Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-20
Autonomy
Assured.

teed the autonomy of the two provinces
along the northern bank of the Danube.
This action was soon followed by mu-
tual agreement between Wallachia and
Moldavia to unite as single state under
single government with foreign
prince. member Of some reigning fam
lily Of Europe. as their king. In 1859
! they both elected Col. Alexander Couza
as their "hospodar," or lord. who as
sumed the throne as Alexander John 1,
Prince Of Roumania.
Couza was failure. He did not please
anybody, and in 1886 was forced to abdi-
cate in a dramatic manner. The Incident
was repeated almost in detail twenty
years after at Sofia, capital OF the neigh
boring kingdom, when Prince Alexander
of Bulgaria was compelled to resign his
throne.
On the night of February %, 1865. a
party of army officers. members Of the
national assembly and leading citizens Of
Roumania entered the palace. forced open
the door of the princes bedroom and de-
manded his abdication. The document
had already been prepared, and when the
prince was handed pen wet with Ink he
signed it promptly. He was allowed to
dress and pack a few necessities for
travelling: was placed In carriage and
driven by relays OF horses to the nearest
railway station, where he was shipped Oft
to Paris, and Roumania saw him no
more.
SIS
A provisional government was organ
lied, national assembly was called and
proceeded to elect the
Ruler Count Of Flanders. younger
brother Of the late King
Cnosen. Leopold of Belgium. as
hospador. The sultan protested and the
Count Of Flanders declined the honor.
Prince Charles Of Hohenzollern. a men,
Der of the royal family OF Prussia, was
chosen in his stead and the choice was
unanimously ratified by a vote OF the
whole people. Again the neighDoring ma.
for Prince Charles. who was then
colonel of dragons in the Prussian army.
and advised him to hurry to Bucharest
in disguise, saying:
IF you fail. you will at any rate have
a pIeasant "Reminiscences for the rest OF
your life.'
peared at Bucharest and was received
with great enthusiasm. He had shppeo
through Austria in disguise
Prince Charles was proclaimed ruler OF
Ro,mania on his twenty-seventh birth
day. His father was the leader o. one
Of the nonreigning brapches of the Ho-
henzollern family of Prussia and co on
sin of Kaiser Wilhelm the Great. His
grandmother was a Bonaparte. He was
educated at Dresden and had served Tor
several years in crack regiment OF
Prussian cavalry. He was q personal
fayorite at the courts Of Vienna. Berlin.
St. Petersburg and Paris He was a
man Of broad ideas. accurate judgment
and keen intelligence.
The first act of the new prince was to
call a convention to revise the constitu-
ticn. which was liberalized and gave the
Roumanian free press, free speech. free
religion, free compulsory education ana
other rights and privileges And ITS pro
visions have been recognized consistently
except in relation to Jews, whose COM
mercial supremacy and success nave
aroused the jealousy Of the less enter
prising and intelligent natives. as in Rus
STA, and has made them the object OF the
! NEST cruel persecution to which that
race has been subjected In recent years.
There have been numerous conspiracies
| and intrigues against the authority OF
Prince Charles. but he has grown in
strength with years. and In 1905 ceebrated
the fortieth anniversary OF his reign
amid universal rejotcings ana unanimous
! expressions of confidence
During his reign he has distinguished
himself as a military commander as well
as a statesman. He supported the Rus
| sian army with great skill and courage
| March 26, 1881. Roumania proclaimed
herself kingdom. with the consent OF
the powers. and the prince was recrown-
ed King Carol !.
The crown that was placed upon his
head was made of iron from the Turkish
cannon which he had personally captured
at the battle of Plevna.
Since that date Roumania has made
constant progress In wealth and civiliza-
ton. and, although the king has remained
childless, the people have cordially ac-
cepted his nephew, Prince Ferdinand, as
/ heir to the throne and the latter has
| strengthened his claims for popularity by
marrying the Princess Marie, daughter
! OF the Duke Of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha,
a granddaughter of Queen Victoria