The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-08-17
RELIEF OF GERMANS
KING is CROWNED.
Coronation of Eng|and's King
Kills Royal Superstition.
THE KAISER HARD ON EDITORS
Their Efforts to Tell the News and Es-
cape His Wrath Amusing-MiIi-
tary Officers Must Give Way
to the Firemen.
THE KAISER HARD ON EDITORS
BY Malcolm Clarke.
Especial Cable to The Times. Copyright
1907
Especial Cable Dispatch to The Ttmes2
downright, 1902.


1907
Especial Cable Dispatch to The Iimes-)
downright, 1907
BY MALCOLM CLARKE
BERLIN. August l6-There is over
looking the feeling Of relief experienced
nv the sentimental German people on
realizing that Edward of england, has
been triumphanuy crowned. Thus for
the second time recently has supersu-
tion.nore or less shared in by all the
world, been destroyed by an event OF
worldwide interest.
Up to the day of the birth Of the
Kaiser's seventh cnild, q remarkable Sc
ries Of condolences marked Emperor
William IL, as the monarch chosen by a
German superstition to bring calamity
TO tho Fatherland. But this child turn
ed out to be a girl instead Of a seventh
son. whereupon an old superstition was
knocked In the head and the country
was saved.
A gypsy predicted that King Edward
would never be crowned. and on the very
day appointed for that ceremony he lay
lowering between life and death. But in
spite of his age and indulgent life the
King recovered. contrary to general ex-
pectaton. and then went through a post
poned ceremony with an added majesty
which Will cause the scene to go down
in history as the sternest rebUke to Su-
perstton that the ages have furnished.
Ever since the news was received here
telling OF the complete success of the
coronation, this feature Of the event
has monopolized gossip in all classes of
society. From this standpoint it looks
as though future generations would recall
William and his uncle Edward as the
Royal Superstition Killera
SO many Berlin editors have spent
terms in prison for the crime Of lese
majestic that their efforts to tell the
news and escape the consequences of
the Kaisers wrath are occasionally
amusng.
Recently tho Prague Police Gazette
printed IN due legal form a Warrant
for the arrest OF Emperor William Il"
The Kaiser's alleged crime was. of
course. his determination to Germanize
Poland.
In order to properly express their IN
dignation and make 1t understood by
their readers the Berlin editors had to
copy this warrant" But even in a
good cause-righteons indignation over
an insult to the kaiser-they did not
dare to name the exalted parsonage
whose arrest the Polish editor demands
but inserted blanks wherever Williams
name appeared.
An American lawyer now visiting here
declares that the Berlin editors ought
TO be imprisoned anyway for having
committed lese majestic by inference. "
The 1aunty and invincible German
military officer, whose right of way in
the public streets Is undisputed by in
diytduals Of birth less noble, has had
TO make way FOR tho Berlin Fire De-
partment A Berlin magistrate has
pronounced a decision that even when
,hi. officer is at the head of troops on
The march he and his men must get out
OF the way of the fire engine.
with Prince Henry. the Kaiser's
brother. composing symphony for
wind Instruments. and William himself
writing libretto to go with the opera
music OF Leoncavallo. it looks though
the depressing weight of Wagners fame
might one day be lifted from German
musical genius.
When the Kaiser was a young man
ne had the Wagner craze nearly as
badly as the late Ludwig II. of Bavaria
BISMARCK was then master OF the Fa-
theriand When William II. reached
Tho throne he saw that 1t would not do
for rival idols OF the public TO continue
or their pedeetals, 80 he began by top
ping the Iron Chancellor to the ground
Having convinced the Germans that their
h;rnsclf firmly established in that posi-
tion the Kaiser began his now famous
asfidinr In the arts and sciences and In
literature.
The attack on Wagner'3 monopoly or
musical fame began when thr haise.
caused revival in Germany OF me "orSs
of. the great Italian composers. Ihen ne
showed his high opinion Of tie works Of
Meyerbeer Weber and Flotow, and took
70 Mating on the backs contemporaneouS
German composers.
Finally while the Kaiser was at N1eS-
taden, on his recent visit to thai artisuc
pld town. he was present at gathering
Of artists at Herr van Hulsens beer
evening party and made musical
speech. The Kaiser said that there had
been tone-poets before the composer of
'.Lchengrin,'' and he believed there would
be tnne-poets after him. In the long run
Wagner was too noisy for the Kaiser
Then he planted great hopes in the breasts
or the composers present by adding:
y much prefer Gluck's simple music.
which at the same time is so wonderfully
beautiful"
] he Kalsers expressions are OF real
advantage to The cause Of German music.
While Germany has now no composer
rnet capable OF commanding the uni
verse. as Wagner did. there are several
who are original and undoubtedly masters
tr q more limited sense, and the public
may now consent 20 rist,a to their works.
Little Queen Wiihc1mina is almost the
orly European ruler who cares nothing
about music Even Abdul Hamid-whose
ancestor listened delightedly to The tun-
trg of instruments in the orchestra. but
lied when the music began-is a recoc-
nized musical connoisseur
The present Car. who has an admirable
terror voice. has large repertory OF
- ~t<5 IT., e., f1s -
many operas from beginning to end The
Yaiscr. perhaps, inherits his musical tai
ont from his ancestor. Frederick IL, who
composed and played flute solos. AS eY.-