The Irish standard., 1899-02-18
THE GERMAN GOVERNMENT.

THE GERMAN GOVERNMENT.
During the past 10 months the Anglo
Saxon press of England and this country
has continually misrepresented the atti
tude of Germany toward the United
States. That gigantic monopoly, the
Associated Press. ccntrived in every pos
sible way to lead the American people to
believe that Germany sympathized with
| Spain during the Spanish-American
war. At one time this news corporation
went so far as to forge an interview with
| the late Prince Bismarck, and furnish it
to the press of the United States. When
the matter was brought to the attention
of the aged statesman he promptly d.
rected an unqualified denial of the ficti
tious interview to be transmitted to the
New York Herald for publication, but
the Associated Press and the dailies it
provided with news never made retrac
ton nor noticed the contradiction in any
| way. There was a newspaper con-
spracy to poison the minds of the Amer
lean public against Germany, Russia
and France, and many deluded persons
believe to this hour that our only friend
in Europe during the brief contest with
Spain was our ancient enemy-Great
Britain-which did it's utmost to destroy
the Union during the stormy days of the
civil war. 1t was in vain that our min
listers abroad assured us that Russia,
Germany and France observed impartial
neutrality, and had no intention of med
ding in the affair with Spain. Such
announced from their seats in Washing
ton that England, dear England, was our
only friend among the nations of the
earth in our little war with a fifth rate
power. Blood was thicker than wa
ter" and Mother England sympathized
deeply with the American giant in
whipping the Spanish pigmy! Every
day during the war British statesmen
and publicists were talking of an Anglo
American alliance to fight the whole
world combined, and oceans of ink were
shed in praise of the glorious Anglo
Saxon race. But there is an ebb of the
tide, and Americans are beginning to see
that they were being humbugged for I'LL
terror purposes.
The other day in Washington the Ger
man ambassador laughed at the idea
that the country he represented had any
notion at any time to obtain a foothold
in the Philippines, and declared that all
stories to the contrary had not the
slightest foundation. The Russian min
lister said the same thing of his country
on a recent occasion. and what he said
was confirmed by our retiring minister
at st. Petersburg. But the most EN-
phatic statement Of all that was made in
the German reichstag last Saturday by
Baron Won Bulow, the minister of for
eign affairs, who in a long speech said:
I'm America it is generally assumed
that there prevails in Germany a feeling
OF spite and dislike against America.
Here there is a widespread idea that
the Americans are animated by partic-
ularly unfavorable sentiment toward
us. l believe that the people of America
are to great extent in the dark relative
to the views of German public opinion
regarding the war.
GERMAN opinion was never blind to
the brilliant qualities of the Americans,
and never begrudged them the fruits
! which rewarded their efforts and their
opinion has not refrained from express
ing human sympathy with the brave and
severely tried Spanish nation. Gap
plause) i !
This has been misrepresented and
biased in perfidious manner by foreign
newspapers in order to excite distrust
against us in America. This, however.
has in no way affected our relations with
America. which do not date from yester-
day"
Baron Won Bulow recalled the early
recognition by Frederick the Great of
the inderendencebof the United States,
and dwclt upon the support which Ger
many gave to the North in the war of
| secession. His statements were greet
cd with loud applause.
Continuing he said that nowhere in
| the last century had America better
understanding or a better appreciation
than in Germany. He hoped, in view
of the enormous mutual political-com-
| mercial interests of the two countries.
and especially in view Of the increase
| of American imports into Germany
| which already excel half millard CT
| marks-that there would be anxiety on
| the part of the United States to avoid
all cause Of economic friction. He refer
| red to the millions of Germans in Amer
| lea, who cleave to and serve the coun-