KAISER AND HIS PEOPLE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 422, 3 February 1909, Page 4

KAISER AND HIS PEOPLE.

THE BOER WAR. Poultnoy Bigelow,' author of ; ''History of the German Struggle for Liberty," writes in " The Independent" ;—• .!..'" Why not abdicate? comes clamorously to the Kaiser through many channels which-pre-sume to speak for his'people.'. :-.-.:■■"".: ";.-."Monarchy,". answers. tWKaiser, " is a divine institution,— a sacred trust — a .Hohonzollern burden of which I can no more divest myself than of my duty, to wife."'chil'dren, parents or'God'/",-"'•'.■'; ' . | The Kaiser knows his ; German history— ho; knows,that his illustrious grandfather, tho founder of the German empire,' the man Who three times during his lifotiine marchedwith a victorious German'army into Paris, was himself once so' cordially: hated by his own Prussians ithat he had to ny from Berlin and conceal himself in England. '"•,'• i '■, His older brothor, who then sat on the' | throne xrf' Prussia (Frederiolc- William. IV), had to- bare Jiis.hoadto the Berlin mob and wear tho cookado of the -48 revolution—yet' 'his memory is to-day an asset of Prussian monarchy. Ho it was who,-on the eve of that great upheaval, swore 'solemnly-that ho constitutional limitations- should -ever come between him and his people.' ► That man's father (the husband of Queen Imise), carried his personal views of government so far in-1813 that his qutfaged-people •organised a popular militia -and marched I against Napoleon not only without royal as- [ sistanca but in open defiance of-royal wishes: and more.than one of his best generals incurred his displeasure for having helped to .save, their country it. this moment -when; sunk so low that'it seemed to ; .haye'only tho.alternative of being the vassal -either of Russia or Napoleon. ' ~- Throughout;, the-., whole' of "the "nineteenth, century Prussia. off ers the curious .objectlesson -of moiiarbhy whose kings'have,'without exception, iboastod-of divine .inspiration,' ana vet who -have- yielded-at some time \to popular clamour;'and : who have died respected, if not beloved, by their subjects. • ;/The Emperor Frederick, 'who rulec} but for 100 melancholy days (in 1880), appears to, bean exception,' for he inaugurated • his ac-' cession by frankly avowing : his ■ sympathy With/constitutional: liberty. -But'many 'a prmce..:has- commenced in ;: ,this - generous fashion and altered his views under politicalpressure. The theory of the divine .right of tangs has been abundantly maintained,-by Hohenzollerns, but also'abundantly, violated for exceptional reasons—we might refer to* the deposition of the-King of Hanover-in : 1866 by his cousin of Prussia—one divinity disputing the.-divinity : of 'another. ; . , r --'./ > . The Prussian monarchy.is but a'thing of. yesterday—scarce-more than two.centuries—:' less in/years than tho organised civil govern- 1 ; merits of many of our States':' ; .:■ ':■'-:■ ;-, Who 7 gave-the.'first Prussian; King, his utls? ■ •-.

'._.Ho' .'placed the.'crown, himself'upon, his head and gave thanks to God—and to his .trusty-sword.' •' ■•' ;".:■■',.-<;/';- : ". ■'.">,■.•'. ; . ■■■■':..: J.' Prom that day to' this Prussian history' has' been a- curious picture of a kingdom Von by the. sword, governed by thosvvord,'yeton thq whblo: setting ah ■ example in most of the .virtues which.: commend themselves 'to thrifty • and '.law-abiding Germans,'" \ : ' ''':■■ '>•■ ' Prussia; was, one- of. the first Continental States to abolish personal favouritism in pro- ■ mbting'officials in tho public service or in tho' army, In days when' most courts were.hotbeds of perso'iwl intrigue; -Prussian judges administered tho law fairly betw'coh/ricLand poor,and men who entered ■■■• upon,'.;■»'• public' career. gave: tho best of their talents : in the confidence that their. positions were secure during good behaviour. ;■■','::■"'■• \ Whence now this strange hold 1 of the Prussian kings upon' thoir. people ?",.■ Why did not revolution lupset' Prussia radically '.as it-did so many 'neighbouring States, commencing with.the-fall of the Bastille-in 1789? .Louis Phillippe never returned' to France' after his flight in 1848, nor did .Ludwig I of. Bavaria ever agairi--sit -on'ihis' Munich throne": after the '-shake',which ; ' Lojii Mont'ei! v gave*'to" his' rule. ■■■'■:> ■■'.'.."■ ". •■• '■' '■,

