Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-07-23


As a matter OF fact, however the
grand dukes have no need whatever
OF feeding on public taxes, for In the
course Of time Ike most other Inn
perial and royal families. they have
contryed 10 accumulate Immense cs-
tntes all over the country. Between
them these thlrty-three grand dukes
and princes own $4,000 square miles Of
land or about one-forteth part Of the
entire territory IN European Russia,
Besides these vast estates they possess
no less than 326 palaces ana castles ana
employ some % 900 domestic servants,
llunkeys and retainors.
Il is a traditional rule that every
male member Of the Russian imperial
house shah be trained as an officer In
the army or navy, and that he shall
serve in one or the other OF them
MIGHTY PERsoNAGEs.
The grand dukes enjoy many legal
and social privileges IN Russia, They
cannot be arrested, they cannot be
sued In public law court, nor can
they be subpoenaed to rive evidence In
a public trial II any one desires to
bring an action at law against grand
duke he must lay his case before
special tribunal constituted exclusive
CATION In which members OF the i'm
perIal family are involved. II the EVIL
dence Of a grand duke be required IN n
public trial, a commission OF judicial
officials must wait upon him In his prl-
vate residence and take down HIS testl-
mony there. a grand duke is not re-
quired 10 swear to the truth OF his de-
positions but his simple signature gives
the evidence the same weight and value
as statements made on oath by ordlna-
~ folk.
In society the grand dukes receive as
their due many marks OF respect and
honor equal TO those enjoyed exclusive
ly by monarchs In other European
countries. In the army and navy too,
they occupy a position which does not
depend on their rank, but which IL their
birthright. II an officer even II his
rank Is the highest, meets a grand duke
In the street he Is obliged TO take three
steps backward make half right or
left turn about as the case may be,
and stand at salute In "A perfectly rigid
position until his imperial highness is
ten steps away.
On the other hand the grand dukes
have TO submit 20 certain disadvantages
and drawbacks arising from their high
rank. The car has absolute power
over them, 80 that with all their rights
and privileges they really live In con.
diton Of gilded bondage. They cannot
choose their own place of residence.
they cannot leave Russia on a tour of
pleasure, and they cannot marry
without the consent Of the car.
IL they disobey and defy the cars
wishes he can imprison them, confis-
cate their estates, and Danish them
from the country according to his un-
restricted imperial pleasure,
REBELLIOUs HEIR TO THE
THRONE.
Nevertheless there are rebels in the
imperial family, for at present there
are seven or eight grand dukes who
have either married In opposition to the
cars wishes or who desire to be we'd
ded to women Of whom the ear disap-
proves, Foremost among these Ia the
Grand Duke cyril, the cars eldest
cousin of the first degree. Grand Duke
Cyril's matrimonial Intentions possess
a special importance owing 10 the prob
ability that he viii succeed to the RUS
sian throne at date not very far dis
tant At the present moment three
lives stand between him and the crown
those OF the car, the cars brother
who IL the heir apparent and Cyrils
The czar himself has not only fec
bel constitution and extremely poor
health but he Is exposed to the per-
naneut danger OF sudden death by
assassination. His brother, Grand
Duke Michael. Is weakling who Is
tubcrcllous. No life insurance COM
pany IN the world would do business
either with the ear or the her-appar-
cnt of Russia. Grand Duke Cyril's faith
er is 81 years old and enfeebled out OF
all proportion TO his years by lifelong
dissipation. SO Grand Duke Cyril has
n good chance OF rising to the throne.
Now the grand duke Is anxious to
marry the divorced grand duchess of
Hesse who, before her marriage, was
Princess Melita OF Saxe-C oburg- Gotha.
She IL a niece Of King Edward OF Great
Britain. Princess Melita was married
TO the Grand Duke Of Hesse when she
was only II years Did, and the match
was failure The Hessian grand duke
IS a cold, serious man, who Is as high
principled and conscientious as he Is
uninteresting. Melta Is gay, unconven-
tional and overlooking with life and
spirits. When the grand duke wanted
his wife, not yet out OF her teens, to be
mother to his people, to visit the sick
IN the hospitals, and to superintend
preferred hunting, riding and other
kinds of healthy amusement, Truth
makes 1t necessary to record the fact
that she preferred the company OF
dashing young officers Of the liessian
families OF nobility TO the dry old fos-
sis OF both sexes who We're her hus-
bands courtlers. Trouble arose ana
Increased from incompatabllity Of tenn
permanent After seven years Of mar
rage Il divorce was pronounced In De-
cember 1901 The Grand Duke OF Hesse
agreed TO pay to his divorced wife an
annual allowance OF 100000 and their
only daughter was to spend half the
year with each parent
ALL SORTS or OBSTACLES,
Grand Duke cyril had made no secret
OF his admiration for the Grand Ouch
ess Melita before her divorce and no
sooner had she left her husbands home
and gone back 10 live with her mother
at Coburg than cyril made her for
nal OFFER of marriage. This was ac-
ocpted conditional on the cars con-
sent, which, however was omphatically
refused. Grand Duke cyril was given
to understand that he would he CONF
hitting an inexcusablc folly u he mar
ried the divorced grand duchess OF
Hesse. First Of all, she Is his cousin
OF the first degree, his father and her
mother being brother and sister and
marriage between such near relatives
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IN COMMAND OF