Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1896-05-14
EMBARRAssEs THE EMPEROR.
Germany's Ruler Is Placed in an I'm
pleasant Position.


The German emperor is placed in an
unenyiable position by the result of
the recent duel between Won Kotze and
Baron Won Schraeder. resulting in the
offensive letters were received by var
ious prominent persons in Berlin from
someone supposed to be connected
with the court. Won Kotze was charged
with their authorship, bnt denied it
and challenged an officer who accused
him. In the resulting duel the chal-
lenger received severe and dangerous
wound, but after long time regained
his health. Continuing to be accused
ne sued an accuser for SANDER and
won his case, being pronounced by the
judge innocent of the matter This
was brought to the emperors notice
and severe action was taken by the
emperor against Won Kotze for resort
ing to the courts in a matter affecting
his honor. This, too, in spite of the
fact that the law of the land forhids
dueling. The unfortunate Won Kotze
accordingly felt called upon to eh2l-
lenge all his accusers, one after the
other, till he should have indicated
his character. This he did. beginning
with Baron Won Schraeder. who had
persisted with great bitterness in his
accusation after the decision of the
court in Won Kotzes favor. AS
Schroeder was killed and the dueling
was due to the emperor's prescribing
den by the law the emperor is held to
be guilty of the murder. The incident
attracts great attention also to the eX
istence of dueling as practice favored
by the authorities, though against the
law, and creates a sentiment which
may tend it is hoped, to the suppress
sion Of the fashion of dueling. so
prevalent in Germany.
The clerical party in the reichstag
has decided to put itself at the head of
a movement against dueling. Chan
cellor Won Hoheniohe will be asked, 1t
is stated, what measures the govern
ment proposes to take to prevent like
unlawful encounters in the future. The
question will be raised also in the
Prussian landtag The German press
has taken the matter up and is awaken
ing the moral sentiment of the people
against the abominable practice. The
Cologne Gazette deplores the injury to
the prestige of the court that results
from it's sympathy with dueling and
asks the emperor to pronounce against
it. To such an extent has the agita-
ton proceeded that q number of duels
which were in contemplation have been
declared off.
Nevertheless Won Kotze is under
lenges until he kills all his accusers or
is himself killed. For the present he
is said to have left Berlin for southern
Europe, but he has no prospect of
restoration to social or official life un-
til he conforms to the last requirement
of the so-called code of honor. Not
withstanding the culture of the Ger
man people in many lines, they retain
this one trait of barbarism in an exag-
gerated form. 1t is supposed to be an
inseparaule adjunct to militarism, at
least among army officers. An officer
must be both brave and possessed Of a
high sense of honor, and dueling, 1t is
held, is the appropriate means OF
manifesting the requisite qualities.
But it is objected to this that the prac-
tice of dueling is not really necessary
to the possession of the best soldi9'ly
uualities.-The Baltimore Sun.