Omaha daily bee., 1907-04-07

peasant had a grievance 1t was an easy
matter for him TO fire the proprietor's
stack and not another peasant in all the
district would assist in extinguishing the
flames. Now the law permits the pro-
prietor to force all the others in the neigh
borhood to put their hay with his, a record
OF each mans contribution being kept, and
1t behooves all to guard against fire.
The stranger stops within the limit OF
the village only If he has a pass from the
chief town Of the district, and this per-
mission is generally telephoned ahead A.
Otherwise the mayor will see that he keepse
on his way. There would be little 10 sec
except mass OF willow withe houses,
the walls chinked in with mud The people
themselves seem too listess or too in
terested in their own affairs to pay any at
tention to his arrival The first bicycle
and automobile that elsewhere in Europe
had always attracted a gaping peasantry
passed through Roumanian villages without
a man or woman raising the eyes
The villages at the time Of the elections
are the political centers of the community.
Campaigns are made upon somewhat the
same lines as in America, and both the
political parties-liberals and conservatives
curry favor with the peasants. Votes
are generally purchased by promises OF
reforms which are forgotten as soon as
the party is in power. As each village is
made up of kindred, and the mayor the
most influential Of the clan, he generally
throws the votes TO suit himself The
elections are held every five years, which
is generally the life of the party in power,
Statistics show that crime in Roumania
is rare. The death penalty as applied to
crime is not found in the laws Sentences
Of hard labor oblige convlcts to work In
salt mines. The state owns four OF these
great mines and three Of them are operated
by convict labor. In 1900 the whole number
Of oonvicts employed was 1.149. This UNDER
ground work is considered very severe to
people as fond of light and sunshine as
the Roumanians, but the conditions in the
workings have been somewhat alleviated
In recent years by the substitution of cleo
trio lights for pine torches.
The Roumanian is a man Of many griev-
ances against the people with whom he
comes in contact. His bitterest enemy, the
Turk, has been pushed so far back 20 the
Bosporus that he is almost forgotten. His
feud with the Jews is of ong standing. II
was one Of the conditions Of the treaty by
which the independence Of Roumania was
recognized that the rights OF tho Jews
should be protected. But this promise has
prosecuted class in the country. The late
Secretary Hay in 1902 forwarded a circular
note to the powers asking that RQumania
be compelled TO fulhl its pledge Of religious
freedom But the effect Of this was Of short
duration.
He hates the Austrians because they took
away from him the province OF Bukowina.
One OF the sufferers in the present revolt
has been the Austrian resident while along
the border Austrian troops have been called
out TO protect the people against marauding
bands. The Roumanians hate the Hungari-
ans because they retain the power over
such a large number OF their kinfoIk I'm
Transylvania, but they came very near
squaring accounts at the time OF the Hun
garian war for freedom when they Joined
forces against them and massacred
Magyars and destroyed Magyar towns and
villages with the savagery Of Apache In D.,
dianE.
When the provinces Of walachia and Mol q
davia were taken away from the Turks
and the people were asked 20 form gov
eminent OF their own. every one OF tho
boyards. or Roumanian princes, was an
applicant for the position Of ruler But
through Jealousy and the fear OF nepotism
no selection was made. and Charles 1. a
prince OF the nonreigning line OF Hohen-
zollern. was chosen. Although not per-
sonalIy popular, his great work for the
advancement OF the country has been rec
ognized. The heir apparent Prince Ferdi-
nand, Is extremely unpopular, and there
Is a strong agitation In the country 20
change the line Of succession. Charles Is
dangerously m and II is feared that anxiety
over the present disturbance win hasten
his death In this event the situation will
be rendered still more tense
Says a political writer Of RoumAnia;
''rhe real characteristics Of the nation are
attachment 20 the soil, sufhcient content
ment TO live In peace, and silent tsnaeity
Of purpose"