The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-11-12

TON THUMB. The man who rose from
obscurity and indigence TO be Emperor OF
the French and master for time Of Europe
from the Tagus to the vistula, inherited
nothing. and owed everything that he &C
complished and acquired to his individual
intellect. The present ruler Of Germany Is
indebted for all that he possesses. includ-
ing the power Of humiliating his country's
benefactor, to the mere accident Of birth.
Again, from Toulon to Waterloo the mill
tary career OF BoNAPARTE was one reful-
gent exhibition OF personal prowess and
sagacity. On the other hand. the sole POSI-
tive proof which Kaiser WILLIAM II. has
given OF fitness to command an army is his
demonstrated ability to change his uniform
four times day.
It really required some ingenuity on the
part Of Mr.. STEAD to discover points OF
likeness between the man whose achieve
ments must. in View OF his starting point.
be pronounced unequalled. and another
who, for aught we yet know to the con-
trary. may be one Of the smallest human
beings ever allowed to play at kingship.
To carry out his purpose Mr.. STEAD has
applied a microscope to the faults and
foibles whereby the victor at Austerlitz
betrayed relationship to human nature In
general. and to Kaiser WILLIAM II. In
particular. We are reminded. for instance.
that BoNAPARrR had an eye to histrionic
effect. that he was characterized by intense
self-consciousness and that his notion OF
government was programme In which he
would be the star actor. In all these par
ticulars we are assured that the present
ruler OF Germany Is like him. It Is.
OF course. possible that WILLIAM II.
may bN as vain as NAPOLEON l..
but the still undetermined question Is. what
has he to be vain about? Egregious vanity
is an attribute too common among men and
women. young and old, to constitute a
startling feature Of resemblance between
two individuals. Again. Mr.. STEAD dwells
with emphasis on NAPoLEoN's extraordi-
GARY memory. which. 1t is known. was
equally remarkable for tenacity and for
comprehenslveness OF details. It seems
that the young Emperor Of Germany Is
credited by his fatterers with possessing a
similar faculty. It is not impossible that
he should possess It: there are many re-
corded instances OF memories moro phe-
nomenal than was BoNAPARTE's power OF
"Reminiscences. The difference was that the
possessors OF the gift turned it to no ac-
count.
But Mr.. STEAD has found more decisive
indication Of moral and intellectual con-
gruity between BoNAPARTE and WILLIAM
II. They are alike. he says. In their dislike
OF clever women. In the case OF both the
ideal Of femininlty found Its satisfaction in
the kitchen and the nursery. To fill the
cradle and to spread the table Is woman's
mission In the judgment alike Of the first
NAPOLEON and the present HoHENzoLLERN
1t ia true that the great French Emperor
had a poor opinion Of women. but his no
tons on this subject are shared by but few
great men and by countless millions Of
small ones. They are shared by every Eu-
ropean shopkeeper who devolves most Of
his work upon his helpmate. and by every
European laborer who beats his wife. Ad-
hitting that Kaiser WILLIAM II. shares this
obliquity OF vision. as Mr.. STEAD asserts.
the fact scarcely warrants US in exalting
him to the pinnacle Of genius on which Ma
PoIEoN BoNAPARTH stands almost alone.