The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-01-10

King Charles. although the constitutional
King of Roumania. has in no way lost the
habits and instincts of the HohenZollerns.
his dynasty, which never had any solid
root In Roumania. has recently lost what
little popularity 1t had owing to King
Charles's visit to the King of Italy and
TO Berlin. and by bis latest visit to
Emperor Francis Joseph. The distinguish
Ing character of the Liberal party In Rou-
mania Is that 1t Is pro- Russian, while the
conservatives are nti-Russlan. lt Is on
this point that all Roumanian politics now
hinge, no matter what the curtain thrown
to hide It may be-whether Roumania joins
Russia or the triple alliance-in the conflict
of as approaching. The bulk of opinion of
the country Is in favor of neutrality, but
that, under the circumstances, Is felt to be
impossible. The Roumanians would even
be willing to give each side the
if the area could be defined and limited. but
that could not be done without to q great
extent exposing the plan of campaign, and
so the discussion of the course to be fol-
lowed is narrowed to the partIsans of Rus
STA and the triple alliance. The King Is
now IN Bucharest for the winter, and all
the questions which during his absence
were allowed to lie dormant are now in full
activity. The Roumanians have the same
mlstrust of Austria that Is so s-rong In the
other Balkan states. and the new Ministry
will endesvor to keep matters remaining
In the balance until the last moment, or m
I'll one of the opposing powers cuts the knot
of the difficulty by marching into Rou-
mania"
Regarding the military aspect of the
question now before the Roumanian peo-
pie the correspondent says: Bucharest is
being strongly fortified la Plevna by
works designed by the celebrated Belgian
engineer. General BrialmOnt. These works
could serve equally as well against Russia
or Austria. The construction of the alatZ-
Namosola- Fokshani lines, however, indi-
Gates that Russia would be resisted if she
attempted to trespass beyond the line of
the Seveth, but that the way Is open to
her to march against the Bulgarians to
the south via Dobrudja or against
the Austrians in Transylvania TO the west
of Bessarabia. 1t Is this that has given
rise TO the cry in northern Moldavia that
they are TO be sacrificed. The power of
Roumania for war is represented by an
army of 1000 men all told. The material
is good, but the fault is that the corps of
officers. as a whole. are not equal to their
position either IN training, education or
spirit. The majority are mere sword-rat-
tiers and ouleverd loungers; the number of
officers of capacity. and devoted 10 their
profession and duty. Is extremely small.
The truth of this was conspicuous
during the recent autumn maneuvers.
when. while the men OF the reserve turned
out with praIseworthy alacrlty, the reserve
officers. who should have Joined their corps,
absented themselves to the extent. in some
cases, of 60 and even 40 per cent. This
would appear incredible if 1t were not off,
cially noted. Politics and the loose tone of
public morality are principally responsible
for this. A very competent mill
tary authority, speaking the 9TH
er day, of the new Roumanian forth
fications, said their value depended
very much on how they are held. AS he
discreetly put it, there was q want of
tenacIty among the officers. the majority of
the latter and the men being strongly pro-
Russian. That the government itself is not
entirely confident of the military situation
is evinced by the fact that IL proposes call
ing out the whole army early in the spring
to test the new system of mobilization, and
will demand a credit of 10000, 900 francs for
the purpose. which is considerable sum-"