The Hawaiian gazette., 1916-11-24

that the emperor mad reached
might prove fatal.
II Is doubtful If IN all history there
has been an active, authenticated reign
longer than that closed by the death of
Francis Joseph.
At nineteen years of age he assembled
the throne Of Austria, upon abdication
of his uncle, Ferdinand J., December Q,
1873, his death today ending an active
reign Of 6s years, all but the first
tWsenty which he was also Apostolic
King Of Hungary.
Tradition says that Pharaoh ruled
for 30 years and there is the more cred,
lille instance of Rameses III, Seostris of
the Greeks, whose reign is reputed to
have covered 81 years years.
but An recorded history there certain.
lyh has been no reign equal in period Of
time of that of the Hapsburg which
closed yesterday. Louis XIV of France
was nominally King for ~ years. He
actually occupied the throne for little
more than half q century. A closer
rival, and the only one of modern
times, was Queen Victoria who reigned
for "a yaars.-
Long Eventful Reign
Francis Joseph s reign was as event,
full as itwas long. From his imperial
vantage point he saw the French mon.
.Tchy 20 down, the Second Empire
ise and crumble, the Commune flare
briefly sand the Republic of today rise
on its ashes; he saw the black pinions
OF the prussian eagle stamped on the
flag Of the new German emPire-later
TO tower threateningly over Austria
itself; he saw the papacy shorn of its
territorial demesne, while q little hick-
ering family of petty principalities was
welded into united Italy; he saw Spain,
once the greatest of colonial powers,
lose the last of her dependencies in
two. Oceansi he saw Japan opened to
Western civilization, and later defeat
the sprawling Colossus of two CONT
nentsj he saw the most absolute de-
spotisms--R Russia, Turkey, aud Persia
eoncede representation to the people;
he saw ut q distance the United States
cement it's federation with the blood of
a great inteTneeine war, and he saw
his own brother prove that monarchy
could not take new root on American
soil
,Dtssensions and Aggressions
In his own country he faced internal
discussions and external aggressions
from the moment he came to the throne.
By the wSr OF 1859 with France and
Sardinia he was forced to cede LON,
hardy to italy; by force Of arms and
treaty he lost the Ddehy of Holstein to
Prussia and Venice to Italy; and by
the revolt Of KDssuth, the Hungarian
% hA hae haN h ia
duak empire cht. IN two.
Last and greatest of all the troubles
that have ,beset the life of this weary
old mOnarrh was the murder of his
nephew ,a1d, ,heir, in 1914 and the fol
lowing ,oItburst of war which has en-
quilted his country ever since. The re-
verses which. the Austrians have suf-
fered from time to time at the hands
of the Russians and thu nerNssity 4rr
calling upon hiS northern allies for as
sista nee has told heavily upon the aged
man and king, His pride-the pride
of the Hapsburgs-it is reported, has
suffered acutely under these trials.
But in human interest his personal
sorrows overshadowed all. One after
another they came upon him. In 1883
the list of Hagic incidents began with
an attempt upon his own life. In 1867
his brother, the Archduke Macmillan,
after three years experiment as Emper'
or Of Mexico was captured by the
army Of the patriots and condemned to
death by a court martial whose sen,
tenee was executed Notwithstanding in.
terceSsiOn in his behalr by the govern.
mentR of the United states, England
and Prussia.
Graves Hold Secret
There followed the burning to death
Of a niece in Vienna; sister met sim,
liar fate in Paris; and cousin drowned
himself in Stahrenberg Lake, yet theor
were hut minor tragedies IN cOmuarI
son with that which befeIl the ancienr
mouse of the Hapsburgs in 1899 wnsn
3udolf, the imperial prince upon whor
the Austrians pinned their hopes, met
death in q mystery which to tins day
is not cleared.
Graves hold the secret Of that fate
ful night at hunting lodge in Meyer
ling. There have been a dozen vers
ions of what occurred One "true
story" relates that the Crown Prince
was struck dead by RaltaZzi, a Hun
garian eheVaher who loved the Baron
ess Marie Vetsera and who was fren.