The Detroit times., 1916-11-23
Francis Joseph, Best Of
His Dynasty. AT Rest
After 6S Years Of Sorrow


burgs, has gone to MS rest after 6o years
Of stormy reign in which the deStlnles O..
ten or more races Of peoples were init
mately intertwined
Emperor of Austria and king Of nine
kingdoms, be strove with a kindly out
despotic power 70 create an equilibrium
among his different subjects
Austria, formerly a Teutonic arch
duchy, is now an empire half Teutonic.
half Magyar, with direct leaning 70
ward Asiatic ideals in custom ana gov
ernment. It is the most loosely-knit en-
pire in the world for il seeks 70 analga-
mate into whole the totally opposed
conceptions held by Austrian, Czech
Magyar, Croat, Pole, Swsbian, Jew and
Gypsy.
That this has not been entirely scoo--
phshed, We all know. That i hAs oee-
accomplished at al, is cue - TIE p@-soz-
ality of the ruler who has now oes- -
lieved of his great task ard les g -=s-
Descended thru q lo-g IRE II E1--
burgs from the first zrcE-54s= g A-s%
tria who ruled in 1882. Frz-cls Ioss--
came 10 the throne In lS4s w-s- I o'zF
of Is years Of age and wAs I-zes--&:sasT
confronted by anarchy snd wsr E.-1-
his own domain.
For some years all of ais tine xsS
spent in holding together TIE loose eds
of his empire and restoring order necss-
sary for any sort of rule.
Altho considered a constitutional mon
archy. Austria was then and is TOW, 70
all intents and purposes, an absolute
monarchy and ii was due TO the fact that
the different parts Of the empire soon
grew to love and trust Francis Joseph
that this mosaic Of people" did not break
completely asunder and its component
parts set up their own governments. for
their greater freedom or destruction as
might have been the result.
While remarkably simple, kindly, saw
ing and deeply religious, the young en-
peror was still representative Of his
dynasty, that Of the Hapsburgs, proudest
and perhaps least worthy Of pride Of any
ruling house Of Europe.
He believed that any race was better
under Austrian rule and was deeply
grieved, later in his reign, when northern
Italy threw off the Austrian yoke and set
,,,N a rrerta,.rv,n,,4 g.
He was willing TO give all his heart.
strength and life to his people but had
no conception of democracy and could not
understand why any one should chsfe
under monarchical rule. His mind 1as
essentially autocratic, and woulj have
plunged his country into misery had il
not, in turn. been ruled by heart full Of
tenderest affection.
He was powerful, loving father
whose children must obey but whose
mandates he believes 10 be only for their
good.
Living in Vienna. the most frivoou.
and luxury loving city in the world, he
was most frugal in his simple tastes anC
shared few of its festivities.
The sorrows of his private life are vel
known to every one The sudden death
from suicide or assassination Of his onl,
son; the assassination Of his wife; tn
execution Of his brother. Macmillan, EN-
peror Of Mexico, and finally the assassi
nation of the Archduke Ferdinand an,
his wife in 1914, were tragedies which
might easily have unhinged the mind o
n man in whose blood the taint of mad
ness had long been present.
In spite Of all this, he was able TO Civ
himself, as he was. TO his subjects witt