Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-11-09

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10 attract general admiration. IL will DO
well for Europe II Count Douglas is
right, and the immediate effect OF his
speech viii tend to reassure the public
mind IS 10 the character and capacity OF
the young sovereign. who Is practically
supreme in Central Europe.
According TO Count Douglas the En-
peror is almost an Admiral Crichton.
Tho portrait though idealized, enables
us TO see the blending Of the practical
EngIishmsn and the scientific German
in the young man who IS the grandson
OF our Queen rs well rs of Wilhelm /.
Here at least il a sketch OF what the
Germans wish their ruler to be: The
contrast between this heroic outline
and the picture which even the most
couTtly eulogist would paint, say OF our
Prince of Wales, marks of the differ
ence between the new empire. where
the idea OF the kingship is still work
ing force, and the old monarchy, where
the sovereign fingers only as an em-
blematic figure OF little more signif-
canoe than a heraldic escutcheon. The
German Emperor is pre-eminently a
working man. He takes his functions
seriously. He is the first servant As well
a. toe Emperor Of the German folk,
aRd he shows that he has not been
taught in vain in she stern school Of the
Hohenzollerns. The practical talent
and sympathy with popular habits and
aims which Count Douglas attributes TO
his education nt q public school may
probably be due equally TO his home
training aud the English strain in his
descent. But the "passion for work,
"the high moral earnestness," and his
consuming zeal in tho service of the
State, these are attributes rather OF the
Hohenzollerns than OF she Guelphs.
Whatever the origin, tho product seems
TO be exceptionally good. According to
Count Douglas tho young Emperor
seems TO combine al the virtues Of all his
ancestors and is free from oil their draw
hacks. he comes Rs near being the
faultless monster whom the world never
Baw as any one who ever assembled \
throne. Never have l met any one,
says Count Douglas, "who has the well
fare Of his fellow-creatures so much at
heart az the Emperor" And as he is a
philnnthropiet OF the first class, so he is
an administrative genius. "whose quick
perception and sound practical sense
moves the astonishment Of older and
moro experienced men, In short the
young Emperor is "a creature much
too good for human natures daily food, "
and our only surprise is that Count
Douglas did not tell us that beneath tho
Emperor'suniiorm he hos discovered tho
feathers Of the angels wings which will
soon be used 10 bear him away from this
evil world.
Speaking seriously there is every rea-
son to be pleased with the German En-
poror. lie seems to be lad of metsle.
Ills attitude towards Russ'a--always a
touchstone OF statesnnsnship-has been
admirable and his speeches ct Vienna arc
unobjectiouabic. II IL be true that rnce
Bismarck hiss spoken Vi him as standing
IN no need OF his advice 1t may be that a.
last genius has arisen IL the royal
caste who will loaye his mark on his
tory. During this century gonus has not
been ROYAL attribute. Fict0r Emman-
uel WIS, perhaps, the abiess crowned
person Of our time, but genins Tor king
ship can hardly be said to have been his
There WAS great worth and tsient IN the
Old German tmperor. but the genius
that guided bis policy WAS B'smarcS's.
10 would be premature 10 suppose from
the bright promise OF these opening
months that we have humaniled trod.
erick tie Great on the Throne al Berlin.
lie has stn TO be tested. But he pro-
mizes well. and Ho await developments
With eager interest
What q contrast is offered by the en-
thusi.stic raily of the Germans round
their Emperor with the distracted and
saction-riidcu republic ofFroncoi Gene
raj BouIanger's pretensi7ns and tho fears
which Aey excite throw into D clearer
relief the advantages which sometimes
accrue to those who live under q beredl-
iary monarchy.