The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1904-04-20


the question of adjournment was
preached to-day it was the unani-
nous opinion that next week would
see the close of Congress and Thurs
day seemed to be the day most fav-
ored if all business on the legisla-
tive slate can be put through in that
time. The important measures out
side Of appropriation bills which re-
main on the slate are few.
King Peters Defiance of Public Opin-
King Peter, Of Servia, is virtually
and public opinion throughout the civ
iliZed world The dispatches from
Belgrade of late have been most mis-
leading, for while they intimated that
the King had eliminated from his
house hold those officers who had TAX
en- leading and personal part in the
shocking butchery of King Alexander
and Queen Draga, the cables neglect
cd to explain that the regicides in
question, far from being punished, had
been, on the contrary, advanced in
court to the highest dignities of the
State. Thus Drags's brother-in-law
and principal murderer has been ap-
pointed chief of the staff of the army,
and, as it's virtual head, entrusted with
the responsibility of secrets Of the
national defense. Colonel Popovitch,
who is even still more culpable, since
it was the betrayal Of his trusts as
chief Of the military household of
King Alexander, that rendered the
assassination OF the ill-fated monarch
and of his consort possible, has been
given the command Of metropolitan
division of the army, which involves
a trans fer from the office of principal
aid-de-camp of the King to that OF
military governor and commandment OF
Belgrade In fact, not a single one OF
the regicide officers has been either
disgra ced or punished, while four col
onels and a number of subaltern Off
GERS who had manifested antaSonism
towards their regicide comrades have
been placed by the King on the re-
tired list.
This method of complying with the
Francis Joseph, OF the Kaiser and OF
King Edward, to the effect that King
Peter should clear both his own name
and the fair fame of Servia by the
dismissal and punishment of the Off
GERS who took part in the murder OF
his predecessor on the throne, and
thus afford some satisfaction to the
sentiments of horror aroused by the
crime throughout the civilized world
is hardly likely to commend itself
to the ideas Of. these monarchs, and
it is probable that many a long day
will elapse before they consent to
resume diplomatic relations with the
Court OF Belgrade or accredit ENJOYS
to a poteutate who has so ttaSrantly
disreearded their recommendations as
King Peter. The only presumption
is that the regicides have some hold
upon King Peter in the shape of COM
promising letters. which renders him
powerless to take any steps against
them, since the publ ton of the cor
respondence would, it is said, cstab-
predecessor and have the effect of
rendering nldl anu COHll)lele HIS 10
tracism by all decent people.
Meanwhile things are going on from
bad to worse in Servia. The nation
resents cruelty the manner in which
it is boycotted by the remainder OF
the world: taxation, instead of being
diminished. has become more oner-
Gus: life and property are less secure;
lawlessness and discomfort reign SUI
Drcme and, to make matters more
critical, there have been all sorts OF
misfortunes, such as bad harvests,
destruction of crops by hail, frOstS
and floods which have convinced the
superstitious Scrvian peasants that
the country is suffering from the an
ger caused in heaven by the failure
to punish or atone for the crime com
nitted on the night when Alexander
and Queen DraSa were killed We're
it not that the Servians fear that an
other coup d'ctat or revolution at Bel