New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-09-24

,,o,y THE MEMORY or FREDERICK THE
GREAT Is HoNoIEp AT SANS SoUCI
,\tFoiIES or TWO CHARAC-
~i:HS TUE STATUE FOR
WASHINGTON.
Potsdam. September 8.

Potsdana. September &
Tho German Emperor honors the memory Of
--,oaericz the Great in more ways than one
II. NOT only orders from the sculptor Uphnes
. s.stue of that renowned and versatile mon
oh for the War College in Washington, but he
.,so loves Potsdam, and is constantly improving
:. :, artistic lines Friedrichkron is his favor
:, cadence and. with the exception of changes
= decoration and improvements in furnishing
Il lighting. II is the palace which Frederick
-, Great completed at a cost of over $3.50, 600
- souci with its Iancrets and Watteaus the
I'll, which stopped when the great Prussian
"a and the furniture in i'm his time. is
ss over to the battalions of visitors tramp
-. sally through the gilded French apartments
.s listening 20 the dull recitative of the guide.
The mark and terraces of Sans Souci are more
,s.ut,ful than they could have been in the eigh-
,+b century when Frederick the Great pTaC-
-,-oa economy after the Seven Years War and
..-o5ure5 the rnannersms and Alterations as
,,eu &C the beauties of French landscape gar
5.,tne II is now one Of the loveltest parks on
81. Continent with lawns perfectly Graded. with
.-.se growing freely in their natural habit, and
9Th bright touches IN statuary and decoration
t-o-, che o,ce heavy German hand. There are
audiences of refinement Of taste and artistic feel
80 os well as that sense of retirement and
,nrrl
e4resbing and invigorating after the turmoil Of
and the intrigues Of diplomacy. The Ger
-, Emnaror has not altered the French ter
.oe hut he has broadened and softened the ef
e..+s of LANDSCAPE arts until the leafy glades
ID ornan,ented levels are as lovely the back
Grounds Of the Wstteaus. Peters and Lancrets
in Sans Souci
The German Emperor. like his great predeces-
sor on the Prussian throne. has artistic and 1T
erarv taste He is a musician. a painter, q
sculptor and rhetorician and he has a natural
bsnt for intellectual life The founder of Fried
4ichslzron and Sans souci was a flute player, or
panfzed The opera at Berlin. revealed in poetry
and antique statuary and enjoyed the Compan-
ionship of philosophers and men Of letters like
voltaire. To artistic sensibility was added in
constituencies which kept a restless mind in
ceaseless activity. Both characteristics the Ger
man Emperor possesses. He has artistic feeling
and intense eagerness in the acquisition of
knowledge He is not the universal genius
whom hatterers affront hy discriminating eu-
i7gy: but he knows a little about a great many
things has a Well trained memory, and is
strenuous in his intellectual life. He * con-
stantly surprising his ministers and his subjects
with the extent and accuracy Of his informa-
ton He takes the business of reigning serious
IL at every point equips himself for it by pains
taking study of affairs. and already has secured
among the soverefgns of the time the pre-enl
,1ent uosition that Frederick the Great occupied
in the eighteenth century. No other monarch
If the day has shown equal capacity for great
affairs and none exerts greater influence over
his subjects.
The decline of parliamentary institutions has
been more conspicuous in Germany than in
other European countries during the last gen
sration: and the power Of the monarch has
Increased as the Reichstag has lost prestige and
influence. Prince Bismarck used to say that one
Of his greatest errors of judgment the in
Induction Of universal suffrage out of respect
for the Frankfort tradition. His lack Of faith in
the efficacy of popular government was shown
by the manner in which he pitted one fac
ton against another, the principle that any
stick was good enough to beat dog with BY
preventing the formation Of Government and
Opposition parties, and by making coalitions
with group after another. he brought par
liamentary institutions into disrepute while he
was in power; and they have fallen still lower in
public estimation since his disappearance from
political life. For long period the Reichstag
has been discussing in full house and in commits
sion a most drastic tariff bill. by which working
mems food supplies Will be increased in cost and
commercial exchanges with adjoining countries
viii be reduced during a period of commercial
depression when the earnings of the masses
have been scaled down and the export trade has
become an Indispensable resource. The Agra
riars control the commission, if not the house.
and are bent upon promoting the interests of the
agricultural classes at whatever cost to the
country a whole; yet the tariff bill no longer
attracts public attention and the debates have
ceased TO be read. It is confidently assumed
that the German Emperor will not allow the
commercial interests of the Fatherland to be
sacrificed by the passage of SO i'll timed and so
crude a measure, and that the government will
intervene in an emergency and prevent the dis
astrOus results of tariff legislation The Reichs-
lag Is regarded as the forcing house Of noxious
faction politics The monarchy rises above the
low levels of politics. and not only adequately
represents but also in an emergency success
fully defends, the progressive interests of the
Fatherland.
The authority of the German Emperor has
steadily increased since he came TO the throne.
There was an interval of un certainty when he
dismissed Prince Bismarck, whom his grand
father had regarded the only possible Chan
oellor: but this act is considered by all non
Partisan observers a stroke Of genius, since
il disclosed inherent strength Of character and
an infiexible determination not to be overshad-
eTed and discredited. The young sovereign,
who had never fought battle and had ex-
psrience in European diplomacy. accepted the
fun responsibility OF his exalted station and
speedily demonstrated his capacity and sobriety
of judgment. He removed powerful rival and
became the cniy Squire the stage. Some of
his earliest speeches and nanifestoes were
sensational and theatrical. but he succeeded in
making himself known as sovereign of excep
uonal force Of character, and moderation and
eelf-restraint came in due time The direction
Of foreign affairs is now entirely in his own
hands, and his sagacity is unchallenged His
naval policy was carried with little resistance