Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1905-08-18
AUSTRIAN EMPEROR'S DAY
Anniversary Of Francis Joseph =
Seventy-Five Years
Old Today.
A GREATDdSPLAY OF LOVE AND
AFFECTION MADE.
There Is Probably No More Popular
Ruler In The World To-
day Than He.
special pispateh . Evenine CapillI.

Special Dispatch 10 Evening Capital
Vienna, Aug. 1S.--The spontaneous
and enthusiastic manner in which the
whole Austrian monarchy celebrated
| the seventy fifth birthday of Emperor
Francis Joseph today gave the most
conclusive proof of the love and affec-
tion which the people of the empire
kingdom bear their venerable ruler.
There is probably no more popular
ruler in the world than he. and it may
truthfully be said that ever since the
second day of December, 184S, when
he succeeded to the throne after the
abdication of his uncle, Ferdinand,
his popularity has increased from year
to year His uniform generosity and
kindness won him the hearts of those
even, who at one time stood in the
ranks of the reyolutionists and the
fortitude and dignity with which he
met such severe yisitations, as the
death of his only son and of the en-
press strongly tended TO tighten the
bonds of sympathy and love existing
between him and his people.
In former years, when the emperor
was Younger and both the empress and
the Inflated crown prince were liy-
ing, the demonstrations of popular
love often assumed a rather boisterous
character. especially in Vienna and
other large cities with a predominant
teutonicl population. The death of
the crown prince, which shattered so
many fond hopes, put damper upon
the subsequent celebrations of the
emperor's birthday and this condition
naturally became even more acute after
the death of Empress Elizabeth. The
character of the celebrations became
more subdued and dignified, but far
more expressive of the universal feel
ing OF love and sympathy for the
cruelty bereaved monarch.
Aside from its purely official fea-
lures the celebration today bore little
resemblance to former celebrations,
although popular sentiment for the
Kaiser was probably stronger than
ever Special thanksgiving services
were held this morning in every church
in the monarchy. Here, in Vienna,
the pontifical high mass at st. Steph
ems, attracted the largest crowds,
among them many hundreds of foreign
ers. The service at st. Augustine's
were attended by several thousand per-
sons, among them many high officials
and dignitaries of the court. There
was also a special service at the chapel
in the Hofburg.
During the early hours of the fore
noon the emperor received the mem
bers of the foreign diplomatic corps
in the throne room of the Hofburg and
received many autograph letters from
the other European rulers, besides
thousands of telegraphic messages of
congratulation from all parts of the
world. Later in the day the emperor
received the members of the Imperial
household, the ministers of the Cabi.
net, the presiding officers and delega-
tions from the imperial parliament,
the Reichstag and the Austrian and
Hungarian diets. He also gave au-
dience to numerous delegations repre-
senting the army and navy and the
various fiscal departments and depu.
tations of civic organizations from all
parts of the monarchy.
The day was generally observed as a
holiday. All the government offices
and nearly all places Of business in
Vienna and other cities were closed
all day and the employees were given
an opportunity to join the popular
fetes. Thousands of people crowded
the Ringstrasse and the streets leading
to the Hofburg, in the hope of catch
ing q glimpse of the emperor. The
military parade in the afternoon,
which was reviewed by the emperor,
attracted many thousands of sightseers,
but the popular celebration in the
Prater was undoubtedly the most pop
ular event of the day. All kinds Of
were provided for the
pleasure loving multitude, military
bands furnished music and the seem
ingly endless procession of carriages
filled with elegantly dressed men and
women, passing up and down the broad
avenues of the Prater offered some
thing upon which the splen0or loving
Viennese could feast their eyes.