The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1902-01-16


this circle quite number of
papers Oh Germany, all based
on Sidney Whitman's "Impe-
rial Germany" They were all
very ably written, and have called forth
so many and such diversified discus
sions that hardly anything new can lie
said on this subject, particularly since,
in my belief, the book has been read by
every member of this circle, who will
have formed his own opinion on the
subject. If, nevertheless, try in the
following remarks to add something to
what has lately been said on this sub
ject, [ do this more with the intention
to elucidate and add some incidents
than to say something new. But [ can
not help saying that the author of "Im-
perial Germany" could hardly have
treated the subject with more sympa-
thy and justice if he had been Ger
man him. >elf, AID trust that his Opin-
ions will have little more weight than
would be the case if he had been Ger
man.
You will remember the Introductory
verse, saying that never has been for
eign country as just to Germany as the
latter has been to them, and it is really
refreshing to hear that in one instance
at least justice is done. May the day
soon come when Germany will also
be appreciated in this country accord
ing to her merits, for at present that is
not the case in general.
Anything belonging to, or coming
from, England or France is deemed of
Importance, while Germany gets the
cold shoulder. Who trained Washing
toms troops in Valley Forge2 Was it
not Steuben, an officer of the great
Frederick? Did not he, as we'll as
DeKalb, fight for the then struggling
young union? And they, with other
Germans, fought disinterestedly-
out any other end in view. OF the
Hessians l will speak later on. Do you
suppose the help given by France was
disinterested? AS nation she hardly
would have rallied to the succor of the
United States, if it had not been for her
interest to harm England as much as
possible. Lafayette, of course, might
have done just as Steuben did. Was
not Prussia, next to Sweden, the first
European power to recognize the young
United States? Did you ever hear that
Prussia or Austria, then representing
Germany, intended to succor the south
during the war OF the rebellion by rec
Ognizlng it as an independent state, as
France and England very much wished
to do? Why then this ingratitude :?
But let me hasten to what l have to
say. If my remarks are disconnected
you will please put it OH account of my
wish to touch little on everything
that seems to me worth while speaking
about, following the author as closely
as possible in the treatment of the diff
ferent subjects.
If we wish to fully understand the
German and his ardent admiration for
Bismarck, we must go back some 700
years. Germany was then ruled over
by the Hohenstaufen, house that gave
her rulers who made the German name
respected and feared in all the then
known world. Frederick l., surnamed
"Barbarossa," of whom you undoubt-
edly know by the studies about Italy,
had brought the German nation so
high that, when he suddenly died by
drowning while on a crusade, the COM
mon people refused to believe in his
death, but thought he was sleeping in
hill, the "Kyffhaeuser," from. whence he
would arise in full strength and glory
whenever the empire was in direst need,
and restore it to its ancient prestige.
Whole legends were woven around
him; ravens were flying around the hill,
a sign that the time for his awakening