The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1895-11-14
4 Days IN GERMANY.
|
a EN-. LIEB TELLS OF THE STRUG-
Giles FOR UNITY BASED ON
LIBERTY.
CONSTITUTIONAL Liberty OF PRESS.
Praises Men Who Fought in America.
He Visits the City of Karlsruhe and
Tells the Legend Regarding
Its Building.

OF all the cities of secondary import
ance which visited in Germany this
Z. summer, Karlsruhe, the capital of the
grand duchy of Baden, it seems to me,
e presents to the student of German history
IA ;'.l characteristics the most complete
81 interest.
Unlike most of the cities of this classic
region of the Rhine, it is of comparatively
recent origin, having been planned and
partially built under the direct superin-
4 tendance of Margrave Charles in 1714.
4 The site, once the extensive hunting
a grounds of the Margrave, owes it's selec-
n ton for his capital to pleasant dream
4 after hard days ride with his hounds
so the legend runs-in which he was
urged to found a city where he alone
had found repose from the cares insepa-
"A rable to the government of his realm
n Karlsruhe, meaning in German Karls
N rest.
Il There may have been some foundation
4 for this romantic story, but since the old
p Margrave owned all the valuable land,
n covered with natural forest am of the
19.OpiniOn he had the perspicacity of mod
n ern Spectator in subdivisions and saw
N that town started with a grand resi-
n dence, with a garrison and all the other
4 advantages growing out of royalty's per-
II manent abiding-place would enhance the
IA value of his town lots to such figure as
to prevent the necessity of taxing his not
" over forehanded subjects too heavily to
defray his regal expenses.
% Some idea of the Margrave's ideal city
n may be had If the reader will imagine one
IN of the early commanders of Fort Dear
( born, or any other man of those early
,times, who had the foresight to buy all
the land from Lake View to South Chica-
fg go, and an equal stretch westward and
|Hupon this virgin soil set about building
x himself city, regardless of the needs
sOf commerce or trade. Erecting his pal
ace upon the Lake Front park, its turrets
to be the grand central point from which
&32 public avenues were to diverge-like
the sticks of lady's fan-with circles
Sfollowing circles, in widening inconveni-
ence; this was to be the unique city of the
old Margrave.
aR& Since seeing the town the thought sug
gests itself that as Washington was built
6 nearly 100 years after, some of the states
men of the new republic, having visited
Baden's capital, threw the weight of
their opinion in favor of this plan for
their ideal capital, though we are always
V 'JOlu duCleul hOlne was lIS mOuel. lne
Margrave dying, fortunately, those that
came after him having more practical
views upon speedier transportation and
z timesaving thorOughfares, the original
t plan of circles was abandoned and
eQuares accepted, so that the modern part
Of the city follows the plan of other mod
ern cities of this industrial age.
The old town, however, is the point of
efttraction; its parks, long, round TRAN
yular and irregular, some with fine old
ers and some with grassy plats kept
+ green by fountains spray, give to the
city the appearance of handsome resi-
i Fences surrounded by forest of varied
\ foliage. What strikes the tourist most
& favorably in this city is its many fine
ppblic buildings devoted to free instruc-
ION in the fine arts, sciences, normal
schools; it's museums, libraries, conserva-
tories and beautiful theater, suggesting
the idea that the present grand duke, who
is a liberal ruler, would like to see his
b capital become the center of popular ed
ucation in Baden.
ln looking at the statues that have been
! erected to some of Baden's most distin-
4 Kpished men, | noticed that of the Grand
IA Duke Leopold, to whom it's citizens are
y Indebted for their first constitution. The
s. heroic figure, which represents very
+ handsome man of military bearing,
Wrought to my mind the political discus
SONS l had listened to in my youth in
regard to evasions, entertainments or
fo open violations of the constitution. As
n karlsruhe was the active center of the
revolution resulting from this agitation,
4 and as the principal men engaged in it,
after defeat, fed to the United States
md became prominently identified with
the anti-slavery movement which brought
Ien our late war, to get full understand
ling of the Baden uprising in 1S4S must
ask the young student of history to re-
view with me the political events in Ger
mny Immediately succeeding the close
otthe Napoleonic wars. He will remem-
ben that after the first occupation of
& Raris by the allies congress of the pow
\ crs which formed the coalition against
n the French emperor met at Vienna. 1t
4Was composed of the princes and ambas-
sadors, who finished their work just nine
days before the battle of Waterloo.
This self-constituted tribunal of SOW
ereigns says the historian Lewis, 'as-
Suhed the absolute right to dispose of
the people of Europe, assigning to them
SVEN rulers of states, cities and political
as4ociations as it pleased them"
tfermany was formed into confedera-
\ Fan of 81 states, of which Austria, Prus-
\ Sic Bavaria, SaXony Hanover, Wurten-
Npurg and Baden were the largest. In
} the act of confederation it was stipulated
IA TINT all should enjoy equal and uniform
lr1Ehts; that the general interests of the
ctnfederatiOn must be discussed and set
tted at diet to be held at Frankfort-on-
Main under the presidency of Aus
F1a; that all states of the confederation
m0st unite against foreign attacks, but
NeYer levy war against each other that
Institutional government be established
N ail the states and religious liberty, lib
NfrE of the press and commercial inter-
f0urse between the states be guaranteed
tnroughout the confederacy.
mus it will seen that congress took
long strides in progressive direction.
brf in an assemblage in which Meter