Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-04-26
Exemplified in the Origin OF the Ger.
man Empire.

Exemplified In the Origin OF the Ger.
man Empire.
DR.. L. R. KLEMM's LECTURE AT THE COLUMBIAN
UNIvERsITY-GERMANY DOES NOT REST UPON
THE SHOULDERS OF SINGLE MAN. NOT EVEN
BIsMARCK-THE NEW GERMANY REVIEWED.
The large lecture room of the Columbian
University was well filled yesterday afternoon
when DR.. L. L. Klemm of the Bureau Of Educa-
ton began his lecture on the subject ''Evolu-
ton in history as exemplified in the origin of
the German empire" There was a no.iceabiy
large number of ladies in the audience.
DR.. klemm said in the course OF his remarks:
''This is An eminently proper time to regard
the history of Germany. Now that that great
figure. Bismarck. is disappearing from the
scene it is natural to review the past of his
country. shall feel satisfied if 1 succeed in
showing the natural relation of cause and
effect in history and that the empire of Ger
many is not an ephemeral creation and that it
does not rest upon the shoulders of a
single man. even if that man be
Bismarck. Absolute power, as a rule. can only
be won on battle field and sustained by force
of arms. and even that great man Caesar won
his power by bloodshed. Eight hundred years
later Charlemagne took his crown from the
hands OF priest Pope Leo III. but it was the
hands of his soldiers who had followed him
over many bloody field that raised him to the
summit OF his power. So with Napoleon and
so with William of Prussia. The new German
empire was formed upon battle field. No one
in England regards Victoria as an absolute
monarch, because even her title of Empress of
India was won for her by the power of diplo-
macy. How true then the historic saying that
might makes right.
NOT AN EMPIRE, But A coNGLoMERATIoN.
"ln 1871 the various petty German princes
gathered together and asked the mightiest of
them all, King William, to collect all the differ
ent municipalities under one head. The EN-
pre- over which King William was placed is not
an empire Ill the true sense of the word. 1t is
conglomeratlon. Manv absurd stipnlations
and restrictions upon the power of the en-
peror, which are right from a republican point
OF view, but not from an imperial standpoint.
have died "a natural death, but there are many
that still remain. Thus the state of Bavaria
has its own army, its own embassies at foreign
courts and maintains its own postal service.
Like the empires of Cesar, Charlie
many is still an indlstinct political
power, and the natural question arises
as TO whether it Is a satisfaction return for the
many sacrifices that were involved In its forma-
ton. 1t was but an exhibition of cause and
effect when Frederick Barbaross3 wasted his
money and men on the battle fields of Italy
while the petty princes were naturally grow
ing IN power. For centuries the strength and
energies OF Germany were exhausted in main
tanning sovereignty In a country where 1T was
a mere show and not a reality. and where the
best good of the two countries demanded that
they should not have had real sovereignty.
THE HOUSE OF HoHENZoLLERN
is not brilliant. 1t glitters no more than its
colors, which are black and white. The mem
bers of it. however, are noted for their zeal
and devotion to duty, and the present young
emperor is a true Hohenzoiiern. As the ruler
is SO is the state. The German character is not
fired by any shallow enthusiasm, it is prosaic
and not poetcal. But this very prosaic
steadfastness is one of the strongest
foundations of German greatness. The
sturdy north Germans have steadily
advanced toward the east, while the Austrians
and Bavarians have made halt. 1t is remarkable
how soon Brandenburg revived after the thirty
years war. the most destructive war of history,
and rebuilt from its ashes. while other prlnci-
palities remained in a chaotic and ruinous con-
dltlon well on into the present century. The
advance III BrandenDurg was due to Its honest
and skilifui civil service and its able army.
Thus within less than century after the con-
clusion OF the thirty years war this state be-
came the strongest Of all the states OF Germany.
1.-THE NEW GERMANY OF TO-DAY :
is grounded upon frmer and more stable politi-
lemagne with its ideas of imperial supremacy
The kingdoms of Charlemagne and Otto were
new powers and not the result of gradual de-
velopment. On the other hand. the Germany of
today is the outcome of natural evolution. The
Germans may form republic, but it Is not likely,
for they have not the same undying principles
and desires for self-government that mark the
modern Anglo-Saxon. Even a revolution, which
optimistic writers pretend TO see in the near
future, would not endanger the real union that
holds together the empire of Germany The
stolid steadfastness of the German character
and its devotion to anv set line of action is one
OF Its leading elements of strength. That the
peculiar systems and methods of the govern
ment of Prussia will win over the other Ger
man states Is certain, and its completion is only
a question of time. Never in the whole course
of Its history has Germany been compact
and close in its union as it is today. The fusion
of the various elements is not rapid. but its
very slowness is proof of its thoroughness.
simultaneous with the formation of Germany
national basis was the formation of Italy
The breaking of the unnatural tie that had
bound these two countries was the signal for
each to begin to grow and develop along its
proper and individual lines. The interests of
Prussia are materially the interests of all
Germany in every way. 1t is safe to say that
all parts of Germany that still maintain
limited independence will inevitably become a
part of Prussia. We may not live to see it,