Daily Kennebec journal., 1902-03-27
THE KAISER.
The Personality Of Emperor
William Il. of Germany.
Most Prominent and Most Discussed
Rules of Europe.
a Versatile Genius Much Loved by
His People.

TO the throne young, he has in IL years
established himself completely as an in
dividual not only in the foreign mind.
but in the eyes of his people, and year
after wear he becomes more and more
prominent.
The Emperor began life very modest
". With a grandfather upon the
throne and father waiting to sue
ceed. he stood much in the position of
the present Prince OF Wales except
that he was even younger and less
likely to succeed, for the Germans live
longer than the English. But fate
laughs at Kings. and, as the Scotch
say, I'VE are all upon the knees of the
GODS" to be dandled as may please
them. The old Kaiser died, and
great stir it made in the world, for he
had been remarkable man. Then
came Fritz or Frederick to the throne
Disease had him and he fingered only
three months. leaving behind him de-
termined and disappointed widow, the
Empress Frederick, and son. At 20 he
found himself upon the throne.
The German people tried to be loyal,
YET looked at him askance, for he was
too young for the job. They compared
him to his grandfather, aged so, and to
Bismarck, only a little younger. They
watched him narrowly, and when he
had his quarrel with Bismarck they
shook their heads and stood weeping
outside the gates Of Bismarck's
country house.
The Chancellor withdrew his support
from the young Kaiser and William H..
King of Germany. year after his ac-
cession to the throne, stood compara-
lively alone. A few of the older cour-
tiers supported him and the younger
ones were with him to man, but the
people, oh, the people! And upon the
will of the people does monarch sub
sist and upon their desires does he de-
pend.
One thing was vastly in his favor. He
had six little Princes, the eldest little
more than years old, and what this
means to the heart of a German one
must have a German heart to know.
Those six little fellows, struggling into
trousers. just walking out abroad for
the people to gaze upon, just learning
the "Hoch," pleaded with the hearts of
the people as nothing else could have
dore.
The Germans are a happy, sturdy
race. Magnificently endowed with
brains and physique, leading the world
in progressive science and in music,
finished art. they watched Kaiser, their
new Kaiser, and waited.
But the young Kaiser was equal to
the situation. With rare intuition he
struck at the heart. He went to live
in Berlin and brought his family to
that city. Daily he rode out in the
sight of the people and paraded his
children before them as a family man.
The oldest boy, the little Crown
Prince, was brought forth and edu
Gated in the eyes of the people.
Through the excellent German press
the mothers read daily of the progress
that the little fellow was making in his
bellies lettres. Each morning the En-
peror rode forth with the Empress by
his side and thrice daily he appeared
and always with a little Prince or two
dangling at his heels. If no more than
to the gates of the palace he walked
there was always a child or two with
him, clutching at his hanging hand
or tugging at the royal coattails.
Meanwhile the Emperor was also en-
joying himself. He established a hunt
ing lodge and went to the hunt, TAX
Ing with him a very large retinue So
numerous We're his honored attendants
that not high-born family in Ger
many but was represented, and all re-
turned to the palace and supper.
But there were other branches be-
sides the domestic and the sporting
one was that of war. Feeble from his
Dlrth, and carrying n wooden arm in
his sleeve, he allowed not that to in
terfere with his love of the arts of war
He ordered ships built and sent moni-
tors forth along the coasts. He over
hauled the old cruisers and saw that
torpedoes were built. Then he called out
the troops and drilled them.
Always brave fellow, he looked so
well on horseback that he loved to ride
and. charging his favorite mare, a
present from his relative the Gar he
was a sight to inspire. Soon they called
him the War Lord, at first in derision,
mocking an ambitious address which
he made to his soldiers; later they
called him the War Lord because he
showed himslef a lord of war.
Those first trips which the Kaiser
took upon his yacht, the Hohenzollern.
were fraught with merriment for the
world, led by the conservative Germans.
They had been accustomed TO thinking
OF their beloved Kaiser as man of the
pdiace, sittinS at nome in the purple
over his pipe. But here was the Kaiser
afloat upon his yacht accompanied by a
royal band and giving a play aboard.
Then they learned that he was paint
Ing and that he had a studio afoat:
then that he was writing an ode: then
that he had taken a party of excellent
singers aboard. 1t was too much.
Gradually they and all the world
came to see that the amusements were
merely those of any gentleman of
means. but in this case rendered more
conspicuous by the fierce light which
beat upon a throne of such prominence.
Casting off the traditions of Kings.
the young Kaiser became of an inuuir-
Ing turn of mind. If trouble existed in
his kingdom he sought it out and root
ed 1t up if possible. Then. in matters of
progress he was not backward He
went to the Holy Land and though his
enemies fried to make his progress
spectacular, his friends knew that it
was humble enough and that thousands
learned to respect him for his conduct