Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-03-08

together.
The tenure or a life so nearly spent as Emperor
Williams Is at best from day TO day. IrreQuires
but q slight variation from normal conditions to
carry him on and IN the present situation the
chances are that q few hours more or less win
bring the end
The career OF the aged emperor is more remark
able, IN many respects, than that OF any other
monarch reisning to-day. He was born on the
nd OF March, 1875, the secon. son OF
King Frederick William III OF Prussia, and
his eonsort, Princess Louise OF Meek
lenburg-srrelitz Not expecting 70 reach the
throne, as his elder brother gave every promise OF
long life, young William was educated 10 I'LL II
possible a creditable place In the army. HIS rrst
campaign. as q Lieutenant, was with the forcs
which invaded France, In 1s13-14 for the over
throw OF Napoleon. At the bloody battle OF Rar.
sur-Aube he achieved his frst success In military
Tfe receiving the iron cross In recognition of his
bravery In carrying dispatches across the ne,d
through q storm OF bullets: and he was q CAPTAIN
when, IT the age OF seventeen, he entered Parts a
Few weeks later.
From this time his career was assured Re do.
voted his entire attention 10 studying the art OF
war, and doubtless formed In his mind In a vague
general way, the plans Of q magnificent military
organization. which began 10 be carried out IN
1870. In 1870 his father died, and his brother,
Frederick William ", contemporary termed
champagne fritz," came to the throne William
was made. the same year, governor or the Trus-
sian province OF Pomerania The revolution OF lsSs
which swept continental Europe as with a whirl
wind, was fateful episode IN the princes career
The popular demand for q constitution became 80
loud and threatening that the counses OF the court
were divided on the question whether TO surrender
st discretion or 10 light 10 out william hastened
70 Berlin and added his advice on TIE SIDE OF the
conservatives, who declared thar there must be no
tseatins or tenporizng with the mob but that
bullets must be the only arguments HIS wish
prevailed. and for two DAYS the streets
Of the city bowed blood. Then &c became
evident that the people would succeed In the end.
The king weakened, when faced with the alterna-
tive OF surrender or exile he chose the former
and showed himself In the doorway OF the palace
With the national eolors pinned to his coat. This
pacined the mob as FAR as their sovereign per.
sonsly was concerned, but they refused to forgive
his brother william, who had 10 seek refuge In
England TIL the worst OF the storm had blown
over. Then he returned mad himself elected
10 parliament, and announced his willingness TO
accept the Inevitable and support tae consti,u-
tional monarchy 70 the best OF his powers The
insurrection had not ended yet, however and ir
was not long before an army had 70 be sent into
southern Germany 10 clear that region OF rebels
William was chosen TO command Il. His cam
paigu was 4 series OF signal Victories and
ais royal brother at once appointed him
governor Of the Rhenish provinces and
westphalia- Here, for the first time
he began 20 show a disposition 10 cultivate
the affections OF the people and his rule was ernt.
nent for It's moderation OF spirit. Meanwhile, the
excuses OF Champagne FRITZ had reduced him 70
a state little better than idiocy and William was
made regent In 1857. His first act was &c call to
MS aid popular ministry. Then he added to the
kindly feeling which this aroused by rejecting an
alliance proposed by Louis Napoleon on the basis
OF the eesson OF strip OF German territory on the
left bank Of the Rhine 10 France, in consideration
On which France was 10 help Prussia 20 gobole I'd
number OF the small German states William,
IN bis refusal declared that he regarded himself
py virtue OF his ONCE the protector OF all GERMANY
and thar France should not have foot OF it while
he remained In power
In 1881. the king having died. the regent was
crowned al Konigsourg, and the next year laid
out nor pariiament's study his scheme for q new
military system In the prosecution OF this plan
he was ably seconded by Count Otto Won Bis
marck, whom he called to his side as premier.
These two men foresaw, as parliament ala NOT.
The coming struggle with Austria for supremacy
IN Germany. and with France for supremacy 10
Europa Austria took advantage OF the division
OF sentiment between the king and the law.
makers and opened negotiations for the reforua-
non OF the German confederation leaving
Prussia quite out In the cold. King William
and his prime minister resented this attempt TO
lob Prussia OF what they considered her rights
and the death Of King Frederick, OF Denmark. and
the accession OF the present King Christian |
brought masters 70 q climax Christian proceeded !
10 annex the German duchies OF SchleswiQ Hol.
stein and Lauenburg TO Denmark, ON the plea
that, BY inrermarriage, he had become their natu
raj ruler. The act excited great Indignation
throughout Germany. and Prussia seized the op-
portunity OF asserting her authority by sending an
army into Denmark Austria, not to be outdone
followed suit The outcome OF this double move
was division OF the spoils. by which Prussia
TOOK schlesvig and Austria Holsteln, but this
only augmented the bitterness which had already
sprung up between the powers, and the war OF
1855 followed. The battle OF Sadowa closed a
campaign OF great vfgor, and decided Prussia to be
the chief state OF the German confederation. The
events OF 1870 and 1s7l, the war with Napoleon
III, ana the vote OF the German states to form a
new empire ana raise King william to the head OF
n, are still too fresh In the recollection OF most
newspaper readers rocall for rehearsal here In
making this brief summary. however OF a career
OF SUCH unusual length and interest the |
Isct deserves notice that the dying emperor
has, IN his nearly ninery-one years, survived
mry-two kings or queens eight enperors six sul |
tans, and ak popes who were his contemporaries. |
Of these three were kings OF Prussia Freder,ct
William II, FREDERICK william LII, Freder,ck VIM
lam ~: two were kings Of Hanover, TWO kings OF |
wurtenourS. four kings OF Bavaria three kings OF
saxony, one king OF westphalia (Jeroms Bona.
pares one King OF Greece, one king OF tire Bel. |
gianA three kings OF Holland three Kings OF Eng.
land. three rings OF France, I'VE kings OF Sweden
Soor Kings OF Denmark, three sOyeregns OF Portu-
ga nve rulers OF spain. nve kings OF Sardinia. six
Kings OF Naples, two emperors OF Austria zone or |
whom was the last Of the former line OF German
Rmperursl two emperors OF Francs ara rorr 60