New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-08-11
FATAL WOMEN.
THE WIFE OF PRINCE FERDINAND.

at the present moment the object OF the most
virulent abuse In connection with the shocking
murder OF his former Premier. Stephan Stambu-
lof the person who is entitled to by far the larg-
est share Of responsibility in the matter seems
hitherto 10 have escaped all notice. II Is the
dimnutive Bourbon Princess whom Ferdinand in
an evil moment for mis- own destinies led to the
altar and made his wife. And vet her very name
the ill-omened one Of Marie Louise let alone her
entire absence OF beauty or grace should hac
proved sufficient to cause him to hesitate before
linking her fate with his For II was the union
OF Marie Louise of Hapsburg TO the great Ma
poleon that marked the beginning OF the decline OF
his fortune. and precisely In the same manner has
the marriage OF Marie Louise of Bourbon consti-
tuted the turning point of Prince Ferdinand's,
until then. astonishngly successful reign.
At the time OF his wedding Ferdinand passed
in Europe and America for Of the most n
lightened. progressive and courageous rulers OF
the Old World. No one cared very much as TO
how far the results which he had achieved
due TO the statesman to whom he owed his eleva-
ton to the throne. All that people
country that in the face of almost insurmounta-
BILE difficulties had achieved its liberty. and that
was free from debt. whereas It's neighbors such
as Servia, Montenegro. Greece and Rumania.
we're all more less bankrupt. Schools more
structed. all kinds OF industries started and hum
dreds of foul-smeng and haf-runed villages
converted into healthy. prosperous and pctur-
esque- looking towns and cities. the most notable
instance being that of Sofia itself. With. the ex-
cepton OF Russia. every country kindly dis
posed toward the thrifty little nation and its
Government. True. treaty obligations 10 the
Car prevented the Powers from officially recog-
nizing Prince Ferdinand the lawful ruler of
Bulgaria.; but that did not prevent them from
accrediting ENJOYS to his Government. while
Queen Victoria, Emperor Francis Joseph, En-
peror William and the King of the Belgians were
all of them most marked in their demonstrations
a. esteem regard and friendship for both Prince
Ferdinand and his Prime Minister. In Bulgaria
Itself too. the Prince in spite OF the disadvan-
tageous comparisons which he presented both
physically and morally to his predecessor. Prince
Alexander of Battenberg was quite popular. The
Bulgars are an economical people. and they fully
realized the advantage of having on their throne
a prince sufficiently rich and generous to be will
ing 10 dispense not only with any civil list from
the National Treasury, but even ready at times
to mortgage his own large private fortune for the
benefit of the State exchequer. such as for in
stance when ii was necessary to raise a loan
abroad in order to complete the railroad connect
ing the now thriving port of Bourgas with the
great trunk line which. traversing Bulgaria, ex-
tends from Vienna to Constantinople.
From the very moment that Prince Ferdinand
committed the mistake Of marrying the short
limbed ng-bodied, and, above all, long-nosed
da lighter Of the ex-Duke of Parma Boui bon. the
tide seemed to turn The Prince, first of all, quar-
relied then dismissed and finally allowed to be
ssassinated, the statesman to whom he owed
everything and with whom until that time he nad
worked In perfect unison and amity Not only
did ne begin drawing TO the last cent from the
treasury the money to which he was entitled by
the constitution in the shape of civil list, but he
even exacted far more than he had any right to
take From year to year his extravaganza has
been growing. and in natural consequence his de-
mands on the exchequer. with the result that the
taxes are to-day more than twice as heavy again
as they were at the time of his marriage He has
sIienated every court and government in Europe
without winning the friendship Of that of Russia,
even Queen Victoria and Emperor Francis Joseph
who were his special patrons. having now turned
against him He has quarrelled with MS suZe-
ran the Sultan. whose partial recognition OF MS
rule and whose support had been one or the nam
sources Of Bugarias strength in the days OF
Stambuloff. that statesman being clever enough
TO perceive that as long as Bulgaria could count
upon the good will of the Sublime Porte she had
nothing to fear from Russia or any other Power
In fact. Prince Ferdinand is to-day without
single friend either at home abroad. the most
fororn creature that 1t is possible to conceive.
All this may be attributed to his wife.
Rest assured she shall not make fool of me-
C"Bien sur ellie Sc moquera pas de mof). were
the significant and somewhat ominous words
which dropped from the lips OF Stambulon In the
course Of conversation with some friends Of mine
III nt,rn
the marriage Of Prince Ferdinand at the Palace
OF Pianore In the Italian province of Lucca. They
bode Ill for the future OF Bulgaria since they indi-
Gated clearly that the Princes consort was des-
tined 10 become the foe OF the Princes Prime Min
ister Stambuloff had gone to the wedding filled
with the most kindly sentiments toward the bride
NJ ,he man whom he considered bound to himself
by ties of the deepest gratitude; the man VINO was
Indebted to him, as stated above. not only for his
crown but also for the preservation OF MS HE
from the numerous attempts made 10 assasslha'e
him II the Princess had possessed any spark OF
proper feeling she would have been just the one
=, ali ,ao,,e IN show her good will and regard for
the statesman TO whom her husoaho owed 81
much Instead Of this. she started from the very
outset 70 slight Stambuloff. and to give him 10 uh-
derstand that thenceforth IL was her ihnu-
epce rather than his that would guioe the ac'io"s
OF the Prince. The Bulgariahs are Soine"""'
democratic and rugged in their speech ana man
ners their frankness verging sometimes on DOWN
right brutality. and Stambulon was chhd OF MS
people. The Princess accordingly oe'er"ii'e' -
teach him good manners. she 'oon "o''0e %
little breach OF etiquette. ana "ha' S"e 'o'O ''0'
resent she ridicued.
A. Co.,, 90 che got TO Sofa she caused her hus-
ha,a ., roan,ze q court on the most elaborate
.oa, .,,s ,o,,orned nv as much etiquette as that
=. ,.sa,,as under lie Grand Monarque In
fac, ,hers ts no, court in Europe not even 'hose
OF Vienna or Madrid where such an amount Oh
formau,v and solemn ceremony is observed as al
tina, ~ Sofa. When stambuloff found 'ha' ne
$500, 49, ,hrashold of the palace 10