The Daily Alaska Empire

PRINCE JOHANN IS DEAD AT 88
Grand Old Man of Rulers of World Passes Away -70 Years Reign

TROPPAU, Czechoslovakia, Feb. 12. The Grand Old Man among the world's rulers, Prince Johann of Liechtenstein, died in his palace yesterday, aged 88 years, after 70 years of rule.

Prince Johann was unique among the sovereigns of the world and during his reign his little country - the principality of Liechtenstein-perched up in the Alps between Austria and Switzerland, was unique among the sovereign States of the world.

It was a place where the ruler instead of the people paid the taxes. the fact being that Prince Johann was so immensely wealthy that he actually paid for the privilege of ruling his people.

There is no public debt and the principality has had no army since 1868. The cost of building new roads and keeping the old ones in repair, of building churches, schools, hospitals and mountain refuges has been borne entirely by the reigning prince.

To Join Switzerland

How the people of Liechtenstein will fare in the future with regard to taxes remains to be seen, for with the death of Prince Johann, the little principality will pass a sovereign State. The people decided some time ago that upon the death of their ruling prince they would inaugurate the necessary steps to have their State become a part of Switzerland, but that they would remain loyal to him and remain under his rule while he lived. Since 1921 the principality has been included in the Swiss customs

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PRINCE JOHANN
IS DEAD AT 88
Grand Old Man of Rulers of World Passes Away
—70 Years Reign
(Continued from Page One)
union and its posts and tele- graphs administered by Switzer- land Prince Johann Marie Franz Placide von und zu Liechtenstein was born October 5, 1840, at Eisgrub, Moravia, His family or- iginated in the 12th century and traced his descent through free barons,.who in 1608 became Princes of Liechtenstein. The family owned large estates in Moravia, and other parts of Aus- tria. Early in the 18th century two Princes owning and ruling what is now the principality be- came involved in debt and sold their land and titles to the Liech- tenstein family. By diploma of January 23, 1719, granted by Em- peror Karl VI the two lordships were constituted as the princi- pality of Liechtenstein. Prince Johann became the ruling Prince in 1858 on the death of his father. Prince Aloyse. Thus, his reign was one of the longest in Europe.
Brilliant Man
From early youth Prince Jo- hann's health had been delicate, but that did not prevent him from growing up to tall and handsome manhood. Nor did it interfere with his mental well- being for he was regarded as one of the most brilliant men in Eur- ope. It is said, however, that the condition of his health was responsible for the fact that he never married and caused him to live the life of a recluse-a monk it might be said, were it not that his cells were great castles. He lived the year round seldom seen by his subjects. His friends never were quite certain where he was because when he decided to change his abode temporarily no- body was warned or informed and. traveling in a coach at night with frequent relays of horses. he went from one frontier to the other of his realm.