The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1908-12-03
UPHILL FIGHT OF
king FERDINAND
Bulgaria's Ruler Owes Much to
the Cleverness Of His
Bourbon Mother.

London.-Th present ruler OF Bul-
Raria Is one Of the many men VINO
owe almost everything to a clever mother.
Princess Clementine, Of Bourbon, daugh-
ter of Louis Philippe, king of France, wa
one of the ablest diplomatists In Europe,
and exceedingly wealthy.
She not only made her son prince OF
Bulgaria, but sustained him on the throne,
when without her help his fall was GER
tain, and she saved him from excommu-
nication by the pope when his heir was
baptized into the Greek church. All the
ability OF the Bourbons seemed to center
In this remarkable woman
King Ferdinand l., who, being a prince
Of the house Of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha,
IL a near kinsman OF King Edward VII,
will be As In February. In person he Is a
handsome, soldierly man, bearded and al
ways well groomed.
T., He is not only an earnest student, with
a special leaning toward botany and orni-
theology, but also a man OF highly Guilt
waited taste. He Is credited with a much
greater preference for the Identification
of rare plants than for the study Of the
enemy's line Of battle.
l. He has made a complete study Of the
difficult language and the history OF his
people, and is a great stickler for the GER
' EN- of his little court. In fact, the
ostentation OF the Bulgarian court, where
more formalities exist than even In Vi
emma or st. Petersburg, caused much an
noyance among all classes in the early
years OF his reign, but it had in the end
the effect that was doubtless intended, for
II impressed the Bulgarians with a sense
of their w national Importance, and did
much to strengthen the movement in ia
vor of independence.
Ferdinand had a pretty uphill fight as a
ruler, for II was only in the tenth year OF
his reign that he was formally recognized
by the powers as the legitimate prince OF
! Bulgaria. His frequent Journeys to the
capitals Of Europe involved such expense,
| and kept him away from Sofa so much,
that for a time his popularity among his
own people suffered.
1t was said openly that Prime Minister
Stambuloff was the ruler, and he a mere
fgurehead, and that his absences from
| Bulgaria were due to a dread of assassi-
nation. Plots against him were frequent,
but they were all unsuccessful, notably
the military conspiracy, Of which Major
Panitza. was the moving spirit.
1t was not until he took the reins from
the hands of Stambuloff, who was des-
tined to become the victim of an assassin
a little later, hat his strength of charac-
ter and his fearlessness were fully recog-
nized. He Is quick at detecting any con-
spiracy against himself.
On his marriage In 1898 with Princess
Marie Louise, of Bourbon-Parma, Prince
Ferdinand, as he hen was, gave an u n
d~ertaking that political consideration
should not keep the children of the mar
riage from being brought up In the Ro-
man Catholic faith. But in Bulgaria, the
car is a nearer neighbor than the pope
Orthodox Bulgaria chafed at the idea OF
= Roman Catholic dynasty, and the cZal
let 1t be known that the conversion oil
little Boris, F~erdinand's eldest son, was
desirable.
Therefore, Boris and his brother, Cyri
after him, were duly converted, to the
great grief Of their mother, who, how
ever, had small influence in a family dom
mated by her motherinlaw, the masterfu
Princess Clementine.
Two little daughters, Princess Eudoxia
Ind Princess Nadeshda, were born Il
Ferdinand later. TIL birth of the SECOND
daughter In 1899 was followed a day latel
by the death of her mother. Only eight
months ago Ferdinand married a Protest
ant princess. Eleonore, of Reuss-Koest
ritz.
Thus the household at Sofia is now mad,
UP OF a Roman Catholic father, ORTHODOX
children and a Protestant stepmother
Assurance has been formally given tina
any issue OF this second marriage will b'
brought up in the fathers faith.