The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-11-16
ROMANOFFS SEEN DOOMED
Gloom Rests Upon the House Of the Car
Of Russia.
NICHOLAS is VERY DEsPONDENT
The Lack Of a son In the Royal Heuss 5reys Upon
the Famly--The Crown May Pass 70 An.
other Branch Of the Family
Especial to The Post.)


London November 1S.-Russan statesmen End
themselves confronted with difficulties. press
ing problem is raised by succession Of disasters TO
the imperial household disasters that promise unless
miracle is wrought transfer the imperial scepter
to the uncle Of Nicholas the Grand Duke Vladimir.
II is well known IN the European foreign offices that
the health Of Nicholas Is steadily deterioratng 1t
IS malady described as fainting spells indigestion
hardening OF the arteries and epilepsy which has not
been checked by the special regime laid upon him dur
Ing the last years But the feature of his
case the rapid development Of melancholy and dis
inclination air.
Private adviees from St Petersburg to Copen.
hagen. show alarming state Of mind in the Rus
sian ruler Always supposttious fears Of violent
death are now supplemented by prolonged spells of
distress induced apparently by causes quite trifng,
the situation often revealing terribly painful condi-
tons. Until about six months ago the czarina bore
up splendidly She was constantly in her husbands
society attending ministerial councils where he
presided. All clear headed and noble hearted wife
could do she had done To dispel the shadows falling
upon the unhappy car but her courage and hope is
exhausted. Dispatches from Livadia describe the
czarna plungng into the deepest detection and
sitting for hours without uttering a word Even the
presence Of guests viii not always rouse her from
ptable silence Her great grief is her failure bear
son. She believes that were the car gTatifed In
this wish other troubles would count for little.
As If these misfortunes not burden enough
for the imperial protector another and having
high Importance to the whole empire and for Europe
and America, is added in the distressing decline OF
the czarowitch the Grand Duke Michael His disor-
der is pulmonary with tendency TO diabetes. These
diseases have worked frightful mischief among the
collateral branches OF the house of Romanoff and
have already found shining marks in the ranks near
est the throne
With the demise of Michael and Nicholas without
the diadem Of tho Romanofts the richest prize
attainable by human ambition, would pass 60 the
eldest uncle of the car who Is In his 55th year
Vladimir is IN vigorous health, we'll educated and al
experienced administrator. He has travelled Eu
rope and much Of Asia. He greatly esteemed b.
the late and enjoys the confidence OF the dowage
czarins who is influential figure in Russian couu
ellis She and Vladimir have had many difference
to Russias Asatc program and there was a hrie
arrangement, hut cordial relations have been r.
sumed Vladimir is very popular in Paris. His mar
is engaging and his handsome person Is famllia
10 the houIeyardiers He has always gone about tn
democratic than any other member of the reignu
family. In many respects his career resembles thf
of King Edward to the time OF life. AS to tn
all important particular, however, there is much u
certainty.
IN careful dispatch to his paper the st Peter
burg correspondent OF the Politsche Of Vienna say
Vladimir while too strong man TO be dominated
the military party has little sympathy with the pa
ficuIar doctrines of Nicholas He emhodies the pr
dence of the RumandoGs Like all Russians he
full Of craft But his tendencies are toward the IN
nment Of Russia's sOCaled traditional mission ar
the imperial scepter would he welded hy him vii
no special reference to that wise principle Of arb
tration of which Nicholas is the most lustrious e
ponent"
other Austrian journals guardedly discussing y
gloomy reports as 70 NiChoas and Michael adm
there are fifteen obvious contingencies hound
with the lives of the and the czarowitch whi'
have immediate and serious interest for Europe
The continental impression is thAt Vladtmirs acct
soH would give the reactionary influences at the Rr
sian court a powerful stimulus. This view is held
London. Russas international condition IS one
revolutionary agitation amongst the bureaucratic 81
tenn, Her foreign pol'cy Is one OF ceaseless asgrt
son Under the amiable Nicholas even thoae AZ hon
ana abroad have been handled 20 a large extent in
spirit OF eempromlae and concession. Under Vlat
mir II Is more than probable that very dihere
apirit would control.