The Sun from New York, New York • Page 48

THE SUN, SUNDAY, JULY 7, 1912. THE LAST AUTOCRAT Intimate Story of the Life and Reign of the Emperor of Russia The Simple Surroundings of His Boyhood at Gatchina Result of Reactionary Tendencies of His Father His Youth Marked by Dissipation and His Education Neglected Important Consequences of Japanese Fanatic's Attack on Future Emperor Marriage of Nicholas 1 1 The following intimate and authoritative study of the life and character of the Czar of Russia was written by a Russian statesman who is a member of the Emperor's entourage. His name is known to THE SUN, but is suppressed for obvious reasons. rinr t. Hmperor Alexandor It.

was Assassinated on March 1, 1881, and Alexandor III. rjccnded tho Russian throne Nicholas, tho present Czar of tho Russian Empire, was a hoy or 12. The Emperor was assassinated a Tow hours befora tlio rime when he was expected to givo hU Hanctlon to a proclamation which win to grant to tho Russian people a semblance of a constitutional form of government. Tho assassination of tho Czar filled the reactionaries with new hope, and through the efforts of Pobycdonodtscff and others tho proclamation which tho new Czar was ready to sign was not Issued. Pobyedonodtseff delivered a Hpeech in tho Council of tho empire, which was a tnastorpieco of oratorical hypocrisy and falsehood, and the words or tho clever, unprincipled and dishonest bureaucrat persuaded the new Emperor, who was not inclined to a constitutional form of government.

Nicholas was at that time a weak boy of too young to understand fully what was going on about him. But the first strong Impressions of his youth were these bloody pages of Russian history. But at that time no one paid much attention to the fate of the boy In the plain sailor suit with the thin neck and pretty eyes which ho had 'inherited from his mother. As for the Czar himself he was apparently dissatiflsed with his rdle at the centre of tho Government. Even St.

Petersburg itself was disagreeable to blm because of the recollections associated with It: he was afraid of IU broad prospects and squares where the annoying revolutionists were so often conspiring agairust tho life of the Czars. The Russian court was removed to Gatohlna. Since the days of Paul Oatohlna has borne the stamp of barracks, All is gray and dull there. The family virtues of Alexander harmonized splendidly with his modest mode of life. The childhood years of Nicholas and of bis brothers passed amid surroundings from which the love Intrigues characteristic of the Russian court were absent.

There the children could get a proper education, but Alexander, who had received only a meagre education himself, who was weakened by aloohollsm I and by his earlier mode of life, did not concern himself with the education of the Crown Prince. Mr. Heath, an Englishman, called In Russia Karl Onlpovlch, was the tutor of Nicholas and his brothers. Aa Idealist, well educated, a splendid artist and a sportsman, Mr. Heath brought with him to the palace his great devotion to tho Czar's family.

Rut neither the forty years he bad spent in Russia nor his meetings and discussions with Russians gave him any real knowledge of the Russian land, toe ttusslan eoplo or nlstory. lliore- foro his influence was llroltod only to the walls of the nurmry In curly childhood tho influence, of the English tulor timiilfested iteolf In the fact that KiirIIi-Ii litiiKiiago altnnht crowded out the Kuvxlau l.uiKUUKe at the Impvriul court. And even many year later, when Nichols hud Ux'tiii'" i'ar, hi KiiHtian speeches, when not prepared for him by some one else, were literal translations of Kagllch phrases. I In his childhood day the first place was given to sports of nil kinds. Nicholas was good at jumping, shooting and fish- I l.

1 1 I 1 I I inn nuiw ui iuq uiiiHircn ui Aiexnnuer III. showed any. inclination for art or music, and the work done by Nlchol and Olga In water colors marked distinctly their want of ony talent. No one made any attempt to explain to Nicholas the importance of hit future role, but he vaguely realized It himself. When the old, handsome English gentleman appeared for tho first time nt the dinner table Nicholas greeted him very coldly.

