The Portland daily press., 1893-12-25
EMPEROR AND MoRALlsT.
Why William IL Is Opposed to Gambling
in the Army.

The opposition of the Emperor of Ger
many to gam bling in every form among
the officers is creating something akin
to CONSERVATION in army circles, says
the New York Tribune. The wearers
of the stars, straps and gold buttons al
| most fear to touch cards in their own
rooms for fear his majesty in some way
will hear of it and reprimand them.
This policy of the ruler is not whlm of
the moment.
It is in accordance with resolution
taken in his younger days. when he
was supposed to he in sympathy with
everything "wild" in the German CAPT
tai. It was brought about, it is said, by
the suicide of promising young lieu
tenant in the regiment to which the
prince was attached, and of whom ne
was exceedingly fond. While playina
one night in the Union Club, the swell
est" organization in Germany, ,he staked
his fortune, lost it, and / TT the green
table to send a bullet thorugh his brain
in secluded spot in the Thiengarten.
His body, clad in the uniform o the
crack" regiment of the capital, was
found on the following morning byswork-
men on their way to their duties.
his royal highness was much affected
by the news, and made a VOW that
should he live to ascend the throne, he
would preclude such tragedies if posi-
BILE. He adopted the policy long before
the unhappy death Of his father, how
ever.
A short time after the suicide of his
friend he became commander of the
Hussar regiment of the tGarde-du-C Corps,
nc knir Is 10 Hol al ,f,
the orders witch which he surprised his
subalterns one morning was that direct
ing them to give up gam bling in the
Union Club or resign from its member
ship lists.
The officials of the club felt the effects
of the order Immediately The officers
| of the guard in German regiments are
necessarily wealthy men and when they
ceased to play for high stakes life at the
club became comparatively monotonous.
A meeting of the members was held, and
a committee was appointed to call upon
old Emperor William to endeavor to in
duce him to persuade his grandson to
withdraw the obnoxious rder. His ma
jesty promised to do SO, sent for Prince
William and asked him to rescind the
command. The prince ssremained stead
fast The Emperor insisted.
ALLOW me to ask your majesty" finally
broke out the prince, if am still colonel
of the regiment"
GAS matter of course, "came the an
swer.
"Then ask your majesty to ALLOW me
to uphold my order" hesreplied, Tor
otherwise hand back the command into
your hands at once"
The old hero, pleased with the.spirit
of the young soldier, patted him on the
shoulder, and continued:
"That is impossible. / could not get
SO good colonel again. The order shall
remain"
Emperor William sent for the commit
tee an hour later, and said: Gentlemen,
l am sorry. I have tried, but the col
onel will not withdraw the order"
That closed the incident, and the I'm
ion Club ceased to number the Guard
officers of the Princes regiment among
its members.
The determination showed at that time
he was then only about 26 years old
he continues to show, and never misses
an opportunity to give expression to his
adherence of gam bling. If possible, he
will stop it in the army. He sets good
example jill never playing forshigh stakes
While on "a hunting expedition few
weeks ago he sat at the table an entire
evening, and found at the end of the
game that he had won six pennings, or a
little more than a cent. German fathers
and mothers give the Emperor unstinted
praise for his policy, and pray that he
may be successful in its execution. 1t is
policy which meets the approval even
of the Socialists. Nothing that he has
undertaken, in fact, has gained for him
more genuine friends and admirers.