacity Of the vOungster and sustained
him He has since married his mistress.
and she remains as influential as ever.
the most interesting and conspicuous
figure in servian politics
At the beginning of the present century
Servia was & Turkish province and was
governed by a just and humane pasha
named HadU Mustapha. He was not
only popular, but was beloved BY his
Christian subjects. and the land was
peaceful and prosperous. The Janissaries.
however. did not approve Of his liberal
policy or his euOrts 70 protect the inhah-
ftants against their extortious and cruel
ties. so they shut him up in the citadel
and put him 20 death. They explained %
the sultan that he had been untrue 70 the
Turks and was n friend Of the Chris
tians. The Janissaries had their owa way
for four or fTe years, and. fearing al
uprising Of tie people. decided 10 murder
every man who could possibly be looked
upon as a leader. Thousands were mas
sacred. every town ard village IN Servia
flowed with blood. Among thuse who
escaped 10 the mountains was q swine
herd named George PetroFitch George
the son OF Peter. better known C. his
tory by his nickname. Kara fBlack}
George. because Of his dark complexion
and raven hair lie IS the greatest hero
OF Servisn histor-. and to him his country
owes its Independence from the Turks
he was a rsticeat man ard generally
respected. but was absolutely iiiteTate.
being unable 20 read or write and could
not even sign Eis name. When be became
king he used q peculiar cipher or ruoric
To show his approval ~ state "a pe7-z-
But ne hsd natural ability srd ssEacity.
us integritr was never questioned ard
HIS sense ~ Justice Wa Spartan
Karageoree drove ont the Turks AID
Organized liberal monarchy i1 SerVia-
keerlv approaching his cUn defcleac-es,
the first thing - did was - establish
free public school system ln every prov
ince. with q university at Belgr4iz- II
introduced courts = Justice reduced TAX
alton. punished corruption su9Fressed
vice ard organized the dlfere1t bran ches
OF The government with tle skiI - as