Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1916-11-22

tragedies in the Hapsburg family-a
list unparalleled in any other reigning
house in Europe. He dies in the midst
of the worlds greatest war, which he
himself largely brought about by his
determination to avenge the act of as
sassination of his heir, the Archduke
Francis Ferdinand, as the result of an
alleged Serbian conspiracy, while on
a state visit to Bosnia on June IS, 1914.
Francis Joseph was SO years old at
the time of his death. He was born
August is, 1890 He was only 10 years
of age when he assembled the throne of
Austria, upon the abdication of his
uncle, Ferdinand l.. December 2, 1S4S,
making his active reign extend over a
period of IS years, all but the first 20
Of which he was also apostolic king of
Hungary. It is doubtful that II in all
history there has been an active,
authenticated reign that was longer.
Tradition says n Pharoah ruled for 80
years and there is the more credible
instance of Rameses H. Seostris of the
Greeks, whose reign is reputed to have
covered 81 years. But in recorded his
tory there certainly has been no reign
of equal duration to that of Francis
| Joseph Louis XIV, of France, was
| nominally king for 70 years. He ac-
tually occupied the throne for little
more than half a century. closer
rival, and the only one of modern times.
was Queen Victoria who reigned for
Ga years.
ACTIVE TO THE LAST.
Tho apod monarch although he ha Il
suffered serious inroads upon his
health for many years past, was strong
enough to keep a firm grip on affairs of
state almost to the last There were
repeated reports of q serious illness
! from a bronchial affection, and fire.
quently rumors of his death, which
were proven unfounded. when official
announcements were madr from Wen
ma. Some of the reports asserted that
! his mind had become affected through
worry over the great war, but the
truth Of these rumors was not admit
ted.
In November, 1915, on the occasion of
visit of Emperor William of Germany
to Vienna it was rumored that Francis
Joseph was about to make a possible
move for a separate peace, but owing
was no confirmation of such a report.
The ultimatum of July %, 1914.
which Francis Joseph sent to King
Peter of Serbia, denouncing the anti
Austrian propaganda in that country
and demanding prompt punishment OF
the assassins of Archduke Ferdinand,
was supposedly dictated by Francis
Joseph himself and it was this docu
/ 1T A.
now ravaging Europe. Five days later,
after Serbia had complied with all the
demands with the exception of agreeing
to allow Austrian authorities to enter
Serbia to stamp out the alleged anti
! Austrian conspiracies, Francis Joseph
declared war.
MANIFESTO OF 1914.
| In his manifesto OF that date, July
| 2S, he said:
THE intrigues of malevolent
/ opponent compel me in defense of the
honor of my monarchy and for the pro-
lection CT its dignity and the security
of its possessions to grasp the sword
after long years of peace.
The hope that Serbia would keep its
word has not be en- fulfilled; the flame
of it's hatred for myself and my house
has always blazed higher.
I'm thii. solemn hour ! am fully con-
scious of the whole significance of my
resolve and my responsibility before
the Almighty I have examined and
| weighed everything, and with serene
conscience set out on the path that
duty points"
Aside from thes great war Francis
Joseph's reign was one of the most
| eventful in history. From his imperial
vantage point he saw the French mon
archy go down, the Second Empire rise
| and crumbie, the Commune flare brief
ly, and the republic of today rise on it's
ashes; he saw the black pinions of the
Prussian eagle stamped on the flag of
the new German empire--later to tow
er threateningly over Austria itself
he saw the papacy shorn of It's terri
torial demesne. while about blicker-
| ing family of petty prinoipalities was
welded into united Italy; he saw