The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1903-06-20
KING kARAGEoRGEViTCH TO BE.
COME ONLY A FlGuREHGAD
IN SERVIA.
SUPPRESS THE REPUBLICANS
coNsPlRAToRs HINT THAT op.
POSITION TO THEM MEANS
SURE DEATH.

Belgrade, June 1.-THE position of
King Peter l promises to be little
more than that of a royal captive:
the real government of the country
will be a military dictatorship under
the leaders of the revolution. Colonel
Maschin and Colonel Mitschitch. The
new king is almost without any per-
sonal adherents, and the ruling spirits
of the army, it is thought probable,
would just as readily murder him as
they did his predecessor should he
oppose their aims.
At the present moment the whole
country is under military rule, and
although no projects in the country
districts have been revoked. each is
accompanied by an army officer who
attends the project wherever he goes,
even to the telephone. This policy
has led to one good result, not a single
case of disorder anywhere has been
reported.
Used ForcibIe Argument.
Extremely forcible arguments were
found necessary to suppress the
Radical aspirations of a republic. The
foremost advocate of the creation of
a republican form of government was
Ltubomir Schickovics, the editor of
the Belgrade Odjok. Finding him
impervious to arguments, the conspira-
tors invited him to a dinner at the
officers club last Saturday. During
the dinner his host told him hat un-
less he agreed to support Prince
Peter Karageorgevitch there would be
one head less in Belgrade that night.
M. %Schickovics yielded to the force
of this reasoning and accepted the
situation. He is now minister of JUS
ttce in the new government.
The deliberations of the members
of the senate and skupshtina on the
republican question were materially
fastened by the attendance Of one of
the leaders of the revolution, Colonel
Mitschitch. The colonel took no part
In the proceedings, but
His Presence Was Significant
enough to induce the members to &C
cept the army's choice. Premier
Avakumovics told the deputies that 1t
was useless to talk of a republic, as
neither Russia nor Austria would per
nit it. He further urged that the
proposed committee constitution would
give King Peter far less power than
that enjoyed by the president of the
United States.
In spite of the semi-oficial state
ments that the delegation of the ma
tfonal assembly elected to submit the
crown to the newly chosen king, had
already started, it is still here. The
government declares that the number
of Its members, twenty-four, would en-
tail too great a cost on the country in
the wav of travelling expenses, and
the real reason Of the delay in it's de-
parture is that the government found
some Of its members to be adverse to
King Peter. About a dozen members
will probably go.
People Are Indifferent.
Inquiries in official circles every,
where elicit the assurance that the
of tho government. but conversations
overheard in public places indicate
that the people, especially those living
outside the capital, know little and
care little about the trend of nation
al politics.
It is believed ,that the army will
try to make secret terms with the
new king by which it will retain the
supremacy gained by the tragedy, but
whether the king will agree to the
conditions is uncertain.
One of the highest officials of the
present government asked a number
of foreign journalists what Europe
thought of the way in which the Ser
Wan revolution was carried out. He
was told bluntly that it was consider
ed a brutal act. He thereupon ex-
planned that from his point of view.
the assassination Of the king and
queen was an act Of mercy, as by ut
terly destroying the dynasty instead
of depcrting the sovereigns the like
lihood of a civil war was precluded.
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