The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1895-11-14

mich was the master spirit. By the way,
Wnen was boy saw this astute dip
iomat on his flight from Vienna, ride
into Constance, and alighting at the en-
trance OF the Barbarossa hotel, received
the oVations showered upon him by the
dlgnitaries of the city. He was small.
dressed in a long, drab overcoat, but,
young as l was, l saw that there was
ABOUT him unmistakable indications of
that power which, as he claims, has
been used to overthrow one of the great
est generals of the known WORLDLY
=, The first meeting of these rulers, called
the diet, took place at Frankfort, Novem-
Der ,, 1916. In the clash of interests
which was Immediately manifested,
ever provision relating to the establish
ment OF courts of justice and the regu-
lation OF the internal government of the
dliterent States was forgotten 1t was
plain at the very outset by giving to
Austria the presidency, not German
power, but a conglomeration of dis
cordant natlonalities, the seeds of an ir-
most undeniable German power, Prus-
sla, entitled to lead was pushed to the
background. The smaller States of the
contederacy were soon arrayed for or
against the supremacy in the empire of
Austria or Prussia.
| Although the confederation had en-
gendered political strife and Germany
was losing what little prestige she had
among the European powers, the salu-
tary provision which compelled each of
the States to keep the peace among them
selves had the effect of securing to the
German people a period of 40 years of
prosperity and general contentment I'M
known since the golden days before the
~ years war. The National well-being
of Germany, however, did not destroy
the hope of the people for greater politi-
cal freedom, which had been one of the
incentives to this struggle for independ-
ence from the thraldom of France
They remembered with self-exaltation
that Martin Luther was their country
man; that the world was indebted to
them for its religious freedom, and it
was to their fathers bravery that Ger
many had been prevented from becoming
part Cossack, part Austrian and part
French.
1t was northern Germany, the land of
SaXons and Goths, which had offered the
most, bore the most and suffered the most
all of these early struggles for liberty of
action and liberty of thought; they also
felt that to their secrafices, their treas
ures, their heroic devotion, Germany's in
dependence from French domination was
mainly due.
The aspirations for constitutional gov
eminent had taken deep root in the uni
verslties, the nurseries of the reforma-
ton. German unity should mean gov
eminent founded upon German intelli-
gence and equality. The students, who
had taken part in the conflict for the
nations independence having passed
| through the common dangers of terrible
war, could not realize their insignifcance
upon the return of peace. They formed
themselves into organizations-student
! veteran associations-called the Bursch
enschaft. October, 1917, the representa-
tives of IA universities assembled at
| Wartburg, of Martin Luther's farm, and
adopted a constitution. The hereditary
monarchs of Europe forming the holy
alliance" looked upon these liberal tend
encies and manifestations as dangerous
heresies and innovation threatening the
established order of things in Europe.
Among the German powers Austria led
the reactionary movement, Metternlch,
it's prime minister, was the ablest states
man of the age, but sworn enemy to
every liberalizing aspirant of the people,
and all his efforts were directed to the
annulment of the promise to furnish each
State of the German confederation with
a constitutional form of government
In the midst of this struggle of the
monarchs against fulfilling the promises
made to the people the cry of murder
startled the land. Frederick Won Kotzi-
bin, a German dramatist of considerable
renown, had been accused by the stu
dents of being in the pay of the mon
achs, more especially in that of the car
of Russia, and of using his pen against
their organization, and was assassinated
l,, Of hn cti1 ntc mi
was as inexcusable as it was fatal to. the
liberal cause of Germany. Metternich at
once seized upon the unfortunate occur
renee as a preteXt for repressive meas
ures. Upon his request the 'Burschen-
schaft" organization was suppressed by
the diet at Frankfort, the freedom of the
press destroyed and inqusitOrial commits
sions for the suppression of political agl-
tation established
To his shame, the king of Prussia, I'M
mindful of his sacred promise to the peo-
pie, sided with Metternich in his reaction
airy course But while Austria and
Prussia were pursuing this liberal policy
strong anti Metternich sentiment was
growing up in the smaller States, some
of which were ruled by conscientious and
popular sOyereigns. The first of these
soveregns who had fulfilled his promises
to give his people a constitutional govern
ment was the duke of Weimar. Nassau
Bavaria, Wurtemberg and Baden follow
ed in 1918. These liberal concessions had
the effect of Strengthening the convictions
of the people of the larger States, from
whom these political advantages were
still withheld. Thus while the people
were quietly pursuing their peaceful
avocations and promoting their material
welfare the agitation for German unity
and extended liberty went quietly on.
"Many centuries" says Montesquieu,
"are sometimes necessary to pave the way
for changes. Events ripen. and 10! the
revolution breaks forth. Such are the
revolutions upon which great minds love
to mediate"
In Germany not quite half a century
was necessary to ripen events, the patri-
otto embers had been constantly glowing,
and it required but a gust from the rev.
olutionized capital of France when 10!
the revolution broke forth Among the
men most conspicuously active in foster
ing the revolutionary spirit was Freder-
icR Hecker, late of Bellville, Ill. For
six years prior to the outbreak in 1913
he was the leader and parliamentary
champion of the people in the first crude
specimen of representative government
of Germany-the chamber of deputies of
the grand duchy of Baden. Eloquent,
sincere, enthusiastically devoted to the
people, he enjoyed in return popularity