Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1888-03-15
Death Of Kaiser Wilhelm.


acter Of the old emperor who has Just
passed away, at the extreme age of
ninety-one years, was given graphically
and tersely in the Chicago Tribune of
March 10. As the finest presentation
of facts which we have seen we give
the sketch as it appeared in the Trib-
une's columns.
The death of Friedrich Ludwig VIII
helh, first Emperor of Germany and
seventh King of Prussia, removes from
the world the most stately and con-
spicuous representative of royalty in
contemporary European history, From
that day in 1861 when he placed the
crown of Prussia upon his head himself.
declaring that he held it from God alone
he has been every inch a sovereign,
though standing in the shadow of two
such men as Bismark and Won Moltke.
Except the Gar, who still clings to the
divine right of kings, the other sovereigns
of Europe appear insignificant and
powerless as compared with the old
emperor who has just passed away after
a life unusually long and eventful.
An estimate of the Emperor's life
must be largely based upon its military
features. He was born soldier. At
z years of age he was subjected to severe
military training. As a boy, he fought
with the allies against Napoleon l., and
with such gallantry that Russia gave
HIM public honor and his father deco
rated him with the Iron Cross. He en-
tered Paris with the conquerors, little
dreaming that more than half CEN
tury afterwards he would rs-enter the
gay city at the head of his victorious
army at the close of the war which
would make him Emperor of all Ger
many. At q he was a Major-General.
As soon as he became Regent in 1857 he
began the great work of resuscitating
the Prussian army. He furnished it
with the needle-gun, He surrounded
himself with such officers as Won Moltke
the consummate master of strategy.
and Room an equal master of sys-
tenn. The latter planned that remark
able organization which, as the Emper-
or afterwards said, made the Prussian
army simply the Prussian nation in arms.
w utu iOAtih UtHhbCnb uOoLiic ~
the system he summoned Bismarck to
his side, who forced the measure
through by his personal craft aud
strength in defiance OF all Constitutional
methods. He took an active personal
port in the war with Austria over the
Shleswig Hoslein question, aud in the
I'D year of his age, when the quarrel
arose over LeUpuldis candidacy To the
throne of Spain, headed his army
against France and proclaimed toit ITO
day | undertake the command of The
whole army, and | advance cheerfully
to a struggle which in former times our
fathers, similarly situated, fought out
Ia this short but eventful
struggle the veteran King was tue real
commander, and no movement was
made againt his sanction.
In reviewing his life there appear to
be six important events characterizing
his reign as King of Prussia and En-
peror of Germany. (D lie adopted
and perfected the existing army system,
and gave to Prussia a strong military
government. (2) By the results Of
the Schleswig- Holstein war he made
Prussia the chief of the German States
and enlarged her dominions. (3) As
the most important consequence Of the
Franco-German war. he secured the
unitication OF Germany and recovered
The provinces of Alsace-Lorraine. "a
Having effected the unioE IF the Father
land, he cemented it still more strongly
by continuous alliance with Austria and
Italy, and for time with Russia, by
which he was able to dictate peace and
enhance the material prosperity of the
Empire through important commercial
treaties. (5) He conducted long and
important controversy with the Vatican
on the question of imperial jurisdiction
over Catholic Subiecls, and at last with
Bismarck s aid established a peaceable
mondus viyendi. He held Socialism
iu check and survived its outbreaks,
upon two occasions which closely men
aced his life.
So far as action is concerned, how
ever. the old Emperor passed the point
of usefulness in 1871. Had he died as
the victor of France and the founder of
the German Empire it would have been
as well for his fame. Since then Bis
marck has virtually been the ruler of
Germany, and Wilhelm has passively
fingered along, having passed the
allotted term, awaiting with the cour-
age of an old soldier. He has left to
his successor the legacy of united Ger
many never so strong as is to-day.
"Unser Fritz" is to-day Frederick Ill.
Emperor of Germany, bul none the less
the Emperor's death has come at
time and under circumstances which
may we'll make the German people
anxious. With the royal family itself
rent bV domestic diSsenSions, the legiti.
mate successor Frustrated BY malady
which battles the skill of his physicians,
the heir presumptive young man of
impetuUus disposition, thoroughly
possessed with the military idea, with
the Russian legions on the frontier and
the old Bulgarian question again taking
ON war like appearance, things have
a serious look The Germans may well
pray that the Crown Princes life may
be spared, for the legacy will be safer
in his keeping than in that of his son.
But should il be ordered otherwise the
man of blood. iron and brains is still ut
the fore. With Russia embittered and
France still cherishing hopes of revenge
even should the grandson pass from a
regency to the throne, the Chancellor's
statecraft and indomitable nerve may
succeed in warding off amy attack upon
Germany and preserving peace inEurope
The political future of their country.
however, may we'll excite curious APP
prehensions in the minds of all Ger
mans.
Miss Louisa NJ Alcott. the popular
authoress of Little Women died on
the 9th of March Miss Alcott had been
suffering from nervous prostration for
some months. At the time of her
fathers illness she went into Boston to
see him and sudden cold contracted
at that time, brought on spinal menin-
CITES which caused her death. Miss
Acott was born in Germantown, Pa,
in 1888, and was thus in her 55th year.
She was born on her fathers birthday
and it seems strange that her death
should have followed his so closely.
Miss tpuft has written Snvprai hooks