The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1888-11-20
AFFAIRS IN GERMANY.

The cordially with which the Emperor
of Germany has been received III Vienna
and the apparently thorough good unoer
standing which exists between him ana
the Emperor of Austria, have gwen
Europe a new feeling OF assurance IN the
continuance of the present relations Pc
tween the Great Powers. That the
vonno Fmperor should have made his
first visit to st. Petersburg, and that the
character of his diplomatic suite seemed
to indicate some purpose to exert a DEN
mite diplomatic influence, gave rise 10
disOuieting rumOrs of a possible change
of relations which might have thrown
the ample of discOrd among the armed
nations of the Continent. Ii Germany
had come once more to an understanding
with Russia, the present alliance pc
tween Austria and Italy could nafoIy,
have continued, nor could RUSSIA aud
France have remained long IN Chelr pre-
sent friendly relations if Russia had
AGAIN felIoWshlpped with Germany. But
the German Emperor has followed ms
visit to St. Petersburg with a similar
visit to Vienna, and those who are care
fully watching the signs OF the tunes, as
read in the movements OF the neaos Oh
the Government, are inclined 10 Inc
opinion that the visit to st. PETERSBURG
was more a matter OF courtesy IMAM Oh
Diplomatic intention, and that the alI1-
ances remain as they were. 1t becomes
more and more clear that the young
Emperor intends to be the actual as well
as the nominal ruler of Germany. his
speeches make it clear that while Ger
MANY NAV have Prime Ministers, 1t is 10
have sovereign who will bear on MS
own shoulders the responsibilities ana
burdens of the government. Inc speech
of the Emperor's friend, Count Douglas,
delivered at Ascherslaben last week,
appears to have been deliberate noun
cation to Germany that hencetorth the
Emperor William, and not Prince Bis
marck, will shape the policy OF the Gov
eminent.
Meanwhile the excitement over the
publication of extracts from diariesof the
late Emperor Frederick shows small
signs of abating. Professor GeHcken,
through whom the extracts were made
public, has been arrested, but as yet no
definite measures have been taken To-
ward his formal prosecution. 1t Is sald
| in some quarters that the Professor is IN
sane, and that he is not responsible Tor
his action. Now that the text OF the
| Emperor's diary has been published at
| considerable length, it is easy to under
| stand the anger of Bismarck and the
| men who have impressed a distlnctlvely
| imperial policy on Germany. Not only
| do the important part which the late
! Fmperor PLAYED in the establishment OF
! the Empire, and his sagacity and lore
| thought, become apparent, but the dis
| passiOnateness of his temper, the nber-
| atty of his views, and the nobility OF his
| ideal for Germany, ARE disclosed III all the
| fuIlness and frankness which sincere
| and frank man would use in making per-
sonal memoranda Thoughtful Germans
| can hardly contrast the ideal of the En-
peror Frederick with the actual achieve
| ment of Bismarck without keen sense
| of what was lost by the lOng-delayed
| accession to the throne of ruler whose
instincts were all for freedom, and who
seemed to grasp in statesmanllke spirit
| the noblest possibility OF his country.
| Bismarck services in the conSohdauon
of Germany were so many ana SO great
| that he can we'll afford to part with the
| almost exclusive renown which had
come to him while the people believed
| that the modern German Empire was q
creation of his own brain. 1t was Bis
| mar, k who undermined Austria's posi-
ton. led her into the SchlesWig- HOl-
stein war. disconnected one by Que with
infinite patience and tact the strong ties
which united her with her German
allies, and finally led her into the terri
BILE blunder of a war with Prussia, IN
| which the Iru1G Ol years VI uhP4OnA@'AS
scheming was plucked on the field OF
battle. Bismarck does not seem, how
ever, to have realized the strength OF the
racial German sentiment among the
southern members of the German Con
federation, and it is at this point that
the difference of opinion between him
self and the Crown Prince Frederick
arose. The Grown Prince understood
the temper of the Southern German peo-
pie, and believed that the former
| allies of Austria were ready. to ac-
cept the leadership of Prussia. He
criticized, therefore, the Fabian po-
licv of Bismarck, and urged more
aggressive and immediate measures.
The Crown Prince believed that the time
was ripe for the establishment of the
German Empire on broad and liberal
basis; Bismarck hung back, and there
was sharp collision of opinion. When
the French and German war came to a
successful conclusion the problem was
solved, but not according to the generous
ideas of the Crown Prince. Just before
the capitulation of the French, BismarcE
confessed to the Crown Prince that ne
had made a mistake in not raising the
imperial question in 1866. The diary Is
, very important contribution to contem
porary history, and its full pubLcatAor
will be inevitable.