The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-01

In addition to his other evidences OF
incapacity, Ferdinand has succeeded in
making his country bankrupt. If her
present deplorable financial condition
is not directly the result of his misrnar1-
-agemenr it may at least be charged
against him upon the theory that the
wise ruler is he who will permit MOTH
ing to occur the authorship of which he
would not gladly assume. For several
years even the Turks have been unable
to collect in full from Bulgaria. and
when the Turkish government is unable
to collect 1t is pretty safe to assume
that there is nothing to collect. Since
1900 not one cent of the eastern Roume-
liam tribute, payable by the Bulgarian
treasury to the council of administra-
ton of the Ottoman public debt at Con-
stantinople and pledged to foreign
bondholders, has been paid, and it is
only through the financial assistance of
Russia that the Bulgarian treasury has
been able to pay the interest on the
debt contracted in France Russia
finds her advantage in lending money
to Bulgaria by exacting and per
cent interest and obtaining it in Ger
many and Holland at per cent, being
very careful to secure handsome coll
lateral in the shape of hypothecation of
customs revenues and in the obtaining
of monopoiies of one kind and another
all of which strengthen the Muscovite
hold on the unfortunate country. But
this sort of thing cannot go on forever
Even Ferdinand recognizes that fact.
and it is doubtless one of the MANY
causes which have impelled him to
welcome war as temporary diversion
In his personal relations Ferdinand
is said to be usually a genial fellow,
although when angry he is apt to adapt
his rage to the influence of the person
who has offended, even here showing
that he never has the courage of his
convictions He is generous so far as
actual giving is concerned even though
he does not always stop to consider
where the money is to come from when
the day for settlement shall roll around.
He is a fine looking man and socially is
very agreeable, alike to men and wo-
men. He has never disgraced himself
by mingling openly with that class OF
women who are to be found about ev-
cry court, women who are supported by
the bounty of distant relatives and are
not overparticular in the selection OF
their intimates. Ferdinand is not ex-
travagant in his tastes and spends
barely enough money to maintain his
dignity as the ruler of a state. He is
not much of q sportsman, although he
occasionally INDUCES IN nuI1IlnS III the
mountains. Some years ago he. was
very fond of walking, but since he has
been prince of Bulgaria he prefers to
ride; walking is so much work. He is
credulous to a degree and, like all su-
percredulous persons, is extremely sus-
picious. That explains why he has SO
few men who may be relied upon to
support his cause to the death.
Ferdinand's career prior to his adj
vent in Bulgaria is not in any way not
able. He was born in February, 1861,
his parents being the Duke and OUCH
ess of Saxe-Coburg. He was elected
ruler of Bulgaria in July, 1887, upon the
recommendation of a committee of
three appointed to scour Europe in
search of an available successor to Al
/ exander, who had abdicated. Six years
later Ferdinand married Princess Marie
Louise of Bourbon, daughter of the
Duke of Parma. She died in 1899, leav-
ing four children. Prince Boris, the
heir apparent is not yet ten years OF
age; Prince Cyril is eight. and the
Princesses Eudoxie and Nadjeda a.
respectively, five and four years old.
| ARTHUR CRISPIN.