The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-07-05
THE GERMAN EMPEROR.
From the New YORK Press.


The Kaiser is throwing so many bou
quets at us of late that we can hardly
take our eyes off him. There is a man
who can write a song, set it to music
and sing it. He can paint a picture
frame it and criticise the critics who
praise or condemn it. He can write a
drama, stage it, act it and give a cri-
tique upon it. He is the best horseman
in Europe. and one of the best horse
man in Europe, and one of the most
expert yachtsmens He talks fiuently
in five modern languages. He plays
chess and poker, and at the latter can
hold not only his own, but some of the
other fellows. He understands en-
cheering, and is an expert in electric
ity He is a theologian, and has COM
posed a prayer. He can command
ship or regiment, a fleet or an army.
He can discuss horse breeding with
Gen. Thomas He can talk cattle
breeding with A. A. Cortelyou. He is
an ideal cook. He makes speeches that
startle the world. He is litterateur.
He drinks beer and champagne with
equal facility and gusto. He Is the
friend of rich and poor. He teaches edi-
tors how to run newspapers. He thrums
the guitar and plays the organ. He is
a ulti-millionaire. He crushed Bis
marck; then, when the Chancellor was
old and helpless, nursed and petted him.
Nothing would please the Kaiser
more than to steer the Kearsarge from
Kiel to New York, stick her nose
against the Battery wall and call for
three cheers for Uncle Sam. He can
be very charming. He will play child
ish games, run, romp and wrestle; but
he never permits any sort of familiar
ity. No one can get inside his guard.
At Abbazzia he made himself extreme
ly pleasant to the Hungarian aristoc-
racy who have villas in the neighbor-
hood. He played lawn tennis every
day with them, the Empress looking on.
One day he introduced Count Eulen-
burg to a young woman with the
words: He is very young to be an am
bassador, and at Vienna, too! But he is
not a bad fellow. all the same" The
woman had it on her tongue to reply:
He is older than you are, and you are
not a bad Emperor" but there was
something in the cold glance of his
steel-blue eyes which made her feel that
he was not a fit subject for jest.
The Kaiser is not a short man by any
means. He is, in fact, about feet
10. But he likes to surround himself
with giants, and by comparison looks
shorter than he is. His most intimate
friends never dare to take the faintest
shadow of a liberty with him. 1t is
amusing to see him, shorter by head
than the men of his suite, but abso-
lutely their master, and as digniied as
Queen Victoria could be on occasion.
Great men should never stoop to de-
tails: but William II is too much of a
German to avoid them. He attended
many rehearsals of Der Crosse Kur-
furst' at the State Theater. He would
sit in the stalls and in that clear, ring
ing, penetrating voice of his make his
criticisms. The actor who played the
role of the Eleetor was not to be en-
Wed. Every now and then His Males
ty would call out, More dignity, sir!
more dignity" When the Elector had
to dismiss his minister, the author,
who stood in the wings. tore his hair
and stamped with rage, Good God,
sir" he shouted; you are acting like
a broomstieki Put more passion into
it, can't your" But from the stalls
there issued the resonant cry. More
dignity, sir; more dignity" The actor,
when he came off the stage reeking
with perspirat ton, expostulated with
the author, who said: Never mind
His Majesty. I won't have my piece
spoiled to please him or anybody" But
in the end the Kaiser must have been
pleased, as he rewarded the actor hand
somely and gave him a distinguished
decoration.