New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-24
Eefoe Stalks in the Suite of the Czarowtches OF Russia
The Welfare of the Muscovite Nation and the
Carrying Into Effect of Scheduled Reforms
Depend Largely Says Ex-Attache, Upon
This Lads Life Question of an Heir
if He Should Die Is Vexatious

ular institution which Nicholas ri has Gre
ated cannot be abolished But there will
be the same reluctance as formerly on the
part of Muscovte officialdom to carry o1t
his ideas. lest such a course should mill.
tate against them with his successor and
thus ruin the careers of it's members
The question naturally arises who will
be the real heir To the throne In the
event of the little Czarowitch succumbing
to his malady. The Emperors only sur
viving brother, Grand Duke Michael, has.
like Czarowitch Constantine Pauloyitch.
contracted a mcsaIliancc Of 50 objection-
able a character as to have alienated him
to a great extent not only from his
brother, the Gar, but even from his
mother, whose favorite he formerly was.
1t is added that he entcrtains the most
insuperabe objection to ever assuming
the heavy burden OF the responsibility OF
sovereignty, and that he is not only will
ing but anxious TO waive his rights 70
the throne.
After him next in line comes his first
cousin. Grand Duke Cyril Vladimirovitch,
who was serving on board Admiral Max
harofrs flagship, the Petropavlovsk when
it was sunk by a japanese mine off the
entrance to Port Arthur at the outset OF
the Russo-Japanese War. OF the crew
and officers, numbering over seven hun
dred men, he was one Of the two dozen
who escaped. Whether he will be allowed
to take possession Of the throne Is an
other question. For, in the first place, the
late Emperor Alexander III endeavored
TO eliminate the Vladimirs and their sons
from the succession to the crown, owing
to the refusal until a couple Of years or
so ago of the widowed Grand Duchess
Vladimir to become a convert from Luth-
eranism to the national Church Of Russia.
There is another objection, and this ono
raised by the present Car and by the
clergy Divorce is frowned upon by the
Russian Church almost as severely as by
the Roman Catholic Church.
DEFYING CHURCH AND THRONE.
Now. the Grand Duke Cyril married in
defiance Of the Emperors orders
princess who was not only the divorced
wife of the reigninS Grand Duke OF
Hesse, but also a first cousin Of her pres
ent husband: that is TO say, within those
degrees of consanguinity that are sternly
forbidden by the Greek rite. The En-
peror of Russia is not only the temporal
ruler OF his people, but likewise the su-
preme pontiff of their national Church.
He possesses, through conservation at the
time of his coronation, ecclesiastical and
even sacerdotal attributes. The fact that
Grand Duke Cyril should have violated
the laws Of the Church by marrying q
first cousin and a divorce is held by
many in Russia and abroad 70 dsqualily
him from the spiritual sovereignty Of the
Church Of Russia, which is bound up IN
an altogether indissoluble fashion with
the temporal monarchy. lie has no sons
and his two younger brothers, Boris and
Andrew, are i'm the worst possible graces
Of the Car by reason of their private
life and numerous escapades, his displeas-
ure causing them to reside almost wholly
abroad In fact, by many young Grand
Duke Demetrius Paulovitch. the son OF
Grand Duke Paul by his marriage with
the late Princess Alexandra OF Greece, IS
looked upon as destined. in the event Of
the failure of male issue Of the Car, to
be his successor on the throne Of Peter the
Great. EX-ATTACHE.