Widnes Examiner. — 1903-06-19 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

SERVIAN REVOLUTION.  The greatest sensation has been. caused 'throughout Europe by the extraordinary coup etat in Servia at the end of last week. Never -since the Middle Ages, when life was held very •cheap, has there been such a political hobo#caust, or a murderous plot so thoroughly and unreservedly carried ciut. Apart from other 'questions, for a century there has been a •deadly blood feud between the houses -of 40brenovics and Karageorgevics ; and it is obvious that the conspirators decided that the only way to termin ite once and for all the long series of assassinations was to wipe out completely the whole of the former dynasty, and to leave the latter without a rival. This they did with an organisation worthy of a better cause; and now the Karageorgevics stand without any royal rivals. All they have to face in the future are the superior advantages of a Republic and the futile claim of Prince Mirko of Montenegro. However, despite the horrible nature of the stilot and the wholesale murders involved, scarcely a voice has been raised throughout Europe in sympathy for the late King Alexander and Queen Draga, or their satellites who suffered with  them. Indeed, the whole history of King Alexander's reign has been one of misrule and unconstitutional tyranny. Himself a man of little character, he had inherited from his father a waywardness of disposition and an inherent obstinacy which made him, like many another weak man, a source of danger; especially in the hands of a strong and designing woman. In fact, it may justly be said that he and his consort only received what they "played up for." and what everybody realised must take place sooner or later in their turbulent country.  After a series of youthful indiscretions, King Alexander insisted, in the teeth of his people's wishes and the advice of his Ministers, in marrying a widow many years older than himself and not of royal blood. Madame Draga lkilaschin, indeed, was of comparatively lowly extraction, and the marriage, carried out in a hole-and-corner fashion, gave the whole country the gravest offence. As Queen, Draga exemplified the proverb of a beggar on horseback; and, in addition, she disappointed the Servians .by bearing her husband no children. The rumours and fuss at the Servian Court last year will be well remembered, when to allay the public discontent Draga gave out that a royal infant was shortly to be expected. The reaction and disappointment only doubled her -unpopularity; and a crowning touch was put to everything by her declaration that her brother, the unpopular Colonel Nicodem Lunjevics, was to be nominated heir to the Servian -throne. Meanwhile, King Alexander despotically abrogated the Constitution and made himself an absolute monarch, with the result that the whole power passed into the hands -of the hated Draga. It is, therefore, hardly  The only alternatives Pare a Republic, which Is favoured in some quarters after the centuries of misrule, which has shaken Servia to the very foundations. or Prince Mirko of Montenegro, whose following is only a very small one. The coup d'etat took place on the thirtyfifth anniversary of the assassination of Michael Obrenovics. The King and Queen were quietly buried by night in the Obrenovms vault; and the other victims were buried at the same time in the public cemetery at Belgrade. No high officials of the Church were present, and scanty service was read by two priests. Thus ended the most extraordinary tragedy of modern times.  r".l44lllll\o...mitiososssi:' e-. ..,_,........:, ..:.,,\ ::„.•,• !/,, ..___ . 411 _.-/ .., ......„‘ ••:,..ai A;b•-,- „v. , \ 1 ......c,