The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1906-01-25
THE UNLUCKY CAR.
MIsHA1s WHICH HAVE MARKED
HIS REIGN.
Thousands of Poor Subjects Crush ed
to Death on Day Of Corona
tion-May a Fateful
Month.

IL has been suggested that Nicholas
H., czar OF all the Russias, Is the un-
luckiest of living men. One would
have no difficulty In showing at least
that the car has had more mischance
than any other monarch on a throne.
His first mishap was that which
prophetically came to him in Japan.
He was touring Europe and Asia in
1891 with Prince George Of Greece.
AT Ossu. Japan. although he had had
splendid entertainment from the
mikado. there was a feeling antago-
nistic to Russia, and Japanese drew
a sword to kill him, when Prince
George thrust it aside.
But what he was preserved for was
TO turn later the first sod of the ST.
berian railway at the eastern end;
and for the dignity--whch he in no
measure desired. but sbrank from-of
the crown when came to him soon
after by reason of the death OF his
father, Alexander ILL.,, at Livadia.
This attack occurred in Maya
month eventful to Nicholas II. 1t was
in May that he was horn, 81 years ago
He did not want at 20 to rule the
destiny of 1870 OO00O0 people. lie had
always detested official life and the
homage OF courtiers. hut the duties
and responsibilities of autocracy fell
upon him.
He began badly. On the occasion OF
his coronation thousands of his poor
er subjects were crushed to death on
Khudyuskol Plain. On that plain
came what many regarded as the fatal
evidence of the iii luck which pursues
and makes his life woeful Just be-
fore his accession he had become be-
trothed to the Princess Alix of Hesse
This, too. was outside his reckoning.
Gossip had II that he didn't want to
marry a German princess and that the
Princess Helene d'Orleaus, daughter Of
the Comte de Paris, was very much
admired by him.
III luck seemed to pursue him in his
married life. For time 1t seemed
as though his wife would bear him
nothing but daughters and no heir to
the throne. In 1898 she gave birth TO
the girl christened olga. two years
after TO the one named Tatiaua: two
years later to Marie, then in 1901 to
Anatasia.
Meantime the ear and the people
and the czarina herself were disap-
pointed. In August las; year the car
ina bore another child-aud it was a
boy So his luck in this respect may
be said TO have turned
/ However much liberal at heart the !
best accounts agree that the car took !
up his inherited authority first With /
distaste, and then with the firm pur
pose of continuing his fathers poll
cies. He kept his fathers counsellors, |
and declared he would uphold the prin- /,
ciple of autocracy
His III luck interfered here, too. Po- |
biedonostseff was obliged to retire. Mu- |
ravieff was taken from him by sudden
death NJ. de Plehve, his baleful minis
ter of the interior, a Muscovite grand
vizier. was destroyed by bomb. His
best beloved uncle, the Grand Duke Ser
gius, was blown TO pieces by bomb.
His governor OF Finland was struck
down.
Death has threatened his own person
many times. in Italy, in 1903. a man
named Goertz was apprehended in time
to spoil plot of assassination.
An anarchist obtained admission
TO a state reception at the pal
form of a superior officer OF the gen.
darmerie and was discovered. with
bombs in his pockets. just in time. A
girl student, Mile. Merezbevsky, was
frustratel n an attempt to kill him al
the spring review in 1904.
When. last January, with his court
the czar was ending the ceremony of
blessing the water of the river Neva
a shrapnel from a battery which was
firing a salute exploded near the royal
pavilion, killing one man and wound
Ing others.
He completed the Siberian railway.
as his father desired, in order to con-
solidate Russian power in Asia and
extend the Russian trade, Industry
commerce. But this railway was one
OF the causes that brought about the
unlucky war with Japan.
The ineffectiyeness of his numerous
reforms and attempts at conciliation-
annulments OF peasants Indebtedness,
openings of affairs of the Old Faith 10
undisturbed worship, DEGREES OF religi-
Gus freedom TO all, concessions to the
Jews. additions Of fiogging and ST.
berian exile-the failure Of these bene-
fits to pacify his country might well be
ascribed to the sinister element which
seems 10 iEhere in all his undertake
ings.
Then there are all the disasters OF
the war with Japan and the massacres
in various parts of the empire to be
considered in an account of the mis-
chances that have attended his reign.
Milk in Paris.
In Paris the average price Of pure