: ■■In-Russia-empevorsih'ave been removed' by '■■■ violent death''more. than-bnco,' ! yet : in"' theory 1 .the constitution of Prussia is modelled after'' that of .the. Tsar's dominions,' : ' ; -- .<:■:,■;■:. ■'■'Let us for the i moment forget the fulmina-' tibns of a press_ which is hot famed'for' fair--hosq or accuracy;;.lot us bear ■'in. mind'that 1 editors; are nbfc'ijecessa'rily philanthropists—-. that they'seek'tk'e.sensational in their news' columns, and don't wish to spoil a good story by questionings,-.;." \v: :■';■ :;;;'•-':,;..•,/. ';■•■ .:".'' Our theory of, government is based on 'the assumption that men with.power are likely' to:abusb; it., : Hence we check .our legislators. and offioials with' so many hindrances "to -activity that we' end by produoing,a.niaohiriery jrt ; which no oho is able to accomplish"any-' thing good because all fear thai be may; do' something wrong.';%.,;;;;;'-".■/> ;• •.■; ; '''■}''■.:'. '• r Without .questioning' the: many '.instances : where kings'have shown indifference, cruelty, rapacity, and folly, Prussia is worth'raising irito relief as,"one instance, at least;'of ; a royal: rule that 'has' ;ondeared' itself to the people. ■.'...• -, '■.< - ■• : , v. -. .'!■;• '■...■■,-.'• ; v r /.Monarchy, 'may not responsible:fc all of this, but every; Prussian schoolboy believes that the throne of Prussia, has been occupied for those.many..yea-s:by.a lino,of' monarchß who, on .the whole;-, have.'.set their people a good example. ,in- tho..way ; ot thrift,. bard ■work, and national- habits. '".,■ /•.. v Is William II ah exception to this rule ?- : _,He has -,boon : now twenty ".years King of Prussia and Emperor of. Germany. In his domestic, relations he has ; been : a model hits-', hand'and father','.'As an.officer;,of tho array 1 and'navy he may be regarded a's. si" toaster.'-in'' each profession—a- conscientious .officer, !emi-. : hently fitted,to earn any salary ceh'n,ected with-the position, of ohief - admiral ;or field marshal.. The-tongue of "his bitterest enemy has never yet been able to invent'a story l derogatory to: his honour and love of truth, to his purity in domestic life, or his courage m doing or saying publicly :what he- felt to Wrights. , .'.■■•■.- : •.■'•"■■. ;y: ;. ; .'" ■■■■...■:■; During his reign German'commerce has made immense progress,'. German, welfare, has' been, noticed .by.every traveller who is. able Jto compare thing's past and present. -, There is now ,'soarce a port of the. Far East', where the German flag .does not'play'a good second.to that of England; ..'"••. .•■ . v Torday. Germany ...scarcely .knows -such a thing.as;o : slum,in her cities.or tramps on her highways; sanitary rules are to the great : improvement of the public health! ■■'.The:.public -service'is honest. :'.'The' idea ■'that'.an official; should ;.mak'e. money out of his position is to-day scarce dreamed, of in any' Gorman;city,;:.. c- I '.' • '.•■"-. ; >' -;;':'■ v In. .1895 the,; Emperor. opened the- great' canar.between the Baltio.'and North' Sea-rr eighty miles, of difficult.engineering, ■ ;•-, There was riot *a penny' of' graft in thewhole'eighty miles; it was opened'on tho daypromised ; constructed in the most perfect 'manner,' . /,,.-.. • , . .;-,

■' Am I here to whitewash Emperor ; .William P.' Far, from it. He-would not 'thank mo for doipg-so.'. :. . - .-;• - ,y Ire .1896; Jameson invaded the Transvaal .with" a; ridiculous :band-.of adventurers, who surrendered with- cartridges-•still in their, belts. The .Boers easily captured the whole body, and for one I assumed that Jameson would be hung, for piracy and the .whole .mattor settled ; on the spot.: ■■ But no! ..Tho Emperor, saw fit, to.settd to Paul-Krugor a ; 'messago whose woidink'gave jn Pretoria the notion that William. IV was to side with' Boers versus' Britons in I.a prospective, war. ' ' ' ; .- " " yv ' l On the; evening of the.day when .'that f ami bus dispatch- startled the Cabinets-of the [World it happened that.l was in-Berlin'at; a' |,big diplomatic- dinner." -" '.•,]. ' ■■■''■ ■••-''.:'■ IV' t There, were two German Ministers at'this dinner, and a German general who had been' chief of thij general staff. '.;■:; ' '/ ( ' ' .1 Aftcrthnladies had left the room' I turned upon tho--three Germnns and said;' "Welly ■what do you think of this message to Krugerp" "i '■ : ■ ■- v ■■ -■ • ■■■ ; ; v They throw their hands-over their heads,' as Germans do when the feeling uppermost is: .-• ■ ■'--.. . •-...- -•■-. .--.-■' ; "My. God, what madness)" ■■.-'• To my surprise, the German Parliament took no notjee of'this' message. It is only today'/that they enter protest. ' _Princo Hohenlohe did'not then offer to resign, neither did ho,show in-any way that he resented the publication;of an important Stato. document without his countersignature, ,' That? samo -year I .was in South - Afrioa mmghng , freely with Boers of all .parties; and I felt tho ovil wrought by this hasty message. The Boers, felt much as did the Confederate States of this country when

