The Press., 1888-03-15
(New York Tribune.) THE EMPEROR WILLIAM.


 One of the great figures of the European stage Is passing away, beloved by his peo. pie, honored by all nations. The Emperor | William found Prussia a feeble, mIsgov- erned state, overshadowed by Austria. He l lived to take up the sword of Fredenck the Great and by striking down the rival state to make Germany under Prussian leader ship the strongest power on the continent. He found the fatherland geographic l expression" He left her more powerful than she was in the days of Charles the Fifth. In his youth he served in the closest campaigns against Napoleon. He lived ito put Germany. in the saddle" and to overthrow a second Napoleonlc Empire that menaced the peace of Eur pc. live analyze the emperor's career we shall find along with many homely virtues and sterling qualities of character two eie. ments which enabled him to render these browning services to his country and to the world. The first was his patriotism. lie honored the fHtherland he loved his peo pie. The shortc Jmings of his domestic policy have been many and serious, but these have been faults of the head, not of the heart. A thorough soldier before he was king or emperor, his place was at the head of his armies iIf their arduous cam. paigns but when his country was once united and strong, he sought to make the people industrious, prosperous and happy. If Germany has been kept in the saddle, fully armed and ready for battle, it has been because he believed that what had been won during his reign must be pro- tected for many generations, and not be cause he wished to make the empire troub- lesome and meddlesome on the continent. Almost as useful to the fatherland as his patriotism was that rare talent-sagacIty in the choice of advisers. No monarch since the First Napoleon has displayed equal judgment ill selecting ministers and generals. Bismarck was called to his councils soon after his reign opened, and Moltke was placed at the command of the armies in the great campaigns. Without these two men Germany could not have 1 been what 1t is today. To the emperor belongs the credit of discovering them, of placing implicit confidence in them, aud of keeping them in his servIce.
 It seems almost invidious to speak of the shortcomings of the emperor's policy but in world where events move rapidly, and where without pause new figures take the place of the old, the lessons and warn- Ings of every great career must be pointed out while the impressions of the magnitude of the public servlces and deeds are strong 
 been united, but the people have not made any marked advance in constitutional and parliamentary government. Universal sui frage was granted as tradition of Frank fort, but it proved barren privilege. It has not taken away from the Reichstag the reproach of being little more than a debat- ing society. It. has not made the king 8 ministers responsible to the represent tatlves of the people. It has not secured to those who exercise the common privilege of cIti zenship those inalienablelrights which were eloqaently advocated by Stein and solemn. ly affirmed in the Frankfort constitution. It has not made parliamentary government a reality nor converted democracy into g progressive force. In all these respects Germany lags behind Italy, Austro-Hun gary, France, Belgium and Holland. Mil Itary practice has not satisfied the politica instincts of the nation. Something has been lacking. The smoke has lifted from the battle-helds ; the people are disen chanted emigration has gone apuce l; the the fatherland has not pruspered. In tn, struggle for actual power the chancellor has steadily improved his position, and tho people themselves have made httle prog ress in political government. There is lack of what Matthew Arnold terms "civI, couHAAen1,
 It wIll require wiser generation thar ours to adjust the balance between thu emperor's vast public services to German. and his shortcomings as a constitutions ruler. Certain it Is that the fatherland to day forgives him for all that he has lief undone and honors him for all that he dIt to make her what she is-united at home powerful abroad. Her sons will unite ol both sides of the Atlantic in grief. Tn oldest of modern kings draws near his ent after his many labors, his last hours em bittered only by the sorrowful thought tha his noble son, a soldier through and througl like himself, was not destined to surviv him long.