Ulgaria on their return journey,

S Marie of Coburg, and following the death of King
Carol in 1914, he acceded to the throne as Ferdinand I.] From the
point of view of internal politics progress has been less
satisfactory. The various reforms once achieved, the differences of
principle between the political parties degenerated into mere
opportunism, the Opposition opposing, the Government
disposing. The parties, and especially the various groups within the
parties, are generally known by the names of their leaders, these
denominations not implying any definite political principle or
Government programme. It is, moreover, far
from edifying that the personal element
should so frequently distort political discussion. 'The introduction
of modern forms of state organization has not been followed by the
democratization of all social institutions....
The masses of the

people have remained all but completely outside political life. Not
only are we yet far from government
of the people by the people, but our liberties, though deeply
graven on the facade of our constitution, have not permeated everyday
life nor even stirred in the consciousness of the people.'[1]
[Footnote 1: C. Stere,
_Social-democratizm sau Poporanizm_, Jassy.] It is strange that King
Carol, who
had the welfare of the people sincerely at heart, should not have
used his influence to bring about a solution of the rural question;
but this may perhaps be explained by the fact
that, from Cuza's experience, he anticipated opposition from all
political
factions. It would almost seem as if, by a tacit understanding, and
anxious to establish Rumania's international position, King Carol
gave his ministers a free hand in the rural question, reserving for
himself an equally free hand in foreign affairs. This seems borne out
by the fact that, in the four volumes in which an 'eyewitness',
making use of the king's private correspondence and personal notes,
has minutely described the first fifteen years of the reign, the
peasant question
is entirely ignored.[1] [Footnote 1: The 'eyewitness' was Dr.
Schaeffer, formerly tutor to Prince Carol.] Addressing himself, in
1871, to the Rumanian
representative at the Porte, the Austrian ambassador, von
Prokesch-Osten, remarked: 'If Prince Carol manages to pull through
without outside help, and make Rumania governable, it will be the
greatest _tour de force_ I have ever witnessed in my
diplomatic career of more than half a century. It will be nothing
less than a conjuring trick.' King Carol succeeded; and only those
acqua

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