After dinner, when the English I tutor tried to gain tho confidence of the young Czarovlch and started to play with him, Nicholas assumed a haughty poso which was unbecoming his modest little figure and said: How can I play with youf I am a Grand Duke, while you are only an ordinary old man I The wise old man caught the Grand Duko in his arms, and a minute later the Czarovlch was laughing uproariously, endeavoring to defend himself against the fly which Mr. Heath was representing. George, Alexander's second eon, was more reserved than Nicholas. Mlsha, the youngest of the three, was a strong, red cheeked, lively boy, the favorite of the Emperor. Once, while many people were sitting on the terrace surrounded with flowers.

Mlsha was playing In the sand on thoi iawn. laking up a water sprinkler which lay near by, The Emperor shouted: "Eh, Mlsha, come over here! Mlsha stationed himself near the terrace below and his father sprinkled some water on him. Everybody laughed. They were about to send the boy to his room to have bis clothes changed, when he demanded that his father take his place below the terra oe, Alexander went down nnd statlonod himself below the terraoe, while Mlsha, seizing the sprinkler, poured out all the water upon tho glossy bald head of the Eraporor. Then both father and son had to change their clothes.

All this would have been Idyllic if together with this simple regime at home tho children had received a good education. Hut Nicholas received the education of the average officer of the Guards, with all its limitations and charnotoribtlcs. ilii instructors had been badly chosen, nnd thoHe who could have said something of value to tho future Emperor worn afraid of their general supurvisor, Pobyedonost-soff, nnd of (l.neral Daullovich, a dull, Ignorant roan who had not the slightest conception of what the education of Crown Prlnco should bo. Besides, tho priests, the church ceremonies, parades, manipuvres, uniforms these almost monopolized the attention nf thn young man. Hy a Htrnngo irony of futo tho eduratorx of thn ItUhhian emperors kept Hiukini; to an ever lower I and lower levol.

Alexander I. wan edu cated by Lagarpn nnd McholaK by nn insignificant Nwish theologian. Alexander II. was educated by Xlmkovdiy, nnd Nicholas II. by (ion.

Dauiloi Ich. The young I'obyedniiiihtHoff wax thn iiwtruo-Inr nf III and th hi-iiIIm I'n-liyedouott'ff waH tho teacher of tho present hmporor Thus, slnoe the truth of knowledge was hidden from the future Emperor, is It surprising that the truth of life was withheld In tho Walls of the palace? While you are still a Crown Prince. you had better avail yourself of the opportunity to hear the truth. When you will be Emperor, it will be too latel" Mr. Heath, the English instructor, I -SCS 1 mm HIP1 'If v'lhHiissssssssssslssssssssssssssssssV I rjlitf tl'-l 1 i mmm -Mai I lKjSBC.tfHssssssssssssBf ia ft I L'Bf MHmwSmWMWMh i -II CO i3T CCrvr of ten.

told tola to Nloholaa. Bat Mr. Heath himself did not know this truth. The first Important event In the life of Nicholas was bis trip around the world. The mission of the Crown Prinoe, aside from its educational value, was to maintain Russia's International relations, and to strengthen Russia's relations with the powers In the Far East; also to show the grandeur and glory of Russia.

But at the time Nicholas was starting on his trip around the world the Russian court had already been completely cleared of the enlightened contemporaries of Alexander II and the reins of the government were In the hands of simple people Ilka Cherevin, who divided his time between hta duties In court and wine drinking, or Oen. Rl enter, the estate owner, and ausploioua characters like Hesse. The Grand Duke started on his jour ney accompanied by his comrades of tho lroobrazhonsky and the Hussar regiments. The only man In his suite who pouoHMHl some intelligence was Priuco K. Ukhtomslcy, the chronicler of the Czarevitch's journey.

The general supervisor of the expedition was the old half blind Gun. Prlnco Iiaryatinsky, who was known for his lack of judgment oven in Gatchina. Unit after miother the European and emtio countries passed before the in-1 different eye of thn royal traveller. Tim Crown l'riucn ana his suite saw biauiia of nature they had never seen before. 'I hey crossed seas and oceans.

they rode into thn interior of foreign land on the backs of elephants, on cam- els and in rrr trains Hut all seemed to them as the scenery In the ballot "Tho i I HlOHDltllF RlULlllV." thn Cjnlv HlffAPttnrs I being that Instead of a sleepy kingdom OF RUSSIA CZAR NICHOLAS II. sbF' flfc 7 nhlsfnen.Mt.nn Thotf tviM tittle ntten- this was a drunkan kingdom. Wine waa streaming forth daily to such an extent that the travellers were Intoxicated most of the time. The Grand T)ti1riM XT 1 r. nln.

