The morning news., 1890-12-15
Germany Wants No Greek.

Berlin is greatly surprised at the recent
speech Of Emperor William. Not only did
IL surprise the Berlinese. but the whole en-
pire. All Of the staid schoolmasters iu Ger
many are astonished at the radical utter
ances Of their young kaiser on the subject
Of education. All of the precedents are set
at naught and educational traditions torn
up by the roots. as it were. Some Of his
propositions are decidedly practical a1d san
sible. Still, they are only too manifestly
Inspired much more by military ambition
than by sympathy for the peoples and con-
sideration for their best interests.
Patriotism of bigoted and vainglorious
order is the monarca's leading character
istic. In fact, it is such passion with him
that it positively amounts to a mania To
such ex,rene lengths does he carry this
prejudice that he wants to eradicate from
the country, and apparently even from the
memory of his subjects, everything that is
not German. So uncompromising is he
upon tina: point that it would not be at all
surprising to hear that he had banlshed the
Gospel and the tradition of the Immaculate
Conception because they are not of German
origin.
Yet this curiously jealous mouarch, who
is ambitious to the verge of narrowness,
sometimes formu,atcs and diffuses ideas
that ara simple and practical to tne poin. of
wisdom. Such were his propositions 10
teach more German and less Greek in the
public schools, and to cultivate the health Of
tue children mora and their heads less.
Sound suggestions like these are entirely
too good to be based upon the selfish ex-
PLANTATION that the en- oeror wanted SOL
diers" and not scholars. His only objection
to scholars seems to be that they can't
see well enough to shoot the antici-
pated enemy. That is not a patriotic
reason. Patriotism cannot be SO narrow as
that Still, it was eminently practical One
of his assigned reasons, however, was both
practical and patriotic. That was his refer
ence to the reproduction of learned men,
Such men, he truly says, constitute a dis
tinct danger TO society. They are super
fluous in the higher strata of life. aud must
either fall into crime or humble employ
ments. This is clearly evidenced by the
large number of educated walters in Ameri-
can restaurants.
Physical development undoubtedly en-
hances the mental possibilities. That has
often been conclusively shown. In that
particular the emperor was clearly right.
Like most new monarchs this young
kaiser is full Of zeal and energy. He has
unwontsd power and he likes it. 1t is new
to him and he wants to turn things out of
their beaten ruts and look them over curl
ously. To find here and there the weak
spots of times decay is not difficult. Until
he tires Of the occupation it affords he may
do much good In this way.
His gratuitous fiing at the newspapers is
only natural Newspapers are altogether
too independent to suit the policy of most
monarchS They can well afford to ignore
the royal prejudice. AT the same time
their majesties would do well to bear in
mind that those same newspapers are more
powerful than the strongest monarch.
Combined they could soon shake him off his
throne. This young kaiser might profit by
remembering that.