The Idaho scimitar. [volume] (Boise, Idaho) 1907-1908, 1908-02-22
THE IDAHO SCIMITAR.
A Modern Solomon.

lie OF FRANCIS Joseph, emperor OF Austria, prob
ably no ruler in all Europe has been so crowned
with success in the conduct of public affairs. The
love and admiration of the great mass of his people
won during the earliest days of his reign have al
ways been his during the many years that he has
been their emporer-a period of almost sixty
years This has been task presenting peculiar diff
cultes when it is taken into consideration that the
Austrian government is composed of seven distinct
races.
Few rulers have been called upon to govern such
a cosmopolitan people. His broad territory con-
tans less than seven distinct races each with its
own language and customs and its own political
rights and boundaries Some of these subsidiary
kingdoms retain strong spirit of independence
This whole group of clashing divisions is held to-
gether by the personality of one old man. En-
peror Joseph 1t is as "Our Frantz" that he rules
them The tie between him and his peasant people
is like that of some of the ancient shepherd kings,
and almost touches poetic idealism. He is great,
kind father to Them and they adore him with child
ish faith and simplicity. There has come harm to
them through political plumbers, but they have
blamed hm-they have always found some under
officer to blame.
He goes about among them without guard de-
tecve and everywhere is greeted with truest afec-
ton. Twice every week, on Mondays and Thurs
days, he holds public reception it might better
be called court for to it any may bring any
kind of trouble whatever for consultation with the
emperor himself 1t is not for political state
matters; it is simply for his own peasant children
that they may talk over with him their little
worries and troubles Any one may come who will
if he will put his name and the purpose OF his
interview on a card and hand it to the proper officer
few days before the visit.
All sorts of odd troubles are brought to him for
his adjustment Sometimes it is broken hearted
mother who wants her hayward son relnstated in
some government pOSton sometimes 1t is quar-
re1ng neighbor; sometimes it is a husband or wife
who wants the emperor to command peace in their
troubled home, and not infrequently he is able to
do for their homes what he was never able to do
for his
his unruy son to have him chided for his prodi-
ga1ity The boy was not yet out of his teens, but
he was larger than his father, and dressed in fine
suit top-coat and shining Shoes and carried gold
headed cane. His father att1red IN very shabby
clothing and his hands and face showed unremlt-
ting toll A few we'll directed questions from the
emperor elected the fact that the boy idle
dandy, living on the wages of his father
"Where did you get the money with which to buy
that Gamer" the emperor asked him.
From father"
'Where for that top-coat"
''From father"
"Where for that suit and those shoes"
"From fatherp again answered the boy, with
great humiliation at the laughing about the room
ooh, we'll, my boy it is not right that you should
wear the best clothing that your father has when
he is so much in need of them" And the emperor
that he step to side room and dis
robe and pass out the clothing to their owner and
that he then remain in the until he earned him
self suit by some copying which the emperor would
send him to do at much page. 1t is needless
to say that permanent cure for 1dleness was Ell
fected.
MANY other tales are told of his humor and
ming in dealing with these people about him. He
plans his life to be much with them, the common
middle class of his country; and upon them has
rested the security of his reign and with them he
has had most of the pleasure of his life.
The simp1ifed spelling board has simplifed Cor