Palestine daily herald. [volume] (Palestine, Tex.) 1902-1949, 1907-10-17

weakened and ailing, and only after
long voyages and extended sojourns
in Southern climates was his physical
condition such as to warrant the hope
that he would live to rule. But Cupid,
ever fond of upsetting royal plans,
played one Of his roguish pranks with
Francis Ferdinand. The Archduke
fell in love with the Countess Sophie
Chotek, who was a maid of honor of
the Crown Princess Stephanie, widow
of the unfortunate Archduke Rudolf.
When the heir to imperial honors was
married to the simple-title woman OF
his choice the question as TO his sue
cession to the throne became general.
II was announced at the time that the
Archduke had renowned all rights of
succession for his children, should he
be blessed with any by his morganatic
marriage with the countess. The first
child of the couple was a daughter,
born July "a, 1901 A year later a son
was born and the popular discussion
in regard to the succession was then
renewed.
There are many people in the en-
pire, and particularly in Hungary,
who hold that he could not thus divest
his children of rights derived from
royal birth. So far as the Archduke
himself is concerned, however, he has
never given any reason to believe
that he will violate the oath regarding
his wife and his children, which he
made at the time of his marriage.
The arrangement at the time, it was
understood, was that Francis Ferdi-
nand would be succeeded on the
throne, not by the male issue of his
marriage with the Countess Chotek.
but by the eldest boy of his brother,
Otto, the now nineteen-year-old Arch
duke Charles Francis. the first of the
princes of the house of Hapsburg TO
be brought up and educated in any.
thing like accordance with the liberal
ideas of today
In order that the young Archduke
might succeed to the throne it would
be necessary for his father. the Arch
duke Otto, to abdicate in his favor.
The latter, a man of fine appearance,
has in recent years enjoyed a certain
amount of popularity among the peo-
plea popularity which for many
years public disgust made impossible.
Hair-raising tales are told of the eX-
cesses INDUCED in by him and his Of
ficer comrades. Moderation seems to
have come with years, however, and
Archduke Otto has of late enjoyed
little more of honorable public atten-
ton than he did in the past There
is a possibility that he might assume
the imperial purple, but the belief is
more general that he would waive his
rights in favor of his son.
AS matters now stand the success
sion To the throne is provided with
perfect clearness, Francis Ferdinand,
Otto and Charles Francis coming IN
the order named But whoever of
the three comes to the throne, the
outlook for the restoration of peace
through his rule is not bright. Meth
er Francis Ferdinand nor Otto has
been educated as the successful fu-
ture ruler of Austria must need be,
and ever young Charles, though some
attempt has been made to give him a
liberal education, has not received the
broad training necessary for the task.
Such is the outlook for the future
ruler of Austria. The venerable EN-
peror who is now believed TO be on
his death bed has been responsible
for many of the troubles that have
overtaken his kingdom, but his inten-
tions have generally been good and
his firm hand has held the sheaf of
nations together Whether his sue
cessor will be able to do so well is a
matter of such grave doubt that the
passing of Francis Joseph is feared as
a national crisis.