Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-03-12

They are names honored throughout the
-. word and familiar to every child il
school.
But while we have been devrlopina
great men in America, they have beer
growing giants across the sea. Eogland
has produced her grand old man, d" Glad
t stone, the champion of home rule for Ire
land, and Ireland has produced her ParN
nell, the patriot and agitator, but Ger
many gave the world Wilhelm, the great,
and in the last twenty years, built an en-
pire. He differed widely in his views of
government from US here in free Ameri-
ca He believed in an absolute mon
archy; that he was on the throne to rule,
and that his word was authority, But
whatever we may think in this country
regarding empires, there are things about
the German nation that calls forth our
admiration. No government on earth
has paid so much attention to the educa-
ton of her people as the German nation.
| hIii NhoShboiIhi otNii 10 ~ iI'Hi'J ~
feet that only about one and half per
cent of the adult male population are un,
able to read While here in our boosted
free republic, with our splendid free
school system, thirteen per cent nre una
BILE to read and seventeen per cent unable
to write The German nation more than
any other civilized people, h4llow and
sanctify the home and honor and esteem
domestic virtue.
1t is said that the dead emperor was
rare exception among princes, who
| lived life of absolute social purity |
In nation where the idea of the family |
is even more sacred than the state, is it |
surprising that with such virtues this
great emperor won the admiration of ali
his people. Notwithstanding the despo>
tic military education that Wilhelm re,
ceived, all his life he was broad enough
in his religious convictions to allow his
subjects the right of conscience in relig-
iOus matters There is Just as much
liberty of conscience in Germany rs there
is in England. Wilhelm WAS a christian
man, and while he ruled with an iron
will, he feared God and worked right
eousness. During the Franco. Prussian
war his letters to the queen always indi-
Gated 50 much faith in God, each letter
beginning by recognizing Gods provi>
dence and creditng him with the victo.
ries he achieved.
1t requires no foresight nor generosity
to admit that history will rank Wilhelm
with the worlds heroes, with Alexander,
Napoleon and Grant. The prowess of 5
Alexander resulted only in a brief su
premacy, his empire becoming an easy
prey to disintegration from national \
causes. The unsurpassed successes of
Napoleon the great ended with the gloom
of St. Helena, and Grant most hcroicll!y t
defended a nation that was able to de, I
fend itself. But Emperor Wilhelm set out
on Il career of the greatest peril, without s
an army worth the name and without a l.
nation animated with a single aim and =
''N'tt"'' IA Nhltbbl p'''bE5 wv ttI lli'lil ~
states from the ihrAlldom in which frag 6
they had been held by his ans
and then left al his death a i,
united empire unsurpassed by any other Ii
power on earth, 1t was given to this t
great man to see the first napoleon, the II
emperor of France, enter the capitol of p
Prussia with no Prussian army to oppose d
his progress, and then in after years him
self to enter triumphantly into France,
eaving the last of the napOleons prs- a
)ner in a castle, and finding no France to G
check his magnificent entry into the v
palace of Versailles. In 1871 in the {
splendid palace of Versailles he was :,
With magnificent pOmp, proclaimed en- Il
Deror of Germany. From that time for fl
ward to the day of his death, he lived G.
n the hearts of his countrymen, but he :,
vas no more revered as emperor than he n
vas honored as man. A great man has W
allen, and sympatbize with the German l.
people in the loss of a mar who had suc>
,eeded in implanting his image upon Il
heir love and memory, with something 81
ike the halo of the saint playing around D
he helmet of the cOnqueror y,
| gladly pay this tribute to the mem. l.
Try of this great man, said Mr.. Cue, not a.
'nly because of his greatness, but be- II
ause of the pleasant relations existing =,
'etween our republic and the German 81
mpire. General Grant was received in in
Germany, as he made the tour of the u
world, with as much honor as though he u
lad come as the representative of the at
re attest empire on earth. also pay this p,
rbute because of our adopted German tt
hat demonstrated itself during our late a,
var, and gave to us such leaders as Sigcl as
sheridan and Austerhouse. But with "a
oyalty to this country they do not for =
et their father land, and in mourning n,
hey anxiously regard the future of the iy
Ierman empire. From this subject l &C
wish to impress upon you several prolita~ az
lie lessons vi
First. A lesson of courage. Every
mans life is full OF opportunities, but only at
ow and then man is found who has d'
he courage to embrace the opportunity. =,
There is tide in the affairs of men, III
which, taken at the flood, leads on to al
orJune and to fame" You must have II
he courage to go after success, for it will ~ -,