SPLENDID MENDACITY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1733, 6 January 1888, Page 3

SPLENDID MENDACITY

It has long been conoeded that the Yankee journaiutis entitled to the palm as facile princeps m that species of manufacture known as the " spinning of coffers " bnt the following specimen of his powers In that direction caps everything. ' A merloan journalism, according to the K'eine Zeitung, has at laat " crowned th* edifice" by producing a piece of " news " which no European journal oan hope to match for its ventureiome originality. The "Telegram," of Minneapolis, keeps or effects to keep, a special correspondent In Berlin, This gentleman has received a key by which many of the mysteries and dffionlties of European politics may be Interpreted. Three years ago, he says, the Emperor William died. There »re only four or five persons m the wot Id who know that he is dead. Prince Bismarck to one ; the correspondent of the "Triegram" is of course another; the Crown Prlnce(who finds »I1 manner of exnueea for keeping oat of Germany) rs a third. It is necessary for the security of Bumarok's great work to keep the German people m ignorance of the death of the monarch.

The person who now represents the Kaiser on state occasions Is an old schoolmaster named Karl £ommerm»nn, <rho is himself' In very bad heilth. In the event of his death the ever ready Bismarck has two other venerable gentlemen m the backgroaod, either of whom can be brought forward, if the need should arrive, to personate the German Emperor. The Or own Prince consents to this amazing trick, because he has a terror of the great European war whioh be knows must Inevitably break forth aa toon as Russia •ud France b«com.f aware that the Germ»n fiazptror |p daad.