Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-25
CzAR|NA OF RUSSIA
Her Influence Over Her I'm
perial Husband.
THE EMPRESS DoWAGER
PART SHE PLAYS IMPORTANT IN
NATIONAL POLITICS.
Uncertain Whether Wife OF Mother
Has Most Control Over the En-
peror Nicholas.
By WILLIAM E. CURTIS.

| the crisis in Russia is the attitude of the
| Empress Dowager Dagmar, widow of AL
| exander Ill sister of Queen Alexandra OF
| England and daughter of the noblest and
| the best beloved of all the sovereigns OF
| Europe-kng Christian of Denmark. Dag
| mar was brought up in poverty. She and
| her sister Alexandra did housework swept
and busted, cooked and made their own
| dresses when they were girls, for their
| father was a modest captain in the Danlsh
army very small pay. Until her mar
! riage to the prince imperial of Russia In
1866, and indeed until the assassination of
| her father-in-law. Alexander II, she was
| liberal, democratic woman, fond Of chart
| table work among the poor and constantly
| engaged In measures for the alienation of
| the Sufferings of the peasants. There Is
| no other country in Europe democratic
| as Denmark; no royal family is on such
| good terms with the common people as her
own, and until some years after her mar
| riage she shared the views of her father.
| But the influence of her husband. Alexan-
| der III. seems to have changed her char
| acter and disposition. and she is now the
most extreme in her conservatism and in
| the defense of the autocracy of any of the
| imperial family of Russia.
Alexander III.
Alexander III was narrow gloomy, in
tolerant despot and religious zealot He
was man of sincere convictions of hon
| est intentions and of great courage. But
| he was dull of intellect and stubborn of
Will, and during his brief reign was con-
tinualiy under tt" shadow of his fathers
rate. His persecution of the Jews, his re-
ientiess hatred of all liberals in politics
and his intolerance of everything that was
progressive were largely due to resentment
because of the cruel manner in which his
1ather had suffered from the people he had
ehdeavored to serve During the last
fury the czars of Russia have been alter
nateiy liberal and conservative. Alexander
was liberal; Nicholas / was an ideal au-
tocrat and was called THE Iron Car"
Alexander II was The Good Gar" who
emancipated the Serfs and would have
given Russia a constitution, which lay upon
his desk waiting for his signature when he
was assassinated; Alexander III was the
urect opposite of his father, and there has
peen no such reign of terror in Russia since
tne days of Nicholas as prevailed during
the rev years he sat upon the throne
ing ms entire administration he was
the constant object of conspiracy and was
IN continual peril of his life There We're
forty attempts to assassinate him. He
LVeo surrounded by soldiers and detectives
out was allowed to die natural death
HIS narrow, uncompromising Intolerance
was inherited by his widow and by his |
olothers as sacred legacy to be continued !
as as dong as the dynasty endures. The widow
Dasmar brought up her son Nicholas the
present emperor, to worship his fahers
name and to believe his policy infallible.
Influence Over the Gear.
Nicholas inherited MANY of her traits az
well as her stature and complexion. All
of the Romanoffs have been giants until
ms time. but he, like his mother is small
OF frame, of delicate health and nervous
temperament. While his disposition is
naturally gentle and kindly and his desires
nave been to promote the welfare and hap
plness OF his people, his mother has exer-
clsed great influence over him, and has |
prevented him from CARRYING out several
OF the benevolent schemes that he has had |
In view for fear they would impair the au-
tocracy. She has not renowned any of her !
prefogatVes as empress; she has not been |
willing to live in retirement; she occupies !
one of the most conspicuous palaces on the |
principal street of ST. Petersburg; is seen
IN the streets and the parks more frequent
ly than any other member of the imperial
family: and is an habitual participant in
all public functions She Is exceedingly
jealous Of her daughter-in-law the reign
ing empress, and is constantly placing the |
latter in false and embarrassing positions
ohe assumes authority to which she has no |
right, and frequently usurpS the privileges
and prerogatives of the empress at pubic
functions She even insists upon retaining
the imperial jewels which should go with |
the crown, and wears them on state occa-
slons, to the intense satisfaction of the |
gossips of the court, who hate Alix because
OF her purity of character, her modesty and |
her refusal to receive certain women whose |
regulations are not equal to their rank
Character of the Czarina.
Alix is a woman of modest dignity, strong
intellect and very liberal in her views She
has even greater influence over her hus-
band than his mother. and there is con-
slant struggle between the two women as |
to which shall control him. Sometimes it
is the mother, but more often the wife
The dowager has the support and SYM
pathy of the Grand Dukes Vladimir Alexis |
Sergius, her husbands brothers. and nearly |
every other member of the imperial family,
as well as majority of the ministry. Alix |
is almost alone.
1t Is one of the current stories in London |
and Copenhagen, where you can get more |
news and gossip concerning the imperial |
family of Russia than you can ever hear |
in st. Petersburg that if Alix had not mad |
an earache there would have been no war |
with Japan. She, of all of the court was |
most urgent in advocating an amicable |
settlement of the questions in controversy,
but about the time they were reaching the |
crisis an abscess gathered in one of her |
ears, which was not only intensely painful |
but made II necessary for her to go to |
bed and remain under the doctors care for |
several weeks. In the meantime the car
under the influences of his brothers, uncies |
and members of the ministry, refused to |
notice Japan's ultimatum and thus precipi- |
tated hostilities
Not Popular With the Nobility.
Alix is not popular in st. Petersburg,
Notwithstanding her amiable disposition
and high character. The atmosphere in |
which the grand dukes and their families
thrive is too impure for her high sense of
honor and proprety. The court society in
st. Petersburg is very corrupt; as rule
neither the women nor the men of the i'm
perial family furnish good examples for
their subjects, and Alx is too serious and
her morals are too strict to permit her to |
enjoy the frvolities of the court or acquire /
popularity. While she observes all of the
requirements of her position and presides |
with tact and grace at ceremonials, she
prefers the nursery to the ball room and the |
society of her husband and few chosen |
friends to that of the court. They call her |
THE Little Puritan" and you will often
hear that society would be much livelier in |
st. Petersburg If she were different
Alexandra Feodoreyna, as she was bap-
tized when she was admitted to the COM
munlon of the Greek Church. was the ia
vorite and best beloved of all of Queen Vic
foria's numerous grandchildren. and that
good woman, who vas q habitual MATCH
maker was responsible for her marriage
to the prince imperial of Russia. Alix was
very reluctant. The betrothal did NOT taLa