The Washington herald., 1907-10-20
HEIR TO THE AUSTRIAN THRONE
Sketch of the Man Who VIII Succeed Francis Joseph

spare from his representative ana OinCial
duties to his wife and little ones. Of
late. however. the countess. who had
been created Princess of Hohenberg by
the Emperor. has taken her place At
court among the members Of the reisning
family-below all the northumberland
has likewise become. thanks largely 10
the support of the church. whose cause
she Championed an extremely iufiu-
ential factor in Niennese life. But II is
doubtful whether either she or her inn
perial husband have forgotten or for
given the treatment which they received
Goth during their engagement and during
the early years Of their marriage.
Francis Ferdinand. Ike King Edward
OF Great Britain and King oscar OF
Sweden, enjoys the educational advantage
of a personal acquaintance with the
United States, which he visited at the
time OF the Columbian Exhibition, at
Chicago. during his voyage around the
world. The voyage was on Francis
Ferdinand's own Initiative. undertaken be
cause he felt that It would contribute
to his equipment for the office Of mon
arch. and that ne encircled the globe
not as q mere frivolous tourist. but as
a thoughtful observer and student is
shown 10y the very clever and yet modest
record of his voyage which be published
Tor private circulation some time after
mis- return. II is In the form OF a diary
and while free from all priggishness and
affectation contains on almost every
page shrewd comments of appreciation.
displaying Tar greater breadth OF
fL.s. vffffraL Ia
generally been credited. and I may add
that all the references therein 20 the
United States are Of an extremely
friendly ard Conlmend8tory nature This
WaTy Is Icy no means Francis Ferdinand S
only venture into literature. and he has
20 his record several graceful mono
graphs notably one on the celebrated
Field Marshal RadeJZky. remarkable by
reason OF the higb-souIed patriotism ap-
parent in every line Of the essay, and Two
volumes OF extremely pretty Alpine
poetry.
Like most Of his countrymen. he is de-
voted TO music. md is something Of a
composer having put on paper several old
Styrlan melodies which. until then had
never been written. but merely handed
ltN II ilHlt ttlllti 10 Sfi-l lN.l -tAtr- llr
archdu5e is also an engineer by profes-
sion; is So far as 7 am aware the only
prince of the blood who has secured his
diploma as such. and enjoy nothing so
much as driving the locomotive Of an
express train. He is an expert In ma
chinery. and of an inventive turn of mind:
sufficiently so. indeed. 10 have earned for
himself u handsome competence. if not a
fortune. had no not been in his own right
one OF the wealthiest princes Of the Old
World. He is recognized Is one Of the
best sporting shots in the AUstro-Hunga-
rian Empire, the walls of his home at
KOnopischt in Bohemia. being adorned
with the antlers of some 300 stays and
chamois. as well as with the heads Of
tigers killed I'm India. the tusks of ele-
phants slain in Ceylon, and the pelts of
bears stalked in the Rockies. He is an
adept In the sciences Of zoology and nat
ural history. a gifted artist with the brush
and as a landscape gardener. And, last,
but not least he is a thorough soldier.
having everything connected with this
profession al hts fingers ends. Added to
this he has always been an exemplary
son, a very affecti0nate brother. and his
life has been singularly free from scan
dal, the one romance Of his existence be-
ing his infatuation for Countess Sophie
Chotek. whom he persisted in marrying
in spite Of all the obstacles placed in the
way of the match.
Many Of the most glaring shortcomings
of his wild brother, the late Archduke
Otto, have been falsely ascribed to him;
and NJ de BlOwitz gave publicity in the
London Times 10 a report that in a
drunken freak, he had stopped a peasant
funeral near Prague and amused himself
by leaping his horse half a dozen times
over the bier, a slander afterward re-
peated in the Parliament at Budapest.
for which there was not a shadow of
foundation. Equally untrue is the state
ment, likewise printed by de Blowitz, de
claring that when Francis Ferdinand at
tanned manhood, and became as much his
own master as member Of any of the
reigning- houses of Europe can ever hope
to be he made a bonfire Of all his books
He has never taken the trouble TO de-
fend himself from any Of these attacks,
deeming them unworthy Of notice.
In some respects. Francis Ferdinand is
man of stronger character than his
uncle, Francis Joseph. Whereas the lat
ter has shown himself pliable, and has
sometimes been brought by persuasion or
by mere WEAKNESS to accord his consent
to measures Of which at heart he disap-
proved his nephew obstinateiy refuses to
give way. He is slow and deliberate about
taking up his position in controversy.
He has accustomed himself TO regard it
from every possible point Of view and 10
encourage free discussion thereof IN all
its bearings. But once he has formed his
judgment nothing can induce him 10