Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1888-03-14
KING R1LLIAM rs DEAD.


William 1, emperor of Germany and
king of Prussia, died at Berlin at $50
O'Clock Friday morning March 9th, and
his son the Crown Prince, was at once
proclaimed emperor and king, with the
title of Frederick Ill.
He was born on the 22d day of March,
1897, aud lacked but few days of COM
Dleting his 9lst year. His whole life
was most eventful one. AT the age
of ten years he was in the army with
his Father, and received an appoint
ment as subaltern, just after the battle
of Jena, where the Prussian forces had
been crushed, and national life was al
most extinct. The same year he became
a second lieutenant IN 1913 was made
first lieutenant; in 1914, after the bat
tie Of Liepsic, he was commissioned as
captain, and was with the army when
1t invaded France. lie first entered
Paris as a captain of the Guards i'm 1914;
in 1915, after the Belgian campaign, he
again entered Paris, after winning
majors commission at Waterloo and
his third entry into the French capital
was at the close of the Franco-P rus-
sian war of 1s70-7l, at which time he
was a king. But, before he became
king, he had participated in several
other wars, and gradually arose from
step to step until he attained the posi-
ton of field-marshal.
On the death of his father, the king,
the elder son, Frederick William ",
who was childless, became king, and
Wilhelm became crown prince. The
new king was not of the necessary firm
ness to win or hold the love or fear of
the people. Wilhelm had gone into
politics, and had opposed every liberal
reform movement, and had made him
self so thoroughly unpopular that he
had to leave the country IN 1913, to save
his brothers. tottering throne. In 1857
the mental condition of Frederick w
forced Wilhelm to accept the regency,
and in 1860 he was crowned as king.
From the time he became regent may
be dated the turning point in the affairs
of Prussia. He called about him an
able cabinet. and circumstances were
very favorable toward him. Determin-
alton and sagacity characterized not
only the king, but also Bismarck and
the entire cabinet. At the battle of
Sadowa the Prussians were being cut
to pieces, and the officers begged for an
order to fall back; and even Won Moltke
told the king that he could hold his
ground half an hour, but not another
moment more. Before the half hour
expired the crown prince, the present
new king. appeared with an army di
vision, and the tide was turned against
Austria, and Prussia at once took a
front rank as an European power. The
king now became the idol of the army
and of the people.
After the Franco-Prussian war, he
returned to Berlin at the head of his
victorious army, and was proclaimed
emperor of United Germany. Since
that time he has devoted himself to the
strengthening and perfecting of the
military force of the empire.
The death of the old emperor will be
deplored throughout the civilized world.
Almost his last words were: Il am a
man of peace, but if Russia forces me
to war, shall faithfully side with my
ally, Austria" He wanted to be con-
sidered peacemaker, and to leave his
empire at peace with all the world. In
this his prayer was granted.
The new king and emperor is 81 years
old, and has had severe military edu-
cation, rising from the ranks TO the
high Office of general field marshal, and
is considered one of the best generals in
Europe. lie was married i'm 1858 to
Victoria, daughter of Queen Victoria
of England. While Queen Victoria is
queen of England, Scotland and Ire
land, and empress of India, her daugh-
ter, Victoria, is queen of Prussia and
empress of United Germany. There is
a law declaring the rank of all queens
and expresses of trst-class powers to
be equal, and were it not for this law
young Victoria would outrank her
mother.
The new king has six children, the
eldest being Frederick William Victor
Albert, now the crown prince, whose
age is - years. AS the king has long
been a sufferer from some disease of
the throat, and his physicians say he is
incurable, 1t is more than probable that
his reign will not continue many weeks.
While he lives Prussia will not go to
war if it can be avoided. But when
the crown prince comes to wear the
crown, 1t is thought he will be ambi-
tious to make a military reputation for
himself, and will seize any pretext to
declare war. He hates everything that
is English, and only his respect for his
mother has so far kept him within the
bounds of decent civility.
The extensive breYeries of the coun-
/ nv have formed pool or trust and will
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