The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-19
Method in the Kaiser,s Madness.

NEW YORK, Dec. 18-The Evening
Posts copyrighted London cable to-day
says: 1.-The terrific goings-on at Kiel over
Prince Henry's departure for China have
been the all-absorbing topic with English
men this week. Pale fear says the Ger
man national organ in Vienna, will pene-
trate to John Bulls marrow as he reads Of
it, AS matter of fact, John Bulls first
impulse has been to split his sides with
laughter over a farcical melodrama such as
no coming Christmas pantomime can hope
to rival When the Kaiser talks of stalking
my only brother and calls heaven TO wit
ness how the German Michael has firmly
planted on Chinese soil the shield, embla
zoned with the imperial eagle, in order to
afford protection once for all to him who
APPLIES for it, the Englishman rudely
laughs He recalls that the German
Michael is the mildest hammered of men,
the idol of his English grandma, who is TAX
ing what even a half-seasoned sailor would
regard as pleasant cruise with one seven
thousand ton, twenty-three-year-old iron
battle ship and one four thou sand ton cruiser
in order to secure a coaling station which
practically already has been ceded over,
while no one dreams of a single shot being
fired. When the same mild-mannered young
man apostrophiZes his own brother with
most serene Emperor most powerful Lord,
King and Master, forever, Hoch! Hoch!
Hochv and eulogizes the gospel of your
Majestys hallowed person. blunt John Bull
seriously asks himself whether these young
people have not altogether lost their wits.
Indeed, the Saturday Review to-day builds
up an argument that William the Witless'
as it used to call him, has now gone stark,
staring mad and it is certainly to be re-
membered that, by the unalterable etiquette
of the German court. the Emperor must
himself have read Prince Henrys words
TO closer students OF European affairs,
however, there seems much method in his
laughing loudly to-day probably will be puz-
zling his brain next week as to whether the
German craze for naval power is not
thing to be reckoned with. 1t may have
been more than a mere joke when, in talk
ing to Count Zichy, the Emperor said:
You should visit China; by the time you
get through you will find Prince Henry En-
peror of China" Why should not Emperor
William found a second India for Germany
in China as means OF imperial aggraudize-
ment and of averting the social revolution
threatened at home. The Spectator dilates
on this view to-day and is quite prepared
perhaps even to welcome the German En-
peror as the acknowledged master and open
er to civilization and foreign trade of the
richest best populated and quieteSt section
of the Chinese empire.
"Kiaochau, with it's harbor and hinter-
land. which Germany is anneXing, is as
large as Wales and full of people. 1t is cap
able of yielding a substantial revenue and
Of becoming the stepping off place for the
ACQUISITION of the central division OF China.
These possibilities will come home to John
Bull when he has done his laughing Am
ticipating that time, and taking advantage
of the state of mind bordering on frenzy,
to which German trade rivalry has reduced
no small section of the British people, the
navy league, whose one desire is for in
round to London editors a document marked
Private and confidential begging them to
awaken the public to the peril of the dead
preparing to strike England down In the
end they will succeed. for so soon as the
German Emperor gets his naval vote
through the Rechstag, and that seems the
most obvious purpose Of these Kiel antics,
so surely will the cry go up for a proper
tional increase of the British navy.