The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-03-10
THE HEIRS To THE EMPrRE.

Frederick William. familia-ly known as I'm
ser Fritz whom the death OF Kaiser wilhelmv
will raise to be Emperor Of Germany, was born
on the 18th OF October, 1881, in the new palace
at Potsdan, and he il, therefore, in his
ffty-seventh year. AS n boy. he was sickly,
and his life was often despaired Of; but he grew
mp to be strong and manly.
He certainly has, up to the present, had any
thing but pleasant time in Berlin. He has
never been able TO agree with Prince Bismarck
and his policy. and is not in sympathy with the
military party at the court. which knows thas
with bis coming to power he would devote more
attention to the commercial. intellectual aud
artistic development of the empire. and endeav-
or to relieve the country as much as possible
from the present burden of militarisin. Not
that he would weaken the strength of the en-
pire, but he would certainly strive to bring Ger
many more into harmony with the progressive
spirit of the nineteenth century. Hitherto, with
the exception.of the brief time in which he was
made Regent after Nobiling's attempt upon the
life of the Kaiser. he has been kept as much as
possible in the dark as TO the policy of the gov
ernment
In 1853 (Jan. 2I] the Prince left Berlin for
England. where he was to wed Princess Vic
toria. He was accompanied by the Prince and
Princess of Prussia, Princes Frederick Carl, Al
brecht and Adalbert, the King Of the Begians,
ard the Duke of Cobure. The marriage took
place on Jan. %. and prosy> Baron Stockmar
was made happy in seeing his plan of the houses
of Prussia and England joined in more intimate
relationship Prince Albert wrote: ssThe
young people seem to be heartily in love with
each other, and the innocence and unselfishness
of the young man Is very touching. Tears
flowed freely"
The Princess never became very popular with
the Prussian aristocracy. Her influence on the
Prince however, has been remarkable. To her
must belong the credit os making him what he
has long been, model husband and father,
which was not always the case with the Hohen-
zollerns. Soon after the marriage it will be
membered that the Princess away from
Berlin on discovering some rich present that she
had seen in her husbands secretaire. and which
she had imagined was intended for herself q
blrthdry gift worn by one of the fair ladies OF
the court. She got far as Coogns. en- route
to England, before her fight discovered,
and there telegram from the King ordered her
return at once to Berlin. She had reluctant
ly to obey the royal command When she re-
turned she kindly received by the Empress.
who IS said to have made the remark:
my dear You should not have married q
Hohenzollern If you had expected otherwise"
The Princess. like sensible woman, set to
work earnestly to wins firm hold upon the
Princes affection and esteem. and she succeeded
in making him what he now is-the noblrst,
gentlest and most moral OF the Hohenzollerns.
They have now six children III life and two are
dead. Prince Wilhelm was born Jan. ~, 1883;
Princess Charlotte born July "a. 1860;
Prince Heinrich (the future admiral of the Ger
man navy, Aug "a, 1862; Princess Victoria. April
i, 1866; Princess SOPHIE June IA. 1870: Princess
Margherita, April D. 1872. Prince Waldemar,
who born Feb 10, 1868, died in 1873, and
Prince Sigismund died two years before. On
the 25th of January, 1883, the crown priucely
pair celebrated their silver wedding in Berlin
annie great festivities.
The Crown Prince has taken part in three
great wars-the Danish, Austrian. and French.
In the former, however. he was only spectator,
attached to the headquarters of Marshal
WranreL His first leadership was given 20
him in the Austrian camualgn. be dis
Tipguished himself officer OF the greatest
bravery, and won in succession all the military
honors and decorations to be bestowed.
Before he was stricken down with his present
fatal malady Unser Fritz and the Crown
Princess led happy domestic life They were
fond of going to the theater ont. unlike the old
Emperor, they do not care much for the opera.
The Prince retired early. and was up by or
o'clock In the morning. They went out great
deal in the daytime, and they were frequently
of some public garden without attendants.
All the Hohenzollerns are put to learn n
trade in their poyhood. The Grown Prince
learned TO be da6inet-mak and his eldest
son, Prince William, who will soon be Emperor,
apprenticed 'devilr in a German print
ing Office. He worked two years at type-setting
and imposing, and then wear in the hand
press room
The Crown Princes malady is evidently Of
hereditary nature, his grandmother, the beauti-
full Queen Louise, of Prussia, having died of q
cancerous tumor in the neighborhood of the
heart This fact ought to dispose of the rumors
which seek to attribute his disease TO dis
graceful source Never has a more unfouuded
charge been made and few men bave ever led
purer and more wholesome lives than 'Unser
Fritz"
The doctors disagree as to how long the illus
trious sufferer may live DR.. Mackenzie believes
he may live from eighteen months to two years,
while Drs Schroeder and Howell think he may
last for four five years. The latest reports indi-
cate that his death is more likely to be question
of months weeks. All agree that the disease
is incurable. The Crown Prince received his
death-warrant calmly. II thank you. sir. for
being frank with me-" he said to Mackenzie
when he heard the sentence
Characteristics of the Eventual Emperor.
Prince Wilhelm, the eldest son of "Upser
Fritz" will, in all probability, soon become Em-
peror of Germany. According to reports, seem
inely reliable, his fathers malady is fatal in its
nature and has reached such an advanced stage
that his death is expected to occur within a short
time. The rule of Frederick William over Ger
many, being regarded as almost certainly Of
very transitory duration, is not regarded with
as deep concern as is the soon-expected acces-
sion of his son. Frederick will probably not
outlive Bismarck and Won Moltke The exist
ing balance of forces, the serious disturbance of
which is to precipitate great European
war, will doubtless be maintained during his
brief reign. But after Bismarck and Won Moltke
have gone. and the affairs of the great German
nation are in the hands of the young Prince
William, tho case will become much more prob
lematic. Naturally, not only throughout Ger
many but all Europe he has suddenly become
an object of the greatest interest and solicitude
Prince Wilhelm is only III his tweIty-eighth
year. and has chiefly distinguished himself
yet as a representative of the most Questionable
type of the Prussian military .'Younker." He
is the pride of he military party, was favorite
of the late Emperor, and is the hope of Prince
Bismarck. who. is we'll known. has great
friendship for Frederick, as the latter has no
special liking for him. Frederick has little of
the Hohenzoilern spirit OF aggressiveness in
him. He believes the time has come for Ger
many to cultivate the arts OF peace than
OF war. He is particularly acceptable ruler
10 the non -Prussian states of Germany. He la
not a believer in immense standing armies like
his father or Prince Bismarck; he Goes not
dream of the eventfnl destruction OF France,
bur would prefer see bis empire contestlne in