The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1903-06-20
ROYAL VICTIMS.

days when the Roman empire was hur-
rying to it's fall. The imperial army
had fallen into the habit of killing
any emperor who did not please and
putting any popular warrior in his
place, who, in his turn, fell as soon
as the soldiers tired of him. That is
what they seem to be coming to in
Servia, where the morals or royalty
are perhaps as debased as they were
in Ancient Rome.
King Alexander was vicious, head
strong boy ignorant beyond belief,
who was pitchforked into position
for which he possessed no single nat
ural qualification. The reins of power
meant to him only the unrestricted
right to crafty his whims and pas
sions, and, like so many of his Ro-
man prototypes, a woman was the
proximate occasion of his downfall.
He refused to enter in:o a matri-
mcnial alliance with a princess of
suitable rank who could have
strengthened his own doubtful posi-
ton, but succumbed to the wiles of an
adventures much older than himself
whom he elevated to the throne. In
the end he threw away his kingdom
and his life for the smile of beau
tiful wanton, such a one as Solomon
called ''the strange woman who fat
tereth with her words"
Ever since the revolution against
Turkey in 1904 servia has been one
of the most turbulent spots on the
face of the earth. The man who lib
Grated servia was Kara (Black)
George. He began war against Tur-
key in 1904 and carried it on success
fully for nine years. The tenth year,
wearied of the fray, he retreated to
the mountains. The peasant, Milosh
Obrenovitch, then gained the head
ship of the Servians and made what
many considered traitorous peace
with the Turks, in return for which he
was recognized by them as hereditary
prince Of Servia, vassal to the sultan.
In 1929 he had Kara George, whose
political influence was beginning to
resume its vigor, killed. Milosh's rule
became too tyrannous, and in 1912 he
was compelled to fee the country. In
his place was substituted Alexander,
son of Kara George.
Alexander reigned fourteen peaceful
years. But his character was too pa
ciffc for his hot tempered people, and
in 1858, chiefly because he had kept
out of wars, he also was exiled. Be-
fore his exile, in 1850, an heir was
born to him and was named Peter.
He it is who was proclaimed king.
Milosh returned to the throne in
1858, when Alexander fed, but soon
thereafter died, and was succeeded by
his son, Michael Obrenovitch. Michael
reigned until 1868, when he was as
sassinated. He was by far the best
king Servia has ever had-liberal,
progressive, and humane.
The rule of Milan, who succeeded
Michael, was not happy. Neither poll
ticaly nor personally did he agree
with his wife, the unfortunate Ma
thalie. She was pro-Russian; he was
pro-Austrian. In 1882 an attempt
was made on Milan's life, supposedly
in the interest of Peter Karageorge-
witch, and in 1883 a conspiracy to de-
throne Milan and substitute Peter was
discovered. In 1889 Milan resigned in
favor of his son, Alexander, whose
history and bloody end have just be-
come the chief topics in the public
mind.
The murder of King Alexander
Obrenovitch and Queen Draga, and
the succession to the throne of Peter
harageorgeVitch mean an important |
accession to the power and influence
of Russia. While there seems to be
no immediate danger of war it is diff
fcult to see how 1t is to be avoided
in the long run unless the other great
powers of Europe are willing to allow
Russia to absorb the greater part Of
Turkey and gain free access to the
Mediterranean by way Of the Darda-
nelles, the goal of her ambition for
centuries. 1t is one of the three
things she wants and will have one
of these days. The other two are ter
ritory and port on the Persian gulf
and an open winter harbor on the Chi
ma sea. The last she seems to have