The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1916-11-24
A LONG REIGN.

- 6S'NS n1'S'S'
Authenticated history records no
reign as long as that concluded by
the death OF Francis Joseph, late en-
peror of Austria. Tradition has it
that Pharaoh ruled for ninety.nine
years. Some of the kings of ancient
history are reported to have reign
ed as long as seventy-seven years,
but in recorded history, Francis Jo'
seph has no equal in length Of serv'
ice. Queen Victoria. who ruled for
sixty-four years, was his closest ri
val. .''
What changes he saw in more than
half a century as emperor! His re-
gime was as eventful as it was long.
Francis Joseph saw the French mon.
archy crumble, second empire rise
and fall and finally, after the days OF
the Commune, he witnessed the foun.
dation of the present republic.
He saw Prussia weld the, Teuton
principalities into an empire whose
power at times threatened the stabil.
ity of his own dual government I'm
der Garibaldi and other patriots he
saw the struggles Of Italy and finally
witnessed the federation of her petty
divisions. into a nation.
In his lifetime Spain lost her pres.
tige as a colonizer and was deprived
of the last OF its possessions in two
seas.
His interests touched American
soil. He saw the futile efforts Of his
Brother, Macmillan, to establish
monarchy on this continent. Francis
Joseph followed at a distance the Civ
II war that preserved the Union.
The aged ruler was Injured to wars
and strife. In the struggle Of 1899
he was forced to cede Lombardy to
Italy. Later he lost Holstein to Prus.
STA, and Venice to Italy. Kossuth all
but succeeded in slicing his dual mon.
archy into two parts.
But his sorrows we're not all polit-
ical; his personal grief overshadow.
ed what he endured for his people.
In 1853, enemies made an attempt
upon his life. A niece burned to
death In Vienna; a sister met like
fate in Paris and cousin drowned
himself in Stahrenberg lake. Rudolf,
his son, met mysterious death,
which history has failed to- explain.
Archduke Johann Salvador, heir to tn.
throne at Rudolf's death, renowned
all title and fed from the country,
never to he heard from again.
Then came the murder of Archduke
Ferdinand in Bosnia and the more re-.
cent tragedy, the assassination of En-
press Elizabeth at Geneva. Although
estranged from her, Francis Joseph
never ceased to love and respect her.
When the news of her death reach.
ed him it was from broken heart
that he said:
"Alas, nothing can be spared me,
nothing"
He was beloved by his people No
weakling could have held in check the
Czechs, the Poles, the Serbs, the Ru.
thanians and .Bulgars.
Enjoyment of pleasant domestic re.
lations was denleu him. Empress
Elizabeth, reputed the most beautiful
woman in Europe, soon became
estranged. In fit OF rage she left
Vienna and returned to her home in
Bavaria. The Austrian capital never
forgave her. She was unpopular with
the masses. who spoke of her as the
absent wife,"
His romantic attachment to Katha
rina Schratt is we'll known. Ar
hours daily gossip with her was one
of the few diversions of Francis 10
seph
He was beloved By his people
His weekly audiences with common
people indicated a democrtic spirit
=. As he began his long reign Of strife
I SO he ended it with the pail Of wal
So AanrxnnGuuanH4 sssxtsszstses,,s ssassar 4