Napoleon 111 gave them 'indirect encourage? ment.to continue tho struggle.': On my return, home I published '.my impressions frankly jn a book on tho sub/eefcj and did not .whitewash William 11, much-less' his pliant old granny of a Prime/Minister; who dared not protest to the Emperor's face at such a time. '-.:■•:

; Those opinions of mine gave offence. Then came the Boer War in 1599.': '-.- . President.Stoyn's most'intimate friend and ohief of his transportservice, who was-cap-] turod. during (too, war and paroled, - told mo ! in. Stuttgart (after the war)/that an officer in German uniform, who claimed to speak- for thei German Emperor; urged; tho Boers to keep' on fighting,, assuring them that, if they should,win one or two victories the German Emperor would intervene in their favour. Possibly this officer exceeded;instructions. '.. ;- Admit now. the Emperor's many.lapses from politic caution;, pile up tho account against him; take this 'last inter view', -with?, an Eris*I lish paper as & last straw—and what does it all amount toP "■"■■".■'--. :'-

. It amounts to this, that Germany is not ripe for government-in the English sense. , Had any, /English-. sovereign, even _a Stuart,; done any/ of; the' many things laid to the' Emperor's ..charge, .thero would have been suoh a storm oiit of:doors as would have compelled.him to give heed.' But the,, German .Parliament has spent the bulk of its time in quarrels ;of petty ..faction, ;in, bringing parliamentary /goyernmeht',.into'/contempt.; rather than vindicating, its right.: to be .'.the' .legal; mouthpiece" of. the. whole, people;.' , The popular'olamour now: going on has ar* rosted/ the Emjieror's; attention, and it-is. well fJiatthe.;noise.has been hiade. It shows; us'th'at. when-Parliament .in Germany.iinitcs on. any. 1 : one..subject; the:" Emperor /.listens• respectfully.;-'":' / J '.'r;;;;' .;" V/ •/. '■' That, he,means.to;recede from his.opinions regarding','absolute government/is riotlikely. He himself does not believe iri government by majorities;.for. tehim the majority means, the inefficient and inferior section' of mankind; and the this view;:is that'of Germans'in general. .Germany has not grown powerful and-prosperous under government by-majori-ties. ;The example.of the United States has ceased to, exercise' She. same 'spell' inj that direction, that it, did .in tho days when' Carl Schurz sojight/theso'.shores'ih search'of adeal political liberty.; ■'■■•..,■■',.;.?,-,;/ ;/;, ' .:;V.:,/;.| Germany is to-day: seriously - irritating its Emperor;....He;has made.them.-look a Tittle foolish m the limelight,/ho has talked too much, without.check; he has suffored through .the cowardice of. his-ministerial/advisers, and most ,of /all;through /the .;flunkeyjsm/■'- of such men,as the late Prince Hohenlohe and the, present Buelow, who is" -.of a family that never.resigns and:rarely..dies./ /' -,->-,'-■ ■-:; When "Germany produces'a few'modern liUthers,,willing to speak frankly to tibal Pope andsuffer.the shall /iv6/See,a.new, light/about that''thron'ev Otherwise Germany -.will./go;'on illustrating: the old;,saying-.that-.every nation-.has the i.Jewa.it deserves..::.:f/v,'///;' : ,s./ ~;;>-:.;:

• ■ Some weeksr ago Chancellor Buelow: was cartooned,m ."Simplicissinras"'?■ as •■ amusing bis Emperor with. a., funny siofy, • while the monarch ilaughed rherrily.,";-'. •,.■ ,;:;■:'..:"','. :.;"Buelow,"., quoth. ,tb'o .monarch,? "you' are isuohl 4'good.fellow; I 'propose to •promote you to.the position'of court'fool 1"..' • ..-•.;••■.• - n : v' For ,V?^ d,sVS4fe > , ''''fl™* i ''^ frime Minister,' "anything ,butthat', ■.For as' court .fool; I. should ! ;hav6't'o tell you' the .truth!"/.. :.' ; ■•'.; .-..':■. :;:yV:: '-'■•£•■■ :'•;•.:--.'■ ■•- ■