The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-08-02
GERMANY ALWAYS FRIENDLY
GROSS /. MISREPRESENTATION
HAVE CAUSED ILL FEELING


About Friction Between the Gov
ernments of America and Ger
many, and His Statements Are
COrroborated.
BERLIN, Aug. lin view Of the de-
plorable fact that the attitude and
expression of both German officialdom
and public have been and still are
grossly misrepresented in large sec
ton of the American press, have I'M
dertaken to obtain information from
competent quarters on this matter. /
have asked Andrew D. White, the dip
lomatic representative of the United
States in Germany, for an explicit
statement, and Mr.. White was kind
CROUCH to grant my request in the
most satisfactory manner. Another
valuable statement of a highly official
| character was furnished to me in the
| German foreign office. These two
statements leave no room for the
slightest doubt that the official rela-
| lions between the two countries are of
| the very best.
From the beginning the German gov
| eminent has maintained the strictest
neutrality; in fact, a benevolent neu-
tlality for the United States. The vast
| majority of the German populace is de-
| cidedly friendly disposed to the Amer
leans. Only the Agrarians and the
antiSemites show defiant attitude.
There are, to be sure, quite number
of Journals that have published I'M
favorable criticism on the American
| warfare, but this is of no meaning
| whatever, these papers having in mind
| only ito keep UP their right to criti-
| cise," which is an essential German
| prerogative. Mr.. Andrew D. White
said:
The relations between the American and
German governments have been and still are
excellent. AS a matter of fact, no person ac
! quatnted with the matter will deny that the
| German government has treated us with fair
! ness. or claim that it has wanted in civlity
| towards our government or its representa-
tives in Berlin. There is no exception to
| this statement. AS to the German people at
| large, | am satisfied that the substantial
| thinking part of them are, whole, favor
! able to America 1 am receiving letters every
! been, on the part of considerable number
! natural sympathy with Spain as a weaker
| power lighting stronger one; quite likely,
| too, considerable number of landed pro-
| prieters and of leading manufacturers have
| had preJudices against the United States,
| caused by what they have considered inter
| ference with their prosperity, and 1t must be
| confessed that very large majority Of the
German newspapers have been more or less
| opposed to the United States But it is per-
| fectly evident that the German sentiment is
| changing every day as the Of the pres
ent struggle is more and more clearly seen.
MUTUAL MISTAKES.
There have unquestionably been some prov
ocations from the American side; some of our
Boosters and tall takers have been taken too
seriously here. There have also been utter
ances regarding Germany from time to time
In some or our most respectable Journals
which have stirred German resentment in
some quarters. Indeed. on both sides of the
Atlantic there seems to have been an elabo-
rate ana iong-contlnued effort to msrepresent
everything in both directions. so as to stir
| i!l.feeling. Who is responsible for this on
this side of the ocean or the other cannot
undertake to say; but this much is certain
| that most absurd charges have been fele
graphed to the United States and widely
! spread.
Leading Americans, too, suppose that the
German government and the German people
| generally were treating the Americans badly
whereas t re very opposite is the case, and
| quently sent to the leading German papers
statements from America that the Am ricaps
there were treating the Germans badly ami
| showing a general hatred. One or two incl
dents may be taken as typical OF many.
shortly after the War opened someone cab ed
10 america that the feeling against the
emperor had felt compelled to publish an
order that German officials must rresert
| themselves at my receptions AS matter
| of fact the so-called order was smolv the
usual official notification always issued when
| a new ambassador arrives and is ready to
|
| courteous conduct and kind feeling was
| shown by all callers.
At one of the closing sessions of the reich
| stag l was present to hear a most interest
| ing debate. To my amazement shortly after
wards learned that a story had bsen widely
circulated in America that the secretary OF
the american embassy and myself had bsen
grossly insulted from the floor by Conserve
| tive members of parliament In this also
| there was not the shadow of truth: on the
! contrary one leading CONSERVATIVES member of
the bundesrath came up to the diplomats
box: sat with us and kindly pointed olt
| members salutad US kindly from their seats
Neither then nor at any other time has til ere
been towards the American embassy or any
MEMBER OF 1T the slightest indication OF per
| sonal 1ll-feeling. | could mention numbers
of other instances of attempts to stir up ilI
feelings equally unfound3d and absurd.
IRENE INCIDENT
1t is clear that the so-called Irene incid Mt
was used by persons wishing to stir I'D strife
in the same manner. There was nothing in
| it to create the slightest antagonsm between
the two countries The same may be said
regarding the alleged alteration between
Admlrals Dewey and Diedrichs. The whole
nor deny that leading men in Germany have
large plans fer commercial extension
of the empire. I regard such plans
! Nothing has been done yet in furtherance
of such plans of which we can complain. My
own feeling is that there is nothing incom-
pelipie III eAleuSlCu Cl commercial spheres
! OF Germany or other great powers in the
East, with our ewn interests. On the con-
trary, l beleve,if properly managed, such in
! terests may be made to help each other, and
! all will be stronger and richer for the ex-
| tension of the civilizing influence of Germany
! and Of other great powers in these regions
! Thinking men IN Germany realize more and
more that this is the feeling of the American
| government, and German interests are far
| more likely to be promoted by maintain ng
| friendly relations with us than by unp!e, SAINT
| interference whatever. This is not mere
garding the relations of the two countries
| shows that this proper feeling towards us
ment towards US growing worse it is ste ly
! growing better
The foregoing was shown to functionary
| in the German foreign Office holding a re-
| sponsible POSITION. He fully confirmed Mr..
Whites statements.
a