Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1890-01-20
FREYTAG ON FREDERICK.


the Making of the New German
EMPIRE" in which he hopes to show
that what became fact had long been
wish Of the then Crown Prince, the
late Emperor Frederick The Berlin
correspondent Of the London Daily
News says the author confesses that as
late as 1870 he himself was not in favor
of an empire, and there were many who
thought as he did. The groundwork
of Freytag's book consists of hasty notes
jotted down during the war and of
letters which he wrote to friend. He
Graves the indulgence of his readers for
giving All honest, unbiased description
of the late Emperor. He has been loyal
to the house of Hohenzollern all his
life, but there is no authority so exalted
as to influence his Judgment.
OF the last chapter of the book the
correspondent says: 1.-THE author, who
after the war remained in intimate COM
munication with the Crown Prince, tells
US how much the latter was disappoint-
ed that no fold of activity was open to
him at home, how the empire grew and
flourished more and more under the
regime Of the late Emperor William,
while the Crown Prince, with more or
less visionary plans and projects, was
forced to keep in the background, look
ing on in inactivity. On this period Of
the late Emperor's life Herr Freytag's
words are: For long time the Crown
Prince had been fortunate enough to
have among his most intimate friends
two men in succession who, by their
education and character, were worthy
of the highest confidence. Ernest Won
Steomor from 1864 until his death re-
NAMED the confidential adviser of the
Crown Prince and Princess.
CAT his recommendation Karl Won
Normann assumed his place, and during
the twenty years in which the Crown
Prince accomplished the great work of
his manhood he remained closely con-
nected with him. After Herr Normann
in 1884 was transferred to the Foreign
Office the Crown Prince was alone, at a
time when a faithful adviser was most
necessary. He deliberately indulgedIi an
sad thoughts and pessimistic reflections.
'At times he thought of abdicating in
favor of his son in case of a change Of
throne. Not even the persuasions Of
the Crown Princess were able to Danish
this sadness for any length Of time. He
began to grow old in mind and body
long before the terrible disease struck
him, and his vital energy was no longer
that befitting man who was shortly to
wear the imperial crown. Those who
hoped for him would see in him what
they most desired, and those who
thought little of his capacities were not
able to Judge what powers and inclina-
tions the office and reign might have
developed in a healthy man.
"'He was frank, honest man, with a
cheerful mind and heart full of love, a
man with the power of rejoicing heartily
over every thing good and great. He
was so amiable and full of sympathy to-
ward the needy and suffering that not
even the numberless bitter experiences
which the great ones OF the earth make
with reference to the unworthiness Of
those who seek aid detained him from
giving aid in individual cases. To those
who were more closely connected with
him he showed the most tender affec-
ton; every sorrow they encountered he
also felt, as a true friend, from the bot
tom of his heart He was tender and
excitable, man of rare purity and deep
leart1neSS.
He was an ardent Protestant, uni
formly tolerant in all religious ques-
, tions, and his strongest antipathies were
directed against bigoted clericals. In
politics he was opposed to police rule,
and wished for extended rights of self
government and the greatest liberty for
all communities in all kinds of honest
activity. But these we're sentiments
with which those who had knowledge
of the condition OF the people did not
quite agree, and it would have been diff
fcult for him to put in practice his
convictions in face of the authoritative
objections they met with, for he was no
practical politician. His Judgment had
not been tested in great affairs, and
when no was enthusiastically bent On
some great end he hesitated in using
the necessary meana md a. MOULD 49,