New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-06-11
THE GERMAN EMPEROR.
HIS NOTIONS OF DIVINE RIGHT, OF 1NFAL-
LIBILITY, OF SOCIALISM, AND OF PILOT
ING SHIP.

for tho German Emperor which his accident on
Sunday has called forth are some other express
sions which, if he read or heard them, he would
hardly think sympathetic. The cheapest moral
is drawn first that an Emperor who cannot drive
an English gig may yet overturn the coach OF
state. Even that would not have been said a
wear ago. But good deal has happened since
last spring, and other illusions than those Cher
ished by Prince Bismarck have melted away. IL
is st;IY the fashion to offer compliments in pub.
lie but no longer compliments only. Never.
nrobablv since the world began has there been
people so ready with its advice to the rest OF the
Universe as the English. The boy-Emperor Of
Berlin is now coming in for his share lie Is
told this morning rather solemnly that ne talks
too much-an opinion from which nobody Is likely
to dissent-and especially that he talks TOO much
about Divine Right. He said at konlgsbers:
I'VE Hohenzollerns accept our crown only from
Heaven, and are responsible to Heaven only for
the performance of its duties l. TOO, am ami
mated by this view, and am resolved 10 ACT and
to govern on this principle.
How strangely it sounds in our American ears;
less strange to Europeans in general; least strange
of all to the Germans. 1t is not the principle
which the Germans object to it is the continual
assertion and reassertion of it by their Emperor
which is beginning to tell upon their heretofore
somewhat eathery nerves. The leutons, said
a Frenchman, have no nerves; they have
snews" They are beginning to have nerves;
the sinews are beginning TO vibrate. This In
perial voice echoes through the Fatherand day
and night like the shrek Of a railway whistle.
" If he were so sure of his Divine Right would he
think it needful 10 say much about it?" asks
one humble student of imperial human nature.
Probably he is sure of it. Whether he is sure
that others are sure of it is another question.
Sure or not, their faith will hardly be strength
ened by these ear piercing blasts on the Imperial
trumpet. 40 political observer has yet pro-
claimed his belief that the Throne of the Hohen-
zoIlerns is tottering. But if it were, would it he
long upheld by these Imperial methods? They
are the methods now in common use TO spread
the sale of particular soap. Tory journal
sees fit TO remark that this young man has adopted
the pushing self-adyertising ways OF an American
candidate for Office. 1t tempts one to stop long
enough to ask whether English candidates for
office are prominently distinguished by retiring
modesty long enough but not longer. sense
of humor is not German, any more than it is a
French, Characteristic. There are Frenchmen
who have it and there are Germans who have it.
In each case they are the exceptions. But
sense of humor is one thing and sensitiveness to
rdcule is another
The ridicule heaped on this loud-shouting En-
peror has hitherto been confined, for the most
part 10 the Chanceeres OF Europe 10 Courts, 10
Cabinets; but in those high precincts 1t has
never been silent since the date Of the Imperial
visits to St. Petersburg, TO Constantinope, 10
Vienna, and elsewhere. In vain did Prince Bis
marck warn his master The master was 100
headstrong TO accept warning from anybody, OF
to believe in anybodys wisdom but his own. 70
lie would, and did. The visits were so many
failures; each for a different reason, but each de-
cisvely failure. The statesmen and diploma
tlsts the sovercigns and cOurters Of Europe,
| looked on at first with amazement then with de-
rison at this unheard-of spectacle. BY the time
the German Emperor had completed his tour he
had sown tie seeds of dstrust of himself and his
policy broadcast over Europe. Some fell by the
wayside in Germany as he came and went, and
they, too springing up and blossomlng and
ripening rather rapidly into kind Of fruit such
| as no man likes to taste of in his own mouth.
And now while this singular harvest is coming
to maturity the Sewer Of it has already another
crop in the ground
Tho doctrine of Infallibility is perilous one
even for Pope. For an Emperor it is certainly
more perilOus. He must he, as Cardinal Newman
said OF the greater potentate, not merely infal-
ible but infallibly certain that he is infallible.
! And the domain of Papal infalliblity, even as
matter of dogma, is confessedly limited. The
! German Emperor clearly believes his TO be ur-
| limited. You must 20 very far back into history
before you can hear such voice this at Konigs-
berg:
Il am In a position TO make the welfare OF
every individual and every Province in my King
dom my own care. l know very well where IN
each case the shoe pnches, and what has to be
| done for you and | have formed my plans ac-
cordinGly."
What is that but the attitude Of an all-wise ara
al-powerful Providence? Yet William the SEQ
ond of Germany is, after all, human. Ills DIVINE
commission may confer on him some of the at
tributes of Divinity, but not Divinity itself.
When therefore, he presents himself TO his people
| in this omniscent and omnipotent character he
gives rise to expectations which he may find 1t
difficult to fulfil. He has perhaps already dis
covered some of the inconvenience attaching 10
the part he plays. The Labor Conference
answered neither TO the anticipatons OF IFS august
author. nor 10 those of the German Socialists.
lie was prepared 10 be. for certain purposes ana
70 a certain extent, their leader. They were pre-
pared 10 accept him as a leader, but on condltlon
that he should make himself known first as a
| Convert There is nothing novel in the charac-
ter of Convert Mr.. Gadstone-another great man
who has notions about the delegation of Divine
authority-has figured Convert for the last
four wears But the Emperor declined the role
offered him. His Labor Conference came to moth
ing. and Prince Bismarck has said nothing bet
ter adapted TO anger his Imperial master than
when he described the summonlng OF that Euro
man assembace as n coup d'Gree dams Ieau
Yet. failure as that was. the confident young
Koiser launches the phrase above quoted with
cbccriness of demeanor that might have been JUS
lifted though hardly, If success and not failure
had attended his previous effort. such speech
will again be thought by the poorer CLASSES 10
range the Emperor on their side. The effort oi
| Socialism, of German Socialism most OF all
i I-.-a 4 -..-. ~