New-York tribune., 1909-12-12

ert OF Orleans. Due de Chartres. who
served on the staff of General Mcclellan
i'm the Civil War. belongs the RESPONSE
bility for the refusal of her husband TO
take possession OF the throne of Bull
garia. 10 which he had been elected after
the abdication OF Alexander OF Batten-
berg. Waldemar had indicated his readi-
ness 20 assume the crown. and the ennis
saries of the Bulgarian government had
actually journeyed all the way from
Sofia 40 Copenhagen in order to notify
him OF his election, when the princess
intervened and caused him TO withdraw
his acceptance I'm a manner so curt and
even contemptuous as TO create an ex-
traordinary amount of i'll feeling in Bull
garia, directed more particularly against
Dictator Stambouloff, who was held re-
sponsible for exposing the nation to the
affront
II was this object that Princess Marie
had in view. Hand in glove with her
brOther-in-law, the late Alexander III OF
Russia she was aware Of his anxiety TO
bring about the overthrow OF Stambou-
lon, who was the avowed enemy of Mus
covite influence in Bulgaria. Had Prince
Waldemar and his clever French wife
taken possession of the throne then ten
dered TO them. there is no knowing 10
what extent the history OF the Southeast
Of Europe would have been modified dur
ing the last twenty years To begin
with. they would have enjoyed support
on the part OF Russia instead Of the re-
lentless hostility with which King Fer
dinand was handicapped throughout all
the earlier part of his reign. And then,
too, there would have been none of that
antagonism between Greece and Bull
garia which has been the source of so
much bitterness strife and disturbance
during the last two decades.
Princess Marie was not merely the
sister-in-law. but also the most trusted
confidante of Alexander III. II NAV be
remembered that he was wont 10 spend
three months OF each year with his
wife s family in Denmark. months which
ne always declared TO be the happiest
OF his life. While there he used TO go
for long trsAnps every day. no matter
what the weather. and in these walks
his invariable and favorite companion.
and ordinarily the only one, was Marie,
with whom he was wont to discuss every
conceivable matter. She was an ex-
tremely gifted, witty and brilliant
woman. not particularly good looking,
but very chic. and the autocrat found
the utmost satisfaction in her society,
regarding her as an invalua bic counsellor
and friend.
IL was during these walks that the
princess is credited with having weaned
Alexander III from the so-called Three
Emperor Alliance, which bound him 10
Germany and Austria. and TO have thus
brought about the alliance between
France and Russia which has proved so
important a factor in International poll
tics during the last two decades or more.
and has now been further strengthened
by the inclusion OF Great Britain and
also OF Italy in the understanding
Certain letters written concerning
Ferdinand of Bulgaria are said TO have
played a role in the matter. They were
addressed by his mother, old Princess
Clementine, then at Sofia, 20 her nephew,
King Leopold. She invoked his influence
on behalf OF her son. and likewise urged
him 10 withdraw his opposition TO Ferdi-
nands use in Bulgaria OF certain funds
belonging TO the House OF Saxe-Coburg,
OF which Leopold is one of the members
With the object OF attaining her end and
removing any hesitation that Leopold
might entertain in connection with the
matter. she inclosed a couple of conf