The herald., 1894-01-28
DOES IT mEAN AN AGGRKssIvE roLIcYg

There is perhaps more under the sur
face of Emperor Williams much bla-
zoned reconciliation with Prince Bis
msrck than manifests itself to the
casual observer. The emperor is evil
IDENTIFY a good hater, and he is undoubt-
eddy a man who nurses and holds fast
to his personal animosities. He has
shown, since he first assembled the
throne OF Germany, that his likes and
dislikes are very pronounced and very
fixed, and that those who have incurred
his displeasure have little hope of re-
placing themselves in his good
graces. He has carried his antip-
atby to Bismarck to astonish-
ing extremes, and has resisted the
most potent offers of Intervention for
reconciliation at times with brusque
rejection which showed that his resent
ment was deprecated and acute. The
king of Saxony has on more than one
occasion thrust upon the emperor his
good offices to bring Bismarck and him
self into amicsble relations; but sig
nally failed. The recent serious illness
OF the great chancellor is the ostensible
reason of Williams relenting. But we
doubt if even such an occasion, which
upon natures not immovably obdurate,
usually renders them peculiarly sensible
to the dictates of charity and forgive
ness, was the underlying cause of the
emperor's softening towards Bismarck.
We rather incline to the idea that
deep and studied policy is the underly-
ing cause of this remarkable reconcilia-
ton, go repugnsnt to the natural char
acteristics the German emperor has
heretofore shown.
Bismarck, even at outs with William,
has shown himself to be a tremendous
power III Germany. The man of iron
demonstrated that even in his Danish
ment from the court he had personal
following whose sympathies and friend
ship neither the Establishments nor the
terrors of power could move. Around
him rallied some of the strongest ele-
ments of the empire. His great past
services to Germany endeared him to
the whole nation, and by raising his
little finger he could have inaugurated
factious opposition to the emperor which
might result in serious national compli-
casions. With the possibility of war
with France and Russia breaking out at
any moment William was wise enough
to see that he could afford to have no
formidable divisions in his empire.
Whilst there cannot be any doubt that
Bismarck and his friends would do
nothing to compromise their patriotism
in the event OF war, yet it would be
much more desirable to have these
powerful malcontsnts warmly espousing
his policy at such a iuncture than coldly
approving it at distancN
Reasoning from this basis we are in
clinsd to believe that William either
worked the problem out for himself or
had some wise friend at his ear who
showed him how absolutely necessary
to fstherland it was that all appearance
of division between himself and such
man as Bismarck should be dispelled.
His war policy therefore overcame his
desire to nurse his personal hatred. and
brought him to unbend when all other
appeals failed.
If this is the real explanation OF the
remarkable scenes that occurred in Berlin
on Thursday we shall soon see the en-
peror exhibit signs of aggressiveness
toward France that Will mean the out.
break of hostilities as soon az he can
find decent pretext to declare or pro-
woke declaration of war.
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