Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-03-10
KAISER WILHELM.
He Dies Full of Years and
HOnOrS.
GERMANY's GREAT GRIEF.
The Central Figure in European
Politics Passes Away in a
Ripe Old Age.

On March %, 1897, a royal salute Of
seventy-two guns from the Lutsgarten
in Berlin, announced that the Primo
ess Louise, of Mecklenburg- Strelitz,
wife of Frederick William, Crown
Prince of Prussia, had given birth to
her second son. The news created
no general rejoicing among the peo-
pie; for at the time the House of the
Hohenzollerns was in waning favor.
Frederick William ii had been King in
Prussia for some few years, and in
that time the world had learned that
little of the greatness of his uncle.
Frederick the Great had descended
to him. He and his court were
not on very good terms with
the city, with the kingdom, or
for that matter, with Europe. The
King loved his pleasure and little
else. He was vacillating in his
policy : now supporting the
Turk against Austria, and anon
concluding treaty with the House
of Hapsburg. At one time he was
at war with France, and in trice join
ing Russia in the dismemberment of
Poland. Thus he lost the confidence
of his people, and Of all the powers in
Eupope. Prussia suffered not only
from a loss of prestige. Her finances
were in a most deplorable condition.
For the King had as little of his great
unole's business faculties as of his
military genius.
Thus in such troublous times,
eleven years after Frederick The
Great had fought out his last battle,
and lad been vanquished by the
common enemy OF mankind, when
"After life's ftful fever he slept WELL"
Kaiser William, who died yester-
day, first saw the light of day. He
was duly christened Friedrich VIII
helm Ludwig. The days were distur-
bed by political shocks of no common
character. Democratic ideas which
had been planted first in French soil,
and fourished there for time, spread
their seeds abroad to all the kingdoms
of Europe. The people lifted up
their heads-like hydras in the eyes
of Princes-and clamored for human
rights. The end of kingcraft seemed
at hand. Carlyle says of these very
days, when the eighteenth century
in its dotage was passing away:
"With nothing proud in it, purblind
and rotten, opulent only in accumul-
ated falsities-a bankrupt century
that blew it's brains out in the French
Revolution" Yet just at the close of
this bankrupt century, when the
thrones OF Europe seemed tottering to
their fall, Phenix-like from the ashes
of this ephemeral democracy sprang
this Imperial Eagle, who was in the
book of fate enrolled to establish again
in Europe the doctrine of the divine
rights Of kings.
The Crown Prince and the Princess
Louise were of most domestic and
simple turn OF mind. The magnifi-
cent Castle Of Oranienburg was theirs;
but they constantly preferred
retired seat, the manor of Paretz, two
miles from Potsdam. The Prince
delighted in being called "the Burgo-
master of Paretz," while the Princess
was universally beloved by the
people, who knew her as Madame
l
! of Paretz."
After the baptism of Prince VIII
liam, as was the title OF the futule
Kaiser, the Princess returned to
Paretz, where the Emperor passed
his childhood. He was of an ex-
tremely delicate constitution and gave
no promise OF living, as he did, to
reach almost the end of his ninety
first year. His mothers anxiety was
constantly on the alert about the
young Prince, and daily injunctions
were laid upon his tutors to so modify
their rules of study and exercise that
the health of the child might not be
imperiled. When as King William
he ascended the throne Of Prussia, in
referring to his early days, he said:
81 would not have believed that Prov
idence would call me to this difficult
post. I never thought to survive my
brother. In youth l was SO much
weaker than he, that, according to the
laws of nature, my succession to the
throne of our ancestors was entirely
out of my calculation. Perceiv-
ing this, devoted myself
to the Prussian Army, the
| UebleT " tll0 Qutko0
of Prussian Prince towards
my King and country" But armies
and their man9uvres ever had fas-
cination for the Kaiser. In babyhood
it was remarked of him that his eyes
seemed attracted to nothing but to
parade. He was brought up surround
ed by drill sergeants and veteran gem
erals. At six he was Hussar, at
seven a Uhlan, at ten a Lieutenant in
the Foot Guards. Hour by hour he
passed in the drill room, toiling away
in the most earnest manner, nearly
overcome in his efforts to keep pace
with his big brother Fritz, as they
were taught all the military evolutions
of the day by being actually put
through all their facings.'e He fairly
revelled in manual and platoon, in
squad and company, column and
brigade.
Prince William was only eight
months old when the King died, and
"the Burgomaster of Paretz" sue
ceeded under the name of Frederick
William III. But, whenever a week
could be stolen from state affairs the
royal pair with their children always
were glad to escape to their beloved
Paretz, or to their beautiful place on
Peacock's Island. "To lay royalty
aside, be a man amongst men, and
be joyful among the happy, is Is
much happiness as there is on earth, -
the King was won't to exclaim. Here
at Paretz the children Of the neigh
borhood played games and ran races
with the little Princelings, the King
rewarding the victor with thaler.
The Queen danced with the peasants
at the annual Kermesse.
In 1906 deep gloom fell over the
brightness Of such pastoral pleasures.
In October Of that year the battles Of