Evening star., 1899-02-11

car OF Russia. They We're sufficient This
is how revolutions made at the present
Gay IN Europe. First the rurnor came from
SOFIA that the Bulgarian house of deputies
would offer Ferdinand the throne. All Eu-
rope smiled fncredulously. Then Prince
Ferdinand took the Orient Express. At the
Bulgarian frontier he was met by a group
of officers. He handed to them. already
written out, his resignation from the Aus
trian service. With Maj. Dobler, his aid
de-camp and go-between, he entered Sofia.
The deputies were ready for him. Kind
ly be our prince" they said. And before
the world could realize it the young lieu
tenant was firmly seated on the throne pre-
pared for him
Is 1t possible that within a month this
comedy-not tragedy-in European politics
may be repeated? On every hand in Paris
l hear rumors of it. Prince Louis Napoleon
was not so long ago a simple lieutenant in
the Imperial Guards at St. Petersburg Five
weeks ago he was made general of brigade
over the head of fifty-eight colonels who
were his seniors.
When his promotion came to him he was
not even with his regiment or on Russian
soil. He had already set up his headquar-
ters in Brussels, six hours from Paris.
All is Ready.
The parallel of the deputation of army
officers is not lacking. For weeks a cur
iously artful pilgrimage of the French mil
itary hierarchy has been silently going on
to the Belgian capital Prince Napoleon
has the family name. He has the friend
ship of the car. He has an army waiting
for him. He lacks only one condition of
Prince Ferdinand. Has he the money? Ii
Is said that he has now the money. The
sum is mentioned-S600 600 000-ready to be
paid out to his order in London. His elder
brother. Victor, has renounced formally his
right in favor of the fortunate young gen.
eral of brigade. The thing is arranged.
All this amazes us in Paris. The outside
world. II seems, is prepared for a French
revolution. Berlin, New York and London
have the thing served up TO them in edi-
torials week after week Foreigners in
Paris have been reading them with ncre-
dulity. Letters come from anxious friends
leave Paris" they write; lit is danger
ous." We accept the warning slowly.
Paris is dull and deserted. The happy are
by the bright Mediterranean shore. Tour
lists are afraid to come to the capital. The
floods of the river have done great damage
to the works of the exposition. Every one
is disguised, yet with all a feeling of un-
easiness is growing day by day. Fantastic
runfors pass as they had not passed before.
There is going to be religious war"
This means anti-Semitisrn. There is 10 be
a European combination against England
and America" This is another version of
the German understanding" Prince
that serious people let themselves discuss.
Quick Firers the Cure.
1t lacks the romance of other days. 1t is
no longer possible to ask. How will the
French pair off in the confiict?'' Where
will the fighting start first?' ''Hew will the
followers of Bonaparte get arms?" All
that is done and over. Quick-firing guns
have done away with old-time revolutions.
Today no one has arms-efficient arms-ex-
cept the army. The word "quick-ffring
guns explains it all. The only revolution
possible is in the proper. decent, comely
fashion of Bulgaria The young prince
meets deputation of officers. He hands in
his resignation from the Imperial Guard.
Another deputation says, "P.ease be our
this way or II Will not come at all, and
there are considerations to show why the
French may accept a coup d'erat with un-
anticipated eouanimity.
The military party, strong all over Eu-
rope, Is extremely strong in France, be-
cause Il has behind 1t the so-called
Jesuits." by whom are meant the clericals
clerical. and only lately rallied" as they
say. to the republic at the pope's COM
mand. The French people remain today in
feeling the most aristocratic people imag-
inabfe. They do not desire to govern but
to be governed The Vicomte A. de Royer
has just SHOWN that of the $1,000 noble fam
lilies In the land 25.000 are "notoriously
false, and "set up within the last forty
years.. The army and the clericals go
marching hand in hand. The clerica,s have
been suffering for years. The military
party mas been outraged for the first time
in Its history. "It is indescribable" an
Austrian odicer In Paris said to me the