New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-11-23
Francis Joseph

Il is sixty-eight years since the Coun-
tess Karolyi, whose son had fallen victim
Of the executions following the Hungarian
revolt. thus cursed the young Emperor
Francis Joseph:
MAY heaven and hell blast his happi-
ness! May his family be exterminated
Nav he be smitten in the persons Of those
he loves May his life be wrecked! May
his children be brought 70 ruin"
Rarely in human history has curse
reen more completely fulfilled. Francis
Joseph's brother Macmillan, died before
a firing squad in Mexico His sister-in-
law lost her reason. His only son persisted
in the shameful tragedy of Meyerling. His
wife was murdered at Geneva. AS for his
other relatives, the tragedies and the fol-
lies of the archdukes have long been a
European byword, and the assassination OF
the Archduke Francis Ferdinand heir TO
the Austro- Hungarian throne, two years
ago was but the last in the long series Of
misfortunes that have followed Francis
Joseph.
Louis XIV in his own lifetime covered
the span between the Thirty Years War
and the emergence Of a modern Europe
living under the system Of the balance OF
power. Francis Joseph, when he came TO
Schoenbrunn, found about him the memo
ries Of a Napoeonic occupation not yet re-
mote: he has lived to the hour when a
new Napoeonic struggle has convulsed the
world
Francis Joseph was the last remaining
figure Of the Nineteenth Century. When
he was young Metternich ruled in Vienna
and strove to root up the ideas and the
memories Of the French Revolution. The
great men Of the fight against Napoleon
were on earth. When he came TO power
the Revolution Of 1S4S was still going for
ward and men were striving to preserve
and revive the liberties and ideals Of the
earlier and greater revolution.
He was still young when Cavour unified
Italy, when Bismarck created modern Ger
many. William I, Victoria, Louis Ma
poleon, Victor Emmanuel, these were his
contemporaries. and they have all become
pale shades. The world that he knew has
vanished also. Republican institutions
have returned to France, and the ideas that
were hateful to all those he knew in youth
continue to march.
And in the threescore and eight years
that he has reigned Francis Joseph has
seen all Of Europe, save only his own
realm, made over. The war with Ma
poleon III drove him out Of Italy as far
as Venetia the war with Germany ex-
PEELED him from Germany and from Vene-
tia. From that moment onward Austria
declined visibly; she was no longer one of
the dominating voices in the European
councils; she became more and more the
vassal Of that Prussia whose rise she had
opposed so long in the Eighteenth Century.
For full generation Europe has had a
phrase TO describe the future, TO express
the conviction Of the time when the inevi-
table European catastrophe was TO come.
when Francis Joseph dies" men have
said wisely and sadly for many, many
years. But now Francis Joseph's life goes
y
Continent for more than two years and
while the future remains still obscure and
the fate Of his ancient empire in doubt.
Francis Joseph was not great Emperor
like Napoleon nor yet great King like
Louis XIV. He had no wide outlook upon
world affairs. He was a typical product
Of the Hapsburg family, whose reactionary
ideas he shared and served. When he was
young the theories of Metternich ruled
and he accepted them. He fought to pre-
vent the unity Of Italy and the rise of
modern Germany. He sought TO enslave
The Balkans as his predecessors endeav-
ored TO enslaye Italy.
Yet Francis Joseph resembled Louis
NV In his fidelity TO the task that had
come TO him unsought. Farewell to my
youth" he is said to have exclaimed when
ne was suddenly summoned 10 mount the
Hapsburg throne as the last hope Of an an.
cient race fallen upon evil days. No man
ever worked harder, no man ever devoted
himself more unsparingly TO the business
Of ruling. He did not create he did not
transform, but he did preserve, he did ul-
tmately by dint Of his devotion to what
he conceived to be the welfare of his people
build up a tradition and construct legend
The time came when the Emperor him
self was the real unifying element in the
Cisintegrating structure Of his empire.
The Hungarians forgaye him and re-
spccted him. lie found affection even
among the Slavs. whose unhappy lot he
did not much mitigate. whose racial am
billions he opposed az all times. When he
took the throne the executioner was busy
E ever all Austria and in his name. yet as
the years passed he came to be loved, rev.
erenced, honored by his people AS the sole
barrier against revolution and anarchy,