The San Francisco call., 1899-10-23
THE KAISER'S AMBITION.

I2AISER WILLIAM has once more made one
n of those speeches by which he reveals an am
bition to pursue a much more enterprising
course than he has been able to undertake. and once
more he repeats his favorite dogma: The Kaiser is
the Government and it is the duty of the German
people obey and to trust the sovereign ordained
by heaven to rule them
The occasion OF the new declaration of imperial
policy was the launching of the warship Kaiser Karl
der Crosse at Hamburg The Emperor reminded
his audience that he had long desired to increase the
naval strength of the empire, but had been bafhed by
the opposition parties among the people. He then
went on to say If that class of reinforcements had
not been refused me during the first eight years Of
my reign, refused despite my srgent requests and
adnonitions, refused with scorn and even mockery,
how different matters would have been now We
should be able to push thriving trade and COM
merce over the seas"
The significance of the words cannot be mistaken.
Had the Kaiser been in command of a stronger navy
he would have ventured more than he has ventured.
In what direction his enterprises would have been
pushed intimaton is given but the world is aware
that he desires to promote German commerce in
China, in Syria, in Africa and among islands of the
Pacific. In every effort he has come into conflict
with other of the great powers of the earth.
In China and in Syria he has had to confront both
Russia and Great Britain and while those nations
have not been united against him. neither has either
of them consented to support his plans He once in
notable letter to President Kruger gave evidence
OF willingness to support the Transvaa1 In the con-
test with Great Britain, but by the swift gathering OF
the flying squadron ready for war the British gave
him reason to pause, and his African schemes were
baffed. He has been equally unlucy in his ventures
among the islands Of the Pacific, for the United
States have stayed his hand in Samoa and have fore
stalled any designs he may have had on the Philip
pines.
1t IS under such circumstances the Kaiser informs
his people that conditions would be widely different
had the Reichstag given him the strong navy he de
sires. He would then. he says have been able to
push German commerce, which means OF course he
would have been willing to enter upon war for i'm
peria aggrandizement had he been strong enough TO
win
1t goes without saying the speech will be noted
by foreign nations as well as by the Germans Great
Britain involved in war in South Africa with the
stubborn Beers will find new reason for calling out
her reserves and making ready for any emergency
that may happen. The Kaiser has by no means
abandoned his ambitions On the contrary he deems
the time favorable TO press them once more on his
people. He invokes them to abandon government by
party "The face of the world" he says 'has changed
greatly during the last few years What formerly
required centuries is now accomplished in few
months The task of Kaiser and Government has
consequently grown beyond measure and solution
will only be possible when the German people re-
nounce party division Standing in serried ranks be-
hind the Kaiser, proud of their great fatherand and