New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-05-31
VOICE FROM THE GRAVE
Remarkable Letter of Austria's
CroaCn Prince Produced an Court.

L
Rome is just at present the scene Of an ex-
,raor5nary lawsuit which is attracting the atten-
,io Of every court In Europe not merely by reason
= +bs Yoyties concerned, but also account OF
-, ,r,onderfnllv interesting letters and documents
eec.inv the reigning houses of the Old World,
ut,ch are being brought 10 light In connection
herewith The plaintiff In the case Is the CaVai-
uere Nobiu the heir and the ADOPTED son NSolhe
,ts that the relation stl closer) of the late
l,a-a,-,.r r4obenIole The defendant is Archduke
Francis Ferdinand heir to the throne or austria.
ard the subject Of dispute Is the hapiiliy OF lhe
arcbauke for the money spent by the l"le Natulia4
T5tao1o,o IN absolutely necessary repairs and Inn
rrovements Of the exquisite ana h's'oilc Nhi"
s,u,,a AZ T-ivo1i during its long tenancy by Car
diual Hohenohe who rented 1t for considerable
sum first of all from the Duke OF Mooeha. ana
after The Iatter's death from MS hei' +Ai'iiuuAe
Francis Ferdinand
,rLo a,ot,l,,l,a has all along refused pay the
large sun, demanded. 1t seems that he already
neglected 10 give 10 the claims with regard TO
the villa d'Este during the lifetime of the cardinal
For among the documents produced in court at
Rome and set forth in evidence is an extremely
irteresting letter in the handwriting OF the late
Crown Prince Rudolph OF Austria. dated June "a.
1854 and addressed by him 10 Cardinal Hohenlohe.
in response 10 appeal from the latter that he
would use his influence with his cousin. Archduke
Francis Ferdinand to get him TO attend to the
matter Speaking of the affair the crown prince
writes verbatim follows:
Whenever l have had occasion to send on to
Francis Ferdinand letters from Prince William of
Prussia tthe present Kaiser) 1 in each instance
have urged him length effect a settlement OF
the matter. Archduke Francis Ferdinand is how
ever. still very young and having emancipated
himself cry early he thinks, a lieutenant Of
dragons only Of amusing himself. and pays no
tenton 70 money matters. These he leaves entirely
10 Count Seilern. who possesses the most unbound
ed influence over him. l do not know the count,
and do not remember ever TO have seen him. But
hear that he is ultra-clerical and bound hand and
foot the Jesuits. What is TO be expected from
such people Ghe Jesuitsl your eminence knows
better than myself. although your prejudice
against the Order OF the Jesuits never reach
far as mine. Under the circumstances, l fear
there is little TO be hoped of any settlement OF the
affair. For. / have already pointed out, IT de-
ponds not upon the Archduke but upon Count
seilern."
RUDOLPH THE AUTHOR OF THE PAMPHLET
IN This connection II may be mentioned that
soE7e years before toe tragedy of Meyerlfng there
appeared At Munich anonymous pamphlet
titled The Austrian Nobility and Its Constitu-
tlonal Mission which created immense sensa-
ton throughout the dual empire and in Germany.
The pamphlet assailed The great aristocracy OF
Austria, which owed Its seats In the House OF
Lords at Vienna 70 birthTight, charging 1t with
Incidence and incapecity. II claimed that what
ever work accomplished by the upper house
es a body was performed by its life members: that
is say. by those Of bourgeois origin. who were
indebted for their presence in the upper house 10
the favor Of the Crown. The pamphlet then went
on 70 assert that This attitude OF the nobility
the result Of the education of its members by the
Jesuits who may be said wellngh to monopolize
the education of the Roman Catholic royalty and
aristocTacy OF the Old World. The author insisted
that the Jesuits imbued their pupils with the most
reactionary ideas. teaching them 20 despise and
oppose everything in the nature Of a popular
ment of liberalism, Of enlightenment and social
progress, and to strive for restoration Of the
conditions OF a hundred years ago. when the power
Of tie Crown was absolute and the nobility
still able TO lord II the people. The pamphlet
Which was very cIeverly written showing init
MAZE acquaintance with conditions in the Austrian
House Of Lords and with the shortcomings of the
aristocracy of the dual empire body.
widely discussed and had the effect of leading
some Of the younger generation Of the Austrian
nobilty-as. fer instance. the ex-Premier, Prince
Conrad Hohenlohe-to ally themselves with the
Liberals rather than with the Conservatives.
AZ sorts OF speculation INDUCED in as 10
the authorship Of the pamphlet, but far the
public WAS concerned seemed have had
any idea OF the truth until two years ago. when
Professor Anton Menger. the celebrated Bavarian
political economist and turist. who had been the
teacher Of political economy Of Crown Prince Ru-
doph revealed the fact that the writer Of the
pamphlet other than the Crown Prince
and admitted that he 0he professor) had arranged
for its publication and corrected the proofs. Il
seems that short time before the pamphlet ap-
pesred Crown Prince Rudolph made an incognito
tour OF the various European capitals with Pro-
fessor Menge for the purpose Of studying political
conditions abroad Where the prince and his
mentor remained the longest was in London, and
It seems that the Austrian heir apparent was pro-
feundly impressed there by the English House
OF Lords, adnliring the in which IL full
hled its role Of moderator OF all il-considered and
hssty legislation by the House Of Commons. The
Crown Prince likewise praised the manner in
which ifs members were recruited and. above all.
De was enthusiastic about the patriotic way in
which the peers of the realm their legislative
outies and civic obligations to heart II was after
tne Crown Princes return from this tour with
Professor Menger that he wrote the pamphlet IN
question, and OF which Professor Menger had
Until his own death last year the manuscript IN
'he writing Of Crown Prince Rudolph.
FAIRY TALES ABOUT THE JEsUITs.
Professor Mengers revelations quite naturally
proved godsend TO those who in everything
the hsnd Of the Jesuts. and who ascribe TO them
NE responsibility for all sorts OF troubles
sa1ers The enemies OF the order at once proceed
&C 10 build up most circumstentiaI story to show
nov the Crown Princes unfortunate ENHANCEMENT
esoing up TO kis violent death at Meyerling had
een brought about purposely. step by step. by the
suits with the object OF preventing tho accession
me throne of prince hostile their society
QUO N order 10 make way for the late Archduks
.hafles Louis and his eldest son, both Of whom the
suits Knew TO be imbued with their ideas.
ilet AFchouke Francis Ferdinand. the next heir
ne crown personiles in the eyes OF the people
- 80 al nome and abroad reactionary ideas rather
liberalism cannot be denied. 1t is equally