The daily Alaskan., 1914-01-30

cipallty containing q rew square mnes only that seemed ripe for what he in- tended. What the powers dare not ab- sorb by the bayonet he resolved to ab- sorb by undermining with gold.
 The ruler of this principality had descended from one of the oldest royal families in Europe, but he had nothing but hls pedigree, He held a court, 1t Is true. but his courtiers were those who served without salaries and were able occasionally to lend the sovereign money. Tn order to recOup he sold a concession in his priuclpality to two men, who bought 1t with the Intention of opening gambling house on the territory conceded. They built a ca- slno and began operations but the prince wanted all their profits and they became discouraged
 Francois Blanc, learning of this con cesslon and the condition of it's own CTS, bought 1t from them and, closing out his casino at HOmburg, built costly one on the new site, laid out splendid gardens-in short expended several millions with view to making his place attractive. Fortunately for him the time was ripe for such m in- Vestment For many years Baden Baden, in Germany, had been the fashionable gambling center of Flu rope, where every one. from royalty to commoner gave way to the passion of gaming. Baden Baden was now no longer such resort, and Blanc aimed to make his concession what Baden Baden had been.
 In this he succeeded. The gambling mania of Europe was all made to pour gold Into Francois Blanc's. pocket. Kings. and queens. princes and prin- cesses. dukes and duchesses, came and made It fashionable, to be followed by every one who had a franc to spend and a franc to risk. The sovereign had all the money he wanted to spend, and his court, if not numerous, were at least well dressed and were not called upon to lend the prince money. But while be held the empty title of ruler of the prlnclpality Francois Blanc was the real governor.
 The prince died and left bis inherit ance to his son. The new sovereign proved himself really nothing more than a silent junior partner in a gam bling establishment, and there was nothing for him to do but remain as he was, so he renewed the concession for a term of fifty years for S5.0OO,OOO. a sum that Francois Blanc could well afford to pay since he made 1t in single year. He could afford to do more than this. He furnished all the money necessary to run the govern ment, including official salaries.
 One storm arose on the gambler sov- erelgn's path, but he weathered It. The prince's neighbors, not relishing gambling principality so near them, endeavored to induce one of the pow CTS on which 1t bordered to take steps to prohibit It. In addition, the princes subjects became dissatisfied at paying taxes to a prince who had such an enormous revenue. At Blanc's request the sovereign abolished all taxes, and Blanc paid them.
 This was the last bite in the loaf the gambler devoured. The prince, the prlnclpalhy and lastly the subjects passed into his capacious nav, for when a citizen sells his citizenship the buyer becomes its owner.
 Francois Blanc accumulated a for tune equal to some of the largest In America. and. if he was only a prince in a financial way. he married his daughters to princes.
 The prlncipaIity that forms the sub ject of this narrative lies on the north shore of the Mediterranean and is called Monaco It is divided into three parts. one Of which Is Monte Carlo. It is on this portion that all Europe. persons from all parts of the world. assemble to buck the tiger"
 If the present Prince of Monaco de rives an income from a concession to gambler he Is personally far above the gambling business. He Is a scien- tist and has made some valuable con- tributiOns to scientific lore.