The Washington herald., 1907-08-11


ward him. His efforts eliminated ifabIs
humbling himself IN the most abieet man
Der to the present Gar. IN his concession
OF number Of extravagant demands On
the part OF the st. Petersburg govern
ment. and last. but not least, In his con-
version OF his little two-year-Old son and
heir' the Crown Prince Boris, from the
Roman Catholic Church, in which he had
been christened, TO the Orthodox Greek
rite, Of which the Gar is the consecrated
chief. Only after he had gone 10 these
lengths did the Russian government grant.
in 1886, its consent 20 the election of Fer
dinand 10 the Bulgarian throne. which
enabled the other signatory powers Of the
treaty OF Berlin TO recognize him and
the Sultan TO confirm him in his honors.
Ferdinands transfer Of the little Crown
Prince from the Roman Catholic to the
Orthodox Greek Church, excited the deep
est resentment among the Roman Catho-
lies throughout the world. He was
charged by them with having sacrificed
the salvation Of his child for selfish poIit-
cal purposes, and 20 his valnglorious
eagerness of being received az foreign
courts with the honors due 10 reigning
prince. Leo XIII communicated him,
MS wife, a most devOut Catholic left
him, and the Emperor OF Austria, who
had befriended him from his earliest
youth, and in all his troubles, closed his
doors against him, although prompted by
political considerations 10 refrain from
placing any obstacle in the way OF his
recognition. The late Pope eventually
persuaded Princess Ferdinand 10 return
10 her husband for the sake of her other
and in consideration thereof di-
the Tigors Of accommodation
against her husband. though he remains
barred from the s2craments. She did not,
long survive, and died couple
OF years afteTwaTd. thoroughly heart
broken; wheTeupon a lawsuit ensued be-
tween her father. Prince Robert Of Bour-
bon, e1-Duke OF Parma, and hsr husband.
with reference TO the income which had
been assured 10 her at the time of her
marriage, and which the Duke declined
to pay any longer, on the ground shat
Ferdinand had been guilty Of a gross
breach Of faith, invalidating the marriage
It seems that when Ferdinand
led the Princess Marie Louise Of Bourbon
Parma 10 the altar he had pledged HIM
self. both in writing and IN the most sol
emn manner verbally, that his children
should be brought up in the Roman Cath
olic faith, TO which both he and his wife
belonged. and under the circumstances
the Duke Of Parma did not hesitate TO
publicly denounce his son-in-law as a man
devoid Of honor IN causing the conversion
Of the little crown prince to the Orthodox
Greek rite.
Time sOftens many resentments. and
when Prince Ferdinand lost his mother.
The old Princess Clementine, Of Saxe-Co-
burg last winter. and visited the Aus
-rian capital in order TO attend her fu-
neral, Francis Joseph. who had been very
'ond OF her, and whose admiration had
been excited by the unfaiIing courage with
which she had devoted the last twenty
years Of her life TO the cause Of her
and favorite son. and OF his Bull
serian enterprise, reiented, and received
he prince at the HOfburg. SO that to
lay the gates OF every court are open q.
The ruler OF Bulgaria save those OF the
Vatican.
It IS not my purpose, however, TO emu
nerate here all the shortcomings Of Fer
iinand, or to expatiate upon his faults.
dinand; what ! wish 10 show is. how he
has managed 10 establish himself firmly
on the throne Of Bulgaria, and 10 win his
the throne of Bulgaria, and TO win his
spurs as a ruler OF extraordinary re-
and Of statecraft Of the
most astutc, although perhaps not high
principled order. Before everything else
be is an OppOTtuniSt, and, II he has been
willing TO sacrifice religion, family af-
lection, and even personal and official
honor TO considerations Of policy, it must
be confessed that Bulgaria has prospered
under his government. It's
trade and its industry have been de-
veloped in an altogether phenomenal man
ner, exports and imports having more
than doubled since the beginning of the
present century. that Is to say, in the
short space of seven years. It's national
credit abroad is exceedingly good. since
L s able to borrow money to-day in the
foreign money markets at the rate OF
per cent, whereas during the first decade
Of the Princes reign his government was
unable 10 obtain any loans unless he con-
sented TO become personally responsible
for them, and TO pledge his private for
tune. The population Of the country IS
increasing by leaps and bounds. Moslems,
Roman Catholics, Jews, and the various
rival sects of the Eastern Christian
ehurches living in perfect amity under
his rule. As all minerals belong by law
10 the state, and the country abounds
NF h.
which is proceeding rapidly. though as
yet a mere beginning has been made. the
outlook is extremely promising.
AEa the principality. with its huge wheat.
cotton. and tobacco fields. its great stone
luarries, its mills of every description.
is manufactures. and its busy and thriv-
ng seap0rts Of Varna and Bourgas. and.
above all, its industrious, thrifty, and con-
ented population, presents a striking con-
-rast 10 all the other states in the East
and Southeast Of Europe.
OF the military Importance Of Bulgaria
have already made mention above.
Prince Ferdinand is able to put into the
1eld an army of more than $4,000 men,
'plsndidly armed and equipped, extremely
well trained. and constituting as such, in
he eyes of foreign statesmen and mill
airy experts, a very weighty factor in
he so-called Eastern question. Ferdi-
land's subjects have repeatedly urged
him TO make use of this army to invade
and to free their co-religion-
SITS and their kinsfolk across the Otto
nan border from Turkish thraldom The
temptation 10 yield 10 the public senti-
nent Of Bulgaria in the matter has been
7ery great for he realized full well that
ais subjects, while they fear him, and
7alue him for his ability as a ruler. do
lot entertain the slightest affection for
lin, and that. by taking up the sword
n behalf of Macedonia, he would trans
orm this personal aversion Of his people
nto enthusiastic loyalty and regard Not
rffhSfan ndinc This In rr.iAn - IL.