The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-01-16
KAISER AND HIS PEOPLE.
u.cprBFD BY THE Hon. ANDREW
D. WHITE.
, neath of the Crown Prince Would
Flow to Progr ess-Germany
peaoeable, but Terrible in Defence.

F,,on, the Ne,o York Tribune.
,.rA Jan. 1.-Of the many queS-
,ybicb are engaging public attention
W. 10Th SIDES of the water just now, there
" - ~ which more interest and specula-
-, attach than that of the present condi-
wv - the ROYAL Family of Germany to-
s.har with the possible issues and incidents
t,,oIyod in a change in the Imperial pow
Few men. if any, in the United States
,,ora competent or better fitted to dis
Or the various aspects of the situation in
Germany to day than ex-President Andrew
y white. of Cornell University-as a trav-
-. historian and diplomat, he has had pc
liar privileges and advantages for study
tho subiect, and his views must conse-
.nont,v have great weight. Our represen-
e 4st;,,o found Mr.. White in his spacious
Shrorv a few days ago hard at work on his
r cbapters for 1.-The Warfare of Science"
-,bcb book he is completely revising He
,.ossad his willingness to talk on Euro
Gan subjects, and in reply to question
ie@ardjng the Royal Family of Germany,
said; :-.,,..4i,,,o1,,. ,,,o,
- oreatpr intellectual qualities than have
In generally attributed to him i'll Ameri-
+ is far short of the truth to say that
lie ,raat successes are due entirely to the
.4otesmen and Generals who have served
b;m But. after all, the principal point
With him is his strong character. This has
Ian shown in many ways, but especially
in his selection and retention of leading ad-
yisers in spite of enormous efforts TO change
bis opinion and conduct. His power to
recognize and stand by strong men is really
The main foundation of his high position and
vast success Ills upnoIuIhS Vi olSildlck ID
a case in point.
GAS to his present physical and intellec-
mal condition, | can only say that when l
last saw him six years ago his mind was
PERFECTLY clear and his expression was Wig
nrous He kept me in my farewell audi
once nearly an hour, and discussed various
nubIic matters in a way that showed not
merely strength, but clearness.
He is not con5titutiOnalist in the Eng
Ish sense of the word. He has never &C
cented the maxim, The King governs, but
does s' not reign He does, however, accept
certain modification of Prussian alb
soutism but. after all, his essential theory
is that of Frederick the Great.
with the Crown Prince, Frederick Will
liam. it is different 1t is an open secret
that his ideal is a constitutional monarchy
somewhat in the English sense; that he
lookson absolutism as thing of the past.
Hence thoughtful statesmen on the Cont
nent who are constitutionaliStS have looked
forward to his ascending the throne as the
begjnning of a new era in the German EN-
pire To them, as indeed to everybody who
wishes Germany well, the prospect of his
early death is a sad one. No man could be
better trained for that high position physi-
cally.' intellectually and morally. He seems
10 have every quality needed or even desira-
be in IT, Physically, he is large, robust
and active; intellectually, his excellent ma
tive powers have been trained under the
best influence possible in Germany; NOR
ally, there has never been the shadow of a
charge whispered against him, even by those
most Interested in Matchmaking the char
acter of Germany and the Court of Berlin.
As to his spirit and temper, there is in him
genuine heartiness and kindness which
proptiates those who have to do with him.
He keeps mis- eyes open upon the world at
large In my first official interview with
him he started the subject of the Brooklyn
bridge, asking me questions about its his
tory and structure which showed that he
had watched its construction carefully. He
next passed to the character of our West
ern domain, especially of Colorado. refer
ring to some water-color sketches of that re-
Slol WHICH Haul SIodUly llUeIeSUtu HILL 1T
also touched upon the influence OF European
art in America, referring to the picture by
Knaus, since presented by Miss Wolfe to the
Metropolitan Museum of art in New York
CITY,
Son another occasion when it became my
duty to accompany him through the Fish
cries Exposition at Berlin, he showed a very
great interest in the American exhibit and
full recognition of its superior merits. Il
was not difficult to foresee, what afterwarC
happened, that the grand prize given by
the Emperor would come to our section.
GAS to his son, Prince William, he seemed
TO me in his APPEARANCE and in the very lit
tie conversation | ever had with him g
young man with possibilities Of good ser
vice IN him. He had distinguished himself
a. an officer in the work of the POtSdam
garrison, and had been complimented by til,
Emperor on the fact.
AS to Prince Bismarck, think that his
greatness will be mo @ acknowledged a.
time goes on. He accepts certain mixture
OF constltutionalism in the German govern
Ment, but resiSts any more concessions to IT.
his influence is at present controlling; and
should the Crown Prince come to the
throne, would doubtless remain as powerful
as at present in all that pertains to the for
elgn policy of Germany. As to her do
nestle policy and the management of par
liamentary government, there would quit
tlkely be some modification.
From all that can gather, it seems tt
me that should the grandson of the EN-
perlol Prince William, soon come to tn
throne and Bismarck survive long enough
10 Impress deeply upon him his ideas of do
I'estlc policy, the progress of conSiderabl,
uelayed. On this as well as on other &C
counts 1t seems to me that the death OF tn
crown Prince would be a cause of regret Il
every thinking man Who believes in tn
progress Of rational liberty.
As to the future of Germany, | see n
especial reason for fears She is not az
ereSSlve; but powerful as she is when actinj
upon the offensive, that is a mere nothing
n IMPAIRED to her power against aggression
Az oe sure, she seems at times between tn
upper and neither millstones, France on the
one side and Russia on the other But
considerable acquaintance with French at
iaiiS during many years past, fairly goo'
knowledge of Russian affairs begun year
ago during an official stay at st. Peters
p1uTg, and a residence in Germany at tire
inherent periods extending over severa
years convince me that Germany, apar
.rGlh ner enormous physical strength ha
u uer people certain moral strength, com
Jared TO which in a hand to-hand struggl
rance and Russia are light in weight. Al
.naC Germany did in the Franco-Prussial
war would think, be as nothing compared
20 what she would do if she were fighting
ior existence. 1t would be like the grea
Uprising of the French people of 179
ssdilSt the efforts of Europe to subdu