Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1896-05-03
WILLFUL WILLIAM.
The Autocratio Methods of tho
German Emperor.
His Passion for Saying and Doing Thing.
In n Sensational Manncr-Hc Uttcri
Ignores tho Makers Of
tho Empire.

In n Sensational Manner-IIe Uttcr'
Ignores tho Maker OF
the Empire.
The most interesting figure in Europe
at present is the young German en-
pcror. He is the last of the kings
among men who go To the housctop to
priclaim that in their sacred persons
the sovereign rules by "divinc right"
and that Il king is still 1.-THE Lords
anointcd." Like to Wcbster's old soldier.
lie is n ruler that has come down TO us
from a former generation, or rather "a
former age, the dark or the middle one.
when there was no prctcnsion that
royalty might not aspire to which WA
not readily acknowledged By the
popular mind. The elder king might
and did claim that n divinity did hedge.
him about, md that the lcpcr who
touched only the hem of the ROYAL
mantle would depart whole and clean.
and his claims To anything, natural or
supernatural, were conceded to he good.
The king can do no wrong" is still n
pleasant legal fiction. but il was once
Il matter of popular belief. Nobody
really believes il now, but the young
emperor tries to make it. appear rs II
everybody believes il, and he haas no
doubt convinced himself that lie does.
How he can do so in Wow of the crit
cisms made upon him and his conduct
by even a part of the press of his own
country and the caricaturc and ridiculr
OF the foreign newspapers. especially of
the London Punch. seems incomprrhcn.
siblc. That he is not at all like one of
the old kings of the middle ages. as ne
prctcnds To be. who ruled absolutely.
whose will or within was the ONLY law of
his subjects, is easily demonstrated.
not only by the fact that the r,,opI,
bavc their representative Legislature.
who max" the laws, impose taxes, and
make or refuse 10 make appropriations.
but that his old chancellor, banishrL
ana stripped of all authority. can and
does arraign and defy him and his pol
icy. and cannot bc silcnccd or punished
for his ~nhdurucy.
The truth Is that Emperor William is
really Il m~akc-bclicvc surviyorof the old
sort Of kings who ruled uutocraticnlIy
absolutely, and, as WAS contCndCd. vcr,.
'iu"s les divine right. He does the mos,
extraordinary things and SAYS them.
and ell the world, even in Berlin, IooLr
on at ~" @r"%ctaCI" and laughs rs il the
'ai."r we're Il Ming of q spriga,ly bur.
igSgur set before them on the stage. He
is "!w",s ia evidence in one wnv or nm.
Other, AMI always suggesting an elder
s"rt of royalty. ~ IN" banquet Of the
ir;.r","i urr diet. speaking auropos of
tlp - O. g. t.H'.. loo, 9 tI...u.. "a. 49,.
80 Hni1ECr 0f exceedingly norid and SEN
timcntnl references To the special grace
OF i,,.'rn - him and his house since he
Ia" been emperor. lie exalted king
"hi" and his grandfather directly. ard
thereby. indirectly. himself. what
Inv" W Witnessed" hc said. and wI,..
has been effected. we owe solely t. TIN
great Emperor William and his trust
III q The entire celebrations of TIC
victories Of the German arms. which
wrr" held in 1896, eliminated in the
FIoriication Of his personality, which
has become nothing less than holy tn
us Not Il word about the old chan
ccllor, who WIS not ROYAL cXcrDt in his
majesty of mind md purpcsc: hut Who
was tn" master of William and wLn
really won all those victories and uutuf
them constructed the mighty German
empire, with comparatively inaigniT-
cant Prussia as II nucleus, and out ofirs
KING created an emperor, and gave This
brash young ~swaShbuckcr II chance tr
make himself so interesting and piCtur-
csqIC II p~crsunagC.
referring further 10 his grandfather.
and MS il to wholly ohlitcratc HismnrrL
hhd what lac had done. the cmpcror
Said: 1T is u sacred duty To preserve
his personality aud hnllowcd mrmor,
against all comcrs," including. of
course, bismarck nrd all that rroup of
great statesmen and soldiers who
planned and fought with him fnr tho
making of the empire. and who rny,
william ". the opportunity he Is now
enjoying OF posing as an oid-iimr kim
"" 'h' great amusement Of the 10Th
century. The Czar of Ruggin ia n real
""'"rrht' u even he Is AN up-to-dai"
monarch. He dOcs not scnd hystCriUHl
messages To Mr.. Kruger. write SONGS
or paint categorical pictures, make RI
diculoIE speeches or pretend Ia De Hb.
s0lUt" with the HciclIstag saying nay
to his schemes OF education, taxation.
Or militarism. The young emperor Is
II source of universal interest. not only
because Of what he does. but of the ry.
pccintion of the more extraordinary mr.
ridiculous things he may do next. lie
Keeps alive, by his prnncing and posin.
memories of n royalty TINT Is forcvc,
past. and suggests, not what n kim is
but what II king would he II 10Th century
civilizationand political progress would
Jet him disport himself to the top of
his bent. Nobody except England and
bismarck gets really angry with, him.
Earring members of the family of his
grandfather that he turns out of doors
or locks up in their castles when the
royal hifnOr takes him: he Is uo,
offensive, but amusing. interesting and
picturesque as n pretcndcr 10 n sort of
majesty that has no existence outside
OF Observation-Disclosures Telegraph.
Nhch u man has not Il good reason for
doing II thing, he has one rood reason
Tor letting H. alOnc.--Sir Walter Scot,
They could neither Of them spcaI, fo.
rage and 20 fell n-sputtcning nj ono nm.
81 IAHa IL