Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1902-07-26
HAIL THE STORK,
An Anticipated Event Of Much I'M
p~ortance to Russia.
GREAT CHANGE POSSIBLE.

Tsarkoe Selo. in anticipation of a hap
Ply event Russia Is in eager anticipa
ton, also. for the expected event has
a deep political significance that can.
not fail to have a direct bearing on the
empires future policy. Should the
looked for heir be a son, he will,
should he live. In course of time be-
come emperor of Russia, and will he
reared under the political influence of
l-e present car. thus practically in
surfing a continuation of the enlight-
ened, progressive policy of Nicholas II.
The car has four chllGren. ali Of
them daughters. While the govern
ment of Russia is an absolute hered-
itary monarchy, and while the will of
the emperor is law, yet he cannot
transfer his throne to his daughter.
If Nicholas ii. should die before a son
is born to him, his successor would be
his brother, the Grand Duke Michael,
born in 1878. The latter is entirely
under the influence of his mother, the
Dowager Empress Marie Dagmar,
widow of Emperor Alexander Ill, now
in her ffty-fifth year.. These few facts
possess important political signif-
canoe, which may change the future
history of Europe to a marked degree,
and as any radical change in Russian
policy may vitality affect every great
European power. all the world Is nat
uraily concerned.
There are To- political parties in
Russia. as the t-Tm is understood in
the rest of the world, but there are
rival factions at court which serve the
purpose admirably. At present there
are two of these rival parties or fac
lions. One is headed by the dowager
empress, and her influence is almost
equal TO that of the car. 1t embraces
mann Of those highest in authority, in
cluo;as ~iignitGTies of the church, the
army and the schools. Ii is known as
the reaCiiorary party. and it repre-
sents all he G~ospotism and illiteracy
of Russia under the old emperor.
Opposed to the reactionary party 10
the progressive party, with the car at
its head. his s%tanchest supporter is
M. de White, the Russian minister of
finance, and by every consideration the
leading statesman of the empire. Also
associated with him in progressive
councils is the Grand Duke Constan-
tine Constantinovitch. But despite
these able Supporters the cars party
is in reality in the minority. The all
powerful influence of the reactionary
party has Jeen strongly manifested on
more than n recent occasion in the
baking of the cars plans for the bet
terment of the schools of the empire.
The cars policy mas eve been mark
ed by wise, humane and progressive
features. But his orders are quietly
ignored, and policies which he does
not favor are persistently pushed for.
ward. Left to himself the car would
cct,4 lnarna. fo. NkA nn,alsn,atoa -.
the peasant classes, for the aid of de.
pressed agriculture, for more liberal
education. His dealings with foreign
powers would be more candid and di
rect. But the ear promises what his
minister of foreign affairs quietly, but
none the less firmly declines to fulfill
The cars plans for more liberal ed.
ucation for teh masses are not exc
cuted by his minister of public educa.
ton. His minister of war is so firmly
attached to the dowager empress that
it is even doubted the car could count
on the SUPPORT of his armies. All eff
forts of the car for the amelioratior
of teh agricultural classes nave beer
as firmly opposed by his minister OF
the interior.
This situation, almost intolerable as
it is to the present car, exists only
because he has no male heir. Up t
the present time his children are al
girls and barred from the throne. AL
of his hopes center in the coming
event. which he prays may add a sol
to his household and give to Russia
G.rect heir to the throne. Four times
he has been keenly disappointed.
The reactionary party in his cabine
is able to 6aunt his misfortune in hi
face, because it is well known that il
the event of his ~eath the crown vii
pass to his brother Michael, who is di
rectly under the influence of the dow
ager empress. If the present czar die.
Michael will be the nominal car, Blu
his mother will be the actual ruler
She is a woman in the prime of life
born to command.
Should a son be born to Nicholas II
the power of the dowager empress viii
be reduced to nothing in a moment
The czar win lie a car in fact as il
name, and the ministers who nov
openly defy him, oppose his will, ant
refuse to execute his policy, will be a
his feet.
Various sensational rumor are cul
rent as to what will happen II TIT
czarina again fails to give birth to
male child, II of them being that th'
czar will abdicate. Another story /
TO the effect hat the car has beel
consulting Russian law authorities an
has come to the conclusion that h
could legally altar the law of success
sion of Paul l., under which female
are excluded from the throne until al
males in the lien of succession fai
That the car would attempt anythin
of the kind, however, is regarded a
highly improbable as it would certainl
result in civil war.