Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-17
SOME GRAND DUKES
Nicholas and Constantine Men
of Liberal Views.
LATTER DEVOTED TO BOOKS
Former Persuaded the Gear to Grant
a Constitution.
LOVE AFFAIRS OF NOBILITY
immortality in Members Of the I'm
perial Family Overlooked, but Mar
riage Out of Station Punished.
LOVE AFFAIRS OF NOBILITY
BY WILLIAM f. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence OF The Star and the Chicago
Record Herald.

BY WILLIAM r. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence OF The Star and the Chicago
Record Ierad.
ST. PETERSBURG, July %, 1906.
Two prominent members of the impe-
rial family, the Grand Duke Nicholas
Nicholaievitch (son of Ncholas) and
Constantine Constantineivitch son of Con-
stantine). are said to be men of lib
eral views The latter is author
and entirely literary in his tastes. He
pays no attention whatever to politics or to
official affairs. He devotes himsely entirely
TO his books and has written some very
good things. He has translated Hamlet"
and several other of Shakespeares plays
into the Russian language, and some years
ago produced Hamlet in Russian, taking
the title role himself He has also trans
lated several OF Longfellows and Tenny-
sons poems. People about st. Petersburg
very seldom see him. He lives quietly and
never appears in public except on ceremo-
NAL occasions which require his attendance.
Nicholas. however. occupies one of the
most important and conspicuous positions
about the throne. being in command of the
military district of which st. Petersburg Is
the center. and having something like 300
Oo0 troops under him. He succeeded his
cousin, Vladimir, who resigned command
of the army after the emperor banished his
son Cyril for marrying the divorced wife
of the czarina's brother Nicholas Is not
considered brilliant man, but Is an hon.
est, conscientious soldier. has been brought
UP in the cavalry and has reputation at
every military headquarters in Europe If
the Japanese war had lasted little longer
he would have been placed in command of
the Russian forces in Manchuria. The re-
moval of Gen. Linevitch had been deter
mined upon after the defeat at Mukden and
Nicholas had been selected to succeed him.
but the calling of the peace commission
chi
Nicholas is man of broader views and
better morals than the average grand duke
and is liberal In his political opinions. He
has recognized the drift OF events in Rus
sia for two years or more: has warned the
car that the progressive movement cannot
be successfully resisted and has advised
him that the wisest policy for him to pur-
sue Is to yield the autocracy and take the
head of the proc ession.
How the Gear Was Persuaded.
Nicholas is credited with having per-
suaded the car to grant the constitution
and summon a parliament and quite
dramatic little story is told OF the circum-
stances. In October. at the critical period,
he went to Peterhoff at the suggestion of
Count De Witte to assist In counteracting
the influence OF the reactionaries. who were
struggling to prevent any concessions to
the popular demand. 1t was Sunday
afternoon, and he took a long walk with
the car under the trees within the inclos-
ure occupied by the imperial family. Witte
had been laboring with the car for several
hours on the previous day, but Trepoff
Gen. 1gnatieff. Durnovo. Goremykin the
procurator of the holy synod, who has an
unspellabe and unpronOuncable name, and
the emperorS mother had united in opposi-
tion to his advice and had succeeded in
neutralizing his influence. Nicholas plead
ed with his cousin most earnestly and re-
manned far into the night. He finally sue
ceeded in convincing the car OF his view
of the situation. and near midnight Baron
Fredericks.- minister of the imperial house,
hold. was sent to ST. Petersburg in an au-
tomobile to bring the prime minister again
to the imperial villa De Witte arrived
about O'Clock In the morning. and the So
called October manifesto, which will be one
OF the most important documents in all
Russian history. was signed shortly after
that hour. De White and Nicholas re-
turned to st. Petersburg together reaching
their homes between and o'clock in the
morning Nicholas told a friend that 1t was
the longest night he ever spent, and de-
four times before De Witte appeared.
Nicholas Nicholaievitch was In disgrace
during the reign Of Alexander Iii. originally
because of the conduct of his father. who
was a brother OF Alexander III. The old
gentleman was commander in chief of the
army during the war with Turkey, and
gained great credit and glory. which. how
ever he soon lost because OF his profligate
habits and dishonest transactions. Several
millions OF rubles passed through his hands
which he was not able to account for. and
Alexander III, VINO was very StTICt anu
scrupulous concerning the honor and be-
havior of the family. stripped his uncle OF
rank and authority. SO far as he was able
to do 50, and banished him beyond the
Caucasus where he died in obscurity sew
eral years ago The sons. naturally, shared
I'm the disgrace and were not welcome at
court. Nicholas. the present general; made
his imperial relations extremely indignant
by marrying Nine. Burnine. widow OF q
Moscow tea merchant. who has made him
an exceptionally good wlrei a,s dt, tme
remainder OF the 1arnily VIII nave hotnnis
20 do with her.
Marriage Is objectionable.
So long as they do not marry their favor
ttes. the grand dukes may behave with
women as loosely as they like. The case
of the Grand Duke Alexis Is an illustra-
ton. He has sons by two women and
lives publicly with a third. notorious
French actress both In ST. Petersburg and
Paris: yet no one stands any better than he
with the church and the government, and
no one Is more popular with the court. His
nephew Cyril was disgraced and banished
from Russia for marrying decent wom-
an, and for twelve years the Grand Duke
Nicholas was not received at the imperial
palace because he was conscientious enough
to marry the woman no loved. The hus-
band Is at last admitted to court, where
his rank and duty as commander-in-chief
of the army makes him q necessary and
conspicuous figure, but his wife. who re-
ceiVed the blessing Oh tu6 CuuECn dL tHelE
marriage and Is a woman OF great inteli-
gence and beauty whose name has always
been free from scandal and who has
brought her husband the greatest happiness
he enjoys, Is boycotted because she has no
royal blood In her veins. But I am told
that she Is perfectly Indifferent about 1t
and is undoubtedly happier than she would
be at court
The tea merchants widow brought Mich
olas an enormous fortune. She Is said to
have been the wealthiest woman in Russia.
and shortly after their marriage she dis
credited herself still further in the eyes
OF a certain portion of the imperial family
by paying the debts Of her husbands
father and the cars great uncle. 1t was
objectionable presumption. It was a re-
nection upon the rest Of the family. who
lacked her sense of honor.
The Grand Duke Nicholas has frequently
expressed himself In favor Of a constitu-
tionaI monarchy in place OF the abso-
lutte despotism that has prevailed In Russia.
He has frequently declared that autoc-
racy Is not consistent with the spirit OF
the age. and that Russia cannot resist the
progress OF mankind. He has had nothing
to do with politics. however. although fire.
Quently he Is mentioned as the only member
of the imperial family who has the conf
dence OF the people and the necessary abil-