Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-05-30
Crown Prince William.

Either very remarkable change has come
over the spirit OF the dream OF WILLIAM,
Crown Prince Of Germany, or he has been one
OF the most mahened young men who have
ever had the fortune or misfortune 10 be born
10 the purple. We are inclined 10 think that
the latter is the ease. We have never taken
any stock in the stories about his being cub
a. n son, e swashbuckler as a soldier, and
a Prince who ere the flowers have faded
on his fathers tomb will plunge Europe
luto causeless aud bloody war. The rea-
sons for our skepticism on this point we have
stated more than once; and now that skep-
tlcism Is justified by the testimony OF the
very men who a month ago could not give
young WILLIAM good worldwide, indeed,
never let an opportunity pass TO give him
cable Kick, so 10 speak. Many OF the foreign
correspondents are now az feryid in
his praise as they were but recently
truculeut i'm their attacks on him, and vie
one with another in describing the better
side Of his nature. lie Is ne longer the
gloomy, taciturn embodiment OF grim
yisaged war, breathing blood and yenge-
snce-no longer the autocratic, supercilious
iunker. with no thought save that Of military
glory at the expense Of the peace OF Europe
and The purse OF the Fatherland; but very
CreCitlbic representative OF the House oil
IIohcnzollern, who seems to have
capacity for acting sense and
taking sense. A. il does not stand to rea-
son that had Prince WILLIAM been the cha
ractcr he was erstwhile represented TO be
he would so suddenly have fang away am
billion. we are forced to the conclusion that
il IL not he but the foreign correspondents
who have been the subjects OF mCtsmorpho-
sis. In other words, tbe,c latter having ex.
hsustcd their store OF fairy tales and seaSa-
tons have come down TO solid facts,
and are now describing the Crown
Prince as be is, and reporting his
words as they are spoken. And WILLIAM
IS he is suggests no unatiractiye picture.
Ills sentiments, as he uttc:s them, are
positive confdtat0n Of many Of the crti-
ci,m, u him TO which the American public
have been treated. lie j. soldier 10 the
core, as have been many Of the Princes
% bis family for generations, and in
recent conversation with The Prince OF
Wales freely confessed that he took
FREDERICK the Great aud tho Emperor
WILLIAM az his models. lie also De-
ciarcd That be derived greater delight from
nj, military studies than from ANYTHING else,
aud that lac would not be llohenzsllcrn il
ne did not feel convinced tbat the national
existence Of Germany depended on The army.
But" added he, "lct ne tell you frankly
that nothing causes ne greater pain and
hcartburning than the wild, warliGc inten-
lions that are attributed 10 me. / am in
every way Us peaceful as the Emperor
WILLIAM was, ard Tor people 10 imagine
iha! | ever dream OF plunglng into military
adventure, or that I even tacltiy approve OF
anything that could lead to a disturbance Of
the peace OF Europe. is absolutely ABSURD
Could there be more singing, dignihed,
and manly rebuke than this TO the young
mans n .ducers? There is not q word in
what he says about the army or in bis pro.
test that might not have been uttered by
ms invalid father, whom we are now told he
visits twice day and speaks Of in the most
afcctlonatc manner. Pcacc-loying monarch
though FREDERICK be called, he too is every
inch soldier. As soldier he took FREDE'
RICK the Great and the old Emperor As
models, and upon ascending the throne
placed himself on record as believing that
upon the army depended the national exist
ence OF Germany. In respect Of this matter
Prince WILLIAM only echoed an unfortunate
truth that had been proved by his grandia-
Their and by Prussi4's woes. and proclaimed
by his father, aud which will be the heritage
OF the reigning house of Germany until all
Europe shall have disarmed.