The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 1889. THE EMPEROR'S DIARY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1838, 8 January 1889, Page 2

The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 1889. THE EMPEROR'S DIARY.

Pbotessob Gettzin - has been/released from custody, and the prosecution against him has been abandoned. This is ominous. The professor was arrested a few months ago on a charge of having divulged State secrets, by publishing Tthe diary of the late Emperor Frederick of Germany. The charge had evidently no substance in it, and served only as a pretext to enable Prince Bismarck to give vent to his wrath against Professor Gefikin. The circumstances connected with the affair are bo extraordinary and .sensational that a few words in jeference to them must prove interesting' Some months ago the whole world was atartled by the publication of the diajy of the late Emperor Frederick in a German paper, and afterwards in most of the papers of the civilised world. The statements contained in this diary were startling, and well calculated to destroy the great reputation of the German Chancellor, Prince Bismarck. The reputation of Prince Bismarck has chiefly been built on the -eonfederation of the Germanic principalities. In every book or paper in which the subject was referred to previously to the publication of the late Emperor's diary Prince Bismarck was credited with having been the moving spirit in consolidating the people of Germany under one head, and in making the Empire the most powerful in Europe. No one ever dreamt that the late Emperor had anything to do with it; in fact, he was looked upon as only a very successful commander of the army, and no one ever gave him credit for political sagacity. The Emperor Frederick, however, kept a diary of every event of hia career, and after his death a copy of this fell into the hands of Professor Geffkin, who handed it over to the Kunschau—a German periodical—and in this it was published. According to this diary, it was to the late Kaiser all the credit af cementing together in the bonds of unity the various principalities of Germany was due. It was he who suggested it ; it was he promoted every movement that led to it; and instead of having been assisted by Prfoce Bismarck he met with the greatest opposition from him. Thus Prince Bismarck's reputation was completely destroyed. He was made to appear as a humbug and a charlatan, who rose to fame by taking to himself credit for the work which the late Emperor had quietly and unostentatiously done. The publication of the diary created a sensation, and Professor Geffkin was thrown into prison, where he has sincß remained, awaiting his trial. Meantime Prince Bismarck has published a reply to the late _ Emperor's diary, completely denying the allegations which it contained, and urging that it was a forgery. The allegation that it waaa forgery is really a lame one. The nrigmal of the late Emperor's diary is, it is stated, in the hands of the present Emperor in Berlin. If so, why is it not published and shown to the world that the published one is a forgery ? And, furthermore, why is it that the prosecution of Professor Geffkin has now been abandoned? These two facts appear to us to upset the plea of forgery completely, and to reduce the question to, ""Who is telling the truth ?" One thing is certain, so far as that is concerned, and it is that Bismarck will find it extremely difficult to make disinterested reasoning beings believe that the clever, gentle, kindhearted, and amiable Frederick was the liar. Why should the late Emperor record in a diary, which he kept for his own private use, palpable lies ? What object could he have in doing so ? None whatever; but Bismarck has every . incentive to lie, and ib is more than probable that he has done so. His,

reputation has been wrecked, his influence weakened, and of course he could not reinstate himself in the good opinion of the world without making an effort to Bhow that there waa no truth in the allegations cop.' tained in the diary. The late Emperor could not have any incentive to lie. Bismarck had, and now that the prosecution of Professor Geffkin has been abandoned the world will regard it as an ignominious surrender on the part cf his prosecutors. There is one thing in the whole affair which exposes to the public gaze the contemptibly mean character of the present Emperor of Germany. Not contented with having ill-treated his mother, he has allowed the memory of his father to be thus sullied. This is sufficient to show the meanness of his character, and doubtless Germany will some day awaken to realise it.