New-York tribune., 1903-11-23
DUKE OF H0BOKEN.
He Is President of the Belgian Sen
ate and Also Duke of Ursel.

The Duke II Ursel. President OF the Belgian SEN
ate. who prostrated by a stroke OF apopiexy
last week at Brussels while delivering speech at
the funeral Of Bishop van Artselaer enc Of the
most popular prelates Of Belgium. is not only
Duke OF Ursei but likewise Duke OF Hoboken.
name familiar to The Of every American who
has crossed the Hudson River at New-York The
founder of the family was Conrad Won sehetz
Baron OF Hobo1en. in Flanders. who was adopted
by his mothers sister. Barbe d'Urse and inherit
ed not only all her property. but also her and
her armorial bearings. Emperor Charles VI of
Germany converted his Barony Of Hoboken into
a dukedou. and likewise created him Duke of
Ursel. and such he figures. not only in the Ger
nobility. but likewise in that OF the Neither
lands and OF Belgium. The present duke is very
popular. and his aged mother, a member of the
French house Of Harcourt, is Grand Mistress OF
the Court OF Brussels.
King Edward has just made it clear the world
that he viii have nothing whatsoever to do with
the Court Of Belgrade as long as King Peter re-
frsins from disassociating himself from the nur-
derers OF King Alexander and Queen Drasa' Tor
on the occasion Of his birthday little over week
ago ne curtly declined to receive any eongratuia-
tiors or good wishes from either the Servian hlng
OF the Servisn government. causing II 70 oe kho"h
that he had taken this step. II Is long unhe
since any such anront has been placed upon one
reigning monarch by another. and the incioent IL Is
OF a kind to render st more intoeraoie 'he ui'''-
cult position Of the Servian ruler
While an official denial has been puhhsned az
yelvs5a of the report that Peter is about 10 apoi-
.s.e zs+ there g no doubt that he is contemplating
. s+en n this kind and that the news OF DIS nav
t. .,,--e,da-es the throne 20 his now sixteen
xear-old son Prince George, may oe reeeiNfu al
any time -.
--bs EZ,nv Is absolutely friendless: so much so
-. ,,s sAs,sor-rent Of tire throne would be wei
crr,e5 at Belgrade by people OF every pohIcai
80 - matter how antsConistic TO one another
- -s-4fsa1s Of the late King Alexander and all
rec officers and politicians who appreciate the
po-ror aroused abroad by the frtghtfui mGroer OF
-. ls+a King and Queen are embittered against
re,s- fo- refranine from Furnishing the regicides.
80 cor .br1s subiectng Servia 10 affrontS such as
.bs one which she has Just received at the hands
= c-es+ E-f+afn on the other hand. the assassns
= King Alexander with their friends and ad-
h,-s-+e COMPLAIN that Peter is too little subseTv
o,+ - their wishes and too much disposed 10 for
=. .bat he owes his throne TO them: in word.
trat he is not sufficiently plant tool.
77us all are united desiring Peters abdication.
s-s have no doubt that IL he can make satisfac-
tory financial arrangements for himself. place his
boy under the joint protection Of Austria and
Russia and surround him with proper advisers. who
would feel that the lad was bound by no ohliga-
,sous of any kind the people responsible for the
tragedy Of last summer he would cheerfully step
aside and return to his old home at Geneva where
his surroundings were so much congenisl
than they are at present II may be remembered
that King Milan when he found his position at
F2elr-ade 10 longer tenable abdicated in favor Of
his son Alexander. King Peter would therefore
De merely following established precedent IN
6ervia.