The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-01-06
HARD-UP MONTENEGRO
Offers 20 Per Cent for Money
and Can't Get 1t.
NATION OF FIGHTING MEN
Which Must Adopt Working
Ways or Perish.

/
for twenty years at twenty per cent an
nualy. Notwithstanding this very tempt
ing rate of interest the emissaries are
meeting with failure. For the banks have
no confidence in the ability and inclina-
ton of the Montenegro government to
meet its liabilities, because the chief bank
ing firms are already hopelessly involved
in the Austro-Hungarian post, and have
made many futile efforts to secure the
reimbursement due from Montenegro.
The newly organized army Of Monte
negro is on its last legs and is rapidly
disntegrating Men and officers are de-
sorting daily because they have been so
long without pay that starvation stares
them in the face.
An attempe was made recently to in
| duce the Count of Mecklenburg to pay
! to the Prince of Montenegro one-half of
! his daughters dowry. But this the Count
| peremptorily refused to do. The Count
of Mecklenburg is the son of the rand
! Duke of Mecklenhurg-Strelitz and his
daughter, Jutta, was married last July to
| Prince Danilo, heir apparent to the throne
of Montenegro.
Prince Nicholas of Montenegro is the
proud father of nine children-three sons
and six daughters. Several of his daugh-
tiers have made excellent matches, and
they are renowned far and wide for their
| beauty. Militia, the eldest, married the
Russian Grand Duke Peter Nicolaievitch;
another Stana, married Duke Geogre OF
Leuchtenberg. Helena, the third daugh-
ter. it will be remembered married Victor
Emmanuel, Prince of Naples and heir to
the throne of Italy. The fourth daugh-
ter. Tina, married Prince Francis Joseph
of Battenberg which brings the Monte
negro house in close connection with the
British court. Princess Amman and her
sister. Princess Helen, are great favorites
with Queen Victoria. The marriage Of
Prince Danilo brought the house Of Pet
rovitch of Montenegro into close connec-
ton with a reigning German house, but
it does seem hard luck that in this time
of need Prince Nicholas can neither col
lect Juttas dowry nor be able to borrow
from any of his powerful connections.
Perhaps the valuable wedding presents
that European monarchs showered upon
Prince Danilo's bride will have to be sac
rfficer to put bread in the mouths of
hungry soldiers.
But this is not the firts time in recent.
years that Montenegro has gone begging
for money among the nations of Europe.
The Montenegrins are good fighters and
know we'll the arts of war, but have not
vet learned the arts of peace; in fact,
they look with contempt upon them. The
trade is in the hands of the Albanians,
Who are industrious and thrifty people.
The Montenegrins themselves hardly take
the trouble to cultivate the little land
they possess. The country itself, even
with a good harvest, never produces sur
ficent grain for the national consumption.
A certain quantity has to be imported
1t is no wonder that a country so lack
ing in resources, with so little cultivated,
so to speak, finds it difficult TO raise loans
Repeated attempts have been made by
the government of Montenegro within
the last few years to raise money in
Europe. and it has attempted to float
number of impracticable schemes, but al
ways without success, although large
rates of interest were offered. How this
interest was to be paid has always been
a question that has staggered European
financiers. And until the Montenegrin
government can explain it viii go beg
ging among the nations of Europe.
Before the Russo-Turkisn war Of 1876
Sin which the Montenegrins gained then
independence, but little ready money was
required The people lived from hand to
mouth. and from time to time supple
mented such resources as they had by
predatory excursions into Turkish terri
tory. But now the Nontenegrin finds that
he requires cash to pay for articles i'm
ported from broad, as well as for the
payment of taxes.
In fact. an economic revolution in
small way has taken place. Expenses
have increased and revenues diminished
Perpetual adaptation to environment"
says HerbertSpencer. lis the law Of life
but the Montenegrins have not yet learn
ed how to adopt themselves to new con-
ditions-to the environment OF peace.
Perhaps Aontenegrins have entirely too
pat-iarchal a form of government and
lean too much upon it, and il may be
and keeping abreast of the times. For
when the government Of Montenegro is
spoken is spoken OF this means the Prince
Truly can ne say with ,ae Grand Mon
argue .L'etat cest moiH' Prince Mich
olas of Montenegro IS a picturesque and
remarkable figure among the potenrates
OF Europe, among whom ne IS the only
autocrat Of a purely patriarchal type He
is a sort of Pooh Bah and Mikado rolled
into one and is practically MS own Pre-
mier and Judge of the Supreme Court,
and is both practically and theoretically
his own Lord Chancellor and Command
e. in Chief
The Prinse, in fact. Is the supreme head
Of the State. There is no representative
system. not even rural communes- There
is no control no law. no budget The
country is divided into so many districts,
which are composed Of certain number
OF b-distriets. governed by projects who
are called captains and who are general
Is intrusted with both civil and military
power The authority exercised by 1hese
captains Is not accurately defined, for
there are no laws regulating the exercise
az their jurisdiction
The adnlsssration OF justice IS peculiar
There arc no laEs. the viii If the Prince
being supreme Minor cases Sre decid-
81 by the captains. There are courts u
first instance in the chief towns OF the
large districts and 4 supreme court AZ the
capital. Cettinte This is az the same
time court % frst instance and a court
OF appeal from whose Judgment, how
ever there il a further appesl TO The
Prince himself as absolute master
The Prince dwelis IN a modest rel
Tied mansion IN the capital -Cetanss IS