lrnf III. t. I I The administrators of thn Governments they were visiting noticed the inclinations of the traveller, and the educational value of the journey disappeared completely. Idleness and orgies on the steamer, lod In the end to all sorts of ojspuiee, ana nnauy aiso io mows, uur- Ing one of those tights, started half In earnest, half in jest, Grand Dukn George Alexandrovich fell down a otairway, hurting his chest, thereby hastening the disease of his lungs. He had to be sunt back to Russia from the nearest xTt.

He was IU for several years and died in Abas-Tuman, one of the mountain resorts of Caucasia. Nicholas contlnuod hi. trip. He shot tigers and crocodiles, he Indulged in all forbidden pleasures and at last reached Japan, whose tragi rdle in his lifn ho of course could not foresee at that time. Owlnir partly to tactlessness, nortly to ignorance, thn Russian visitors ut the Having directed his own attention and very outaet Irritated the Japanese common I all his effort to suppressing revolution-people by their beluivior in tho temple, ary activities in tho Russian land and op to front of the images or iiudnna.

Tlinn pressing me people at ine same time, came a fanatiu who avenged one of tho I ho neglected tho education of the suc-idols; Nicholas almost died from the censor to tho Russian throne, Nlohola. blow of thn sword with which thn Jap- knew practically nothing about the in-anese struck him on the head. A Mcond tcrnnl uflTairs of thn country, and when ha blow was warded off by thn Greek Crown 1 Ixhuuio Czar ull who needed it made Prince Oeorce. who stood near by. The Japato was caught and thn entire rompuny hurried off to the steamer to dress the first wound (in by Jatn.

1 Kn Ana milM fnrMI IhA nnnunlMnMu of thia sad incident. But bitterness remained in Nicholas's soul against the country that manifested its hospitality In so peculiar a manner. The wound proved to be more serious than the physicians had thought at first. Although his brain was not affected at the timo, the slight fracture in his skull caused a slow growth of bone. The process continued for a long time, and Nicholas always feels a certain pressure on the loft side of his brain, which must necessarily also affect his psych I func- Inn si In tho course of many years this defect' is led to a substantial change in the Czar', intellect and may still upset hi.

psychic equilibrium. In a country where me personal pouues oi me tmperor play an Important role and where the functionaries know how to avail them selves of each and every weakness of their rulor such a condition of the Emperor could not remain without its consequences to the nation. The incident did not produce a strong Impression at the time. The people remained quits indifferent, remembering what sufferings they had endured during the reign of Alexander remembering that his reign had brought them famine, pauperism and death and always left them helpless at critical momenta. It should be added that the proverbial devotion of the Russian people to the autocrat Is just as much a myth as their devotion to the church.

"God is high up In the skies and the Czar is far away," says the Russian peasant as he humbly lies down under the knout or he give, a bribe to some functionary, Tho intelligent classes In Russia were displeased with the conduct of the Car-evltch, foreseeing a new, Insignificant reign. In the court sphere all klnda of gossip and Impossible stories were told while the royal travellers were returning home, Tho journey brought nothing new Into tho lifn of Nicholas, and upon bis return ho became again absorbed In the life of his rogiment. Only from time to time he attendod his lectures or the meeting, of tho council concerning the construction of tbo Siberian railroad. Tho routine made itself felt everywhere. Alexander was not fond of military ser vice, yet he did not make any attempt to Influence his son in that direction uao of his ignorance When Nicholas was in command of his company of guards the life of the officcri of his regiment wan In no way different from the life of hlah society Ill Kt PiJuraVillpn HmlU ricals, orgies-thta oonaUtuted taalr ohlef occupation.

