National Republican., 1888-03-09
Dying-what NeXt?


The Emperor William is surely pas Ing
away. His long and checkered career
will soon be closed. Born at time
when Europe was convulsed by the am
bition Of the most wonderful man OF
modern times, seeing the little kingdom to
whose throne he was heir rent asunder and
almost destroyed, he dies at the head OF an
empire more powerful aud homogeneous
than any which ever existed in Europe, yet
at time when there was every prospect OF
another continental war upon grander
scale than was ever before seen.
But serious complications threaten the
unity and power OF the great German EN-
pire. 1t does not derogate from the fame
OF the dying emperor to say that to his wise
counselor, Bismarck, the "man of blood
and iIon," is primarily due the unilcation
Of the German people into great central
empire controlling, TO great extent, the
destinies Of the continent.
Powerful as he has been, great as hc un-
doubtedly is, Bismarck is now placed IN .
position where even his wisdom and power
may not avail him, and where the latter
may be used in way to shatter the great
work he has accomplished.
II 10 well known that the Grown Prince
Frederick William, the heir TO the throne
of Prussia and the German empire, Is not
in accord with Bismarck. 1t Is claimed
that this condition Is partly, II not wholly,
caused by the mutual dislike which exists
between Bismarck and the Crown Princess,
| the daughter OF Queen Victoria. Bismarck
| dislikes everything English, and the Crown
| Princess has been habitually snubbed by
the great chancellor of the empire.
| Frederick William Is a man in the merii-
ian OF life. He has been one OF the most
euccessful soldiers Of the pupils OF Won
| Moltke. In the Austro German war the
| Crown Prin. had an important command
at the battle of Sadowa, when the power OF
| Austria was crushed, and In the Franco.
| German war he commanded the third army.
| winning the battles of W.a'SeiY6erg and
Worth, and r;..5rioutIng largely to the over
throy or Mcmahon at Sedan.
The Crown Prince is the most popular
soldier of the empire, next to his great
teacher, Won Moltke, and is man well
qualified by education and temperament to
succeed his father. But, unfortunately
he is suffering from disease that is be-
lieved to be incurable, and that may soon
end his life.
Bismarck believes that should Frederick
| William succeed to the throne most init.
mate relations would be established with
England, and that his power would be over
thrown. Taking advantage Of a law which
declares that prince afflicted with an In
| hall ~ tha
Bismarck has been for months scheming
to have a regency declared, with Prince
| William, the son and heir OF the Crown
Prince, nominally as its head, while he
himself would be the actual controller OF
the destinies OF the empire.
The emperor, enfeebled by age and many
infrmities, has been induced to give at least
partial assent to the plans of the willy
and ambitious chancellor, and the proba-
billties are that such regency will be de-
ciared.
Should the Crown Prince refuse to sub.
NIT to this deprivation Of his rights, there
may be serious trouble Frederick William
may be dying Of an incurable cancer, but
he is clearly not iacapacitdted from per.
forming the duties of emperor, and that
| woo contemplated WHOM tb o law against any
one suffering from an incurable disease''
was passed.
II the Crown Prince should, as he proba.
bly, will, claim the throne Of his father, the
German people will rally to "Unscr Fritz,'
and Bismarck's scheme and power will both
be overthrown.
This is all the more probable because
Prince William is exceedingly unpopular
with all the Germans Of the empire except
the Prussians.
The next few days in Europe will be full
OF portentous events, the situation being
not little intensified by the order Of the
Russian czar, directing the subsidized
Russian steamers in the Black sea to refuse
all freight and passengers and equip the
steamers for war purposes.