The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-01-12
IN THE GERMAN EMPIRE.

S-toA"AASS oA AlIdlrS III Lne OnlLeu
 States-Future of Alsace-Lorraine.
 It is somewhat damaging to notice here, in a country where more or less extensive and intimate knowledge of other nations is general, the depths of ignorance regarding the political life and the social institutions of the United states. Indeed, it is true even to-day that the average educated German knows vast deal more of Bulgaria or the North Polar regions than he does about the United States. On occasion of recent visit to the chief editor of one of our great Berlin dailies in his sanctum, the conversation drifted incl dentally to American topics Git was in the Presidential campaign), and he said in an off-hand manner: But what's the use of discussing this? Our readers are more interested in politics almost anywhere else, even in the Balkans. than in American affairs" And he spoke the truth. It is strange, espec- lally when one reflects on the close com mercial and industrial relations subsist- ing between the two countries, ad on the further fact that some millions of native born Germans have found sec ond home in America. But the fact it self is ot to be denied.
 It would be easy to give a "Bluthen- lese" Ia batch of fair samples) of this astounding German ignorance of Amer ican affairs as displayed anew on the result of the recent quadrennial cleo ton, and doubtless it would provoke many a smile among readers. Howev- CT, It may merely be said that this ig- norance of the principal issues involved, of men and methods