They paid little atten tion to their duties as officers, and the lesson taught by tho Ruo-Turklsh war led only to a change of uniform for the officers. The custom of appointing Grand Duke to the command of regiments was most Injurious to tho army. Even if they had no intentions of doing it, they demoralized the officers by their wealth, by their habits and by the system of favoritism which they introduced. Among the officers in Nicholas's regi ment were numerous alcoholics; one of the most prominent of these was Grand Cuke Nicholas Nikolayevitch, com mander of the Hussar regiment. The officers at that time often spent tho whole J-1 t-J si day drinking.

Ono night they were so intoxicated that the Grand Duke declared to his comrades that they wero not human beings at all, but were wolves. They undressed and ran out into tho deserted streets of Czarskoyo Selo, crawling on all fours, their heads lifted to the sky aa they kept howling for some time. The Nicholas mado her an official proposal old man in charge of tho wino cellar 'and she accepted him. brought out a Iwge bowl filled with vodka I Tho choice between comparative pov-and champagne, and tho officers, still 1 erty in a small German duchy and splendor crawling on all fours, came over to the at the Russian court was not difficult. bowl, licked the wine with their tongues.

howled and bit one another. Buch scenes soon became known throughout the town, for it was Impossible to conceal things in that tmall place, yet no one was reprimanded. Several times the intoxicated Grand Duke. th commander of tho regiment of the Hurmits, had to be taken down from tho roof of his house, where ho was serenading in the moonlight but partly dressed. It was amid such surroundings as this that the best years of the present Czar of Russia were passed.

HU complexion had already turned yellow from dissipation, yet no one paid any attention to it. Aside from these orgies Nicholas spent a considerable period of his youth with the ballet dancer lvslielnskaya. His relations with tho Polish dancer might have been dangerous to Russia if Kshesinskaya had been patriotic, for she could easily have played the part of a Judith. But the Polish dancer did not inspire the present Czar even with a sense justice to her compatriots. All his policies toward Toland are now dictated by indifference and by a desire to please the European neighbors, rather than by a deire to bo fair to one of the most cultured elements of the empire.

Many of the officers who wero participating in the wild orgies while Nicholas I was with them are now Governors of I important provinces. Modest in his habit bashful in hh conversations with strangers, kind to his children and very simple in his relations with people he knew well. Alexander III. never paid any attention to his health. He even ignored tho advice of the famous Moscow phvslcisn.

Prof. Zacliarin, who Lu" "ope'ess. Ac Acting liis w.rT.v, 'T i down. He was removed to Livadia. in th down.

He was removed to Livadia, in the Crimea, where he died. The prolonged suffering and the death of Uio Emperor called forth a great deal of sympathy among tho people The Russian people had not been accustomed to losing their Emperor, under such patriarchal surroundings. They had grown accustomed to the death of their Czars by violence, In court revolutions, in mystery. Even the activities of the revolutionist, were stopped during the prolonged agony of the Emperor. In the meantime painful scene, were enacted in the palaoe.

Different Influence, were combating one another near the bedside of the dying Emperor. Nor was the religious element lacking. The imperial confessor, Yanishev, despised and feared tho notorious Father John of Cronstadt, and there was a conflict between these two aa to whloh should have the honor of conducting the funeral The court confessor to the dying Emperor softly on religious themes, while Father John tried to make an impression by violent exclamation, while blessing the Emperor. The dispute between the two priest, assumed still greater proportions when the Emperor died, and they even aired their arguments in the press. While these religious discussions were going on the Emperor shortly before his death had several dramatic conversations with his sons.

Rumor, had reached Alexander III. that Nicholas was stubbornjy declining the throne, fearing the thorns In his path. But aa Oeorgo himself was dying at the time and Mlslia was too young and tho Czar did not want Grand Duke Vladimir to succeed him Nichola. wai appealed to, and the present Czar signed before hi father died the manifesto proclaiming hi. ascension to the throne.

On October 20. 1804, Alexander died in his armchair. The thirteen years of his reign will remain associated In the memory qf the Russian people with one of the most reactionary period in Russian history. Hut as that period marked also the growth of imperialism In almost all European countries, nnd ns th- period of roactlon in lluuia hud founiUyiU)Ntlhy among certain classes of tho Russian people that had been Irritated by the Uoa of Alexander it waa difficult to cetimato properly the reactionary activities at the time. Nicholas married when ho wai 2fl yeiri i old, much later than It Is custonjary fo' crown princes to marry.

His wed.lln I took placo under peculiar condition, I A day after the funeral of his father he I led Princess Alice to tho nuptial canopy, Princess Alice was not a stranger at thn Russian court. Several yearn before tint her father had brought her to RusnU. I Her elder sister was tho wife of tho Grand 1 Duke Sergius, the undo of Nioholao. i Notwithstanding her beauty the candi- dato for tho hand of the Czarevitch met with no success. The Dowaeor Emore-i.

mother of Nicholas, did not liko hor colj 1 and reserved character, while Nloholai 1 I. 1 V. I i L. 1 1 was comparing her with the lively ballet dancer ho loved. Maria Feorovna oxprossed her dls-liko for tho Prioess Alice and tho Princes returned to her native Darmstadt.

Alice boro the offence in silence. On the eve of the death of Alexandor however, and shortly afterward the Prinoea. with a small suite and very little baggage came back again to Russian soil, which, however, never became her own land. Princess Alice was received kindly by the people. The traditional festival, which mark the engagement and the weddings of the Czars were dispensed with because the Russian court was in mourning and this modest haste somehow won for Nicholas a great deal of sympathy among the people: they entertained the fond hope that he would be a progressive monarch.

Tho people gave him a stormy and welcomo reception on November 11. Those naive hopes have been characteristic of the Russian people upon the occasion of every new ascension to the throne, but as overy new year bring i only new hopes and a new calendar and the same old cares, Illnesses and mlssri ji so every new Czar takes a new place In the prayers of the priests, permitting the ever greedy functionaries to cause the people tho same old oppression. A plavo among his own subjects. autocrat of Russia is powerless to anything without consulting his advisers, who oxerciso a power which doos not belong to them. Tho new regime of Czar Nicholas was marked at first by a change In th3 court camarilla.

For the most part thn officers who had been the companions of tho (Var row became his advisor nnd his favorites and high officials. By his chclco of advisers the Czar could be judged. Thus during the reign of Alexander II. strong and iibio Germans wero at tho helm of tho Russian Government, and there were also Russians who combined love Intricate with progressive ideas. Jiut the Emperor demanded honesty above all.

Although the reactionaries triumphed after ull during hi reign, there was still a growing wave of liberal reforms Aloxunder 111 selected as his advisors Blmple, uncouth people liko himself, not particularly wealthy nor particularly distinguished in any direction. He was fond of their company, but such insignificant officers aa Cherevin, Rlchter. Vannovsky could not exert any great influence upon the course of event, in Uie empire. The suite and advisers of the new Ozar, Nicholas, were even worae than those of his father. HI.

lack of experience, his desire to pleaae his former friends and comrades, who were Just a inexperienced aa he was, opened the door, of the Russian palaoe for all kinds of suspicious and dishonest people. Among theBo we may mention Von Wall, the dishonest former Prefect of St. Petersburg; Peter Dumovo, known by the nickname of Brazil because he had stolen document, from the desk of the Ambassador of Brazil; Von Klelgels. another ex-Prefect of Bt, Petersburg, who waa also guilty of theft. When the old Gen.

Tchartkov one made a remark to the Ozar about the doubtful character of hi suite the Czar answered dryly that he wanted no one to interfere with hi personal oholoa. The more decent member, of Nicholas', suit left St. Petersburg under various pretexts, and those that remained grouped themselves about the Rusatan throne. Among tho addresses submitted to th new Czar during the first two month, of hi reign was one from the aenutvo, in which they asked him to Introduo reforms in Russian life. On January 17.

1805, when Nicholas waa to receive th deputation, of the nobility, the aamitvoi and the Coaaack be was for soma raaaon convinced that certain ravolutloniata were plotting against his Ufa. Tba deputations were gathered in the large hall of the Anitcbkln Palaoe. European ruler, upon Important occasions read their speeches or The entire world la listening to these speeches uttered by the monarch, and they are discussed by the cleverest statesmen everywhere. Rut In Russia, where the Czar Is supposed to reign by dlvltm right and where God is supposed to guard tho Czar against any it was always regarded a. unbecoming an Emperor to read his speech from a manuscript which CoaHwuN an Feart lUa.