The Calumet news., 1912-08-10


searching for prince who would deigu
Ia accept the Bulgarian crown. The
offer was not very tempting. The fate
that befell the unhappy Alexander of
Battenberg, the first prince of Bul-
garia. made ii hard To- find his Success
sor
Throne Not Very Tempting.
After several princes had been ap-
prokched without success. Stamboulof
and Stoilon thought of the Coburgs,
who had already furnished several
kings. So Stoilon journeyed to Eben-
thai, near Vienna, and appealed TO the
Youngest, cleverest and most attrar-
tive Of the Coburgs. Prince Ferdinand.
His mother, Princess Clementin, was "a
daughter of Louis Philippe. Ferdinand
was nephew of the king of the Bel
Gians and related To the queens OF
England and Portugal.
Prince Ferdinand was then twenty
six. He was well aware of the dan
gers his acceptance would involve. But
he saw in young Bulgaria an enor-
NOUS force, which. If he could direct
and control il. might work miracles
lie had faith in the people and. faith
IN himself. lie accepted. andklsE ~ ?
| gust IL, 1887. he assumed the rArisAssi
government
An Uphi Struggle.
The young Prince had an uphill
! fight. The confirmation of his Sc
lection by the Powers and of his cleo
ton by the Bulgarian national assem-
hly was only secured from the Porte
after the most humiliatirg restrictions
had been placed upon him. Ii was the
understanding that he was to remain
permanently in the Principality and
that the state of his country-~eligion
education, finance, defense, Industry
ana commerce-must be periodically
scrutnized by the Ministry at the
| Yildiz Kiosk
| Nominaliy a vassal OF Turkey IN
reality Bulgaria was dominated by
Russia while Australia and the other
Powers watched with jealous eye and
stood ready to stir up trouble At any
moment. The foreign relations of the
struggling Principality were bad
enough, but the condition of affairs
at home was even worse Rival fac
tions disputed the government, the
army was torn with dissenslons. and
nothing but the iron rule of STAN
bouloff prevented ;he countrys ruin
New Prosperous State.
Such was Bulgaria in 1887. when
Ferdinand arrived. And what marvel
Gus changes twenty five years uhdc-
his reulership have brought about At
the start. unrecogniZed by any of thc
Powers of Europe treated as a usur-
per laughed at and hated he achieved
| the recognition of all the Powers and
with 1t their respect. To-day Ferdinand
is recognized everywhere. received with
| royal honors In all the capitals cf
J Europe; his realm has become the
most powerful of the Balkan States;
IL has proudly broken the last ties
| that bound IL To Turkey: IL has civil
| lied. modernized and improved it's sys-
tenn OF government the country Is COW
cred with roads and railway $; it has a
thrifty, industrious population and
| brilliant capital; everywhere are To be-
seen magnificent military buildings. for
the backbone of Bulgaria is her army.
which is the best disciplined in the Ba,-
kans.
Have Four Children
| Ozar Ferdinand, as he has been
known since Bulgaria achieved her
complete independence five years ago,
Is i'm person a handsome. soldierly man.
bearded and always well groomed. ic
is not only an earnest student, with q
special leaning toward botany and
ornithology. but also a man of highly
cultivated taste. He has made a COM
plete study of the difficult language
and the history OF his people and is
great stickler for the ceremonies of his
court.
Five Years after he accepted the Bul-
garian crown Ferdinand married Marie
Louise Of the Bourbon family of Par
ma. a woman Of noble character. who
died six years later endeared In the
hearts Of the people, leaving four chill
dren. two princes and two princesses,
the first royal children born on Bull
garian soil i'm 900 years. Prince Louis
the heir to the throne, Is In his nine
teenth year. He has received an excel
lent education and is said to possess
Imany OF the strong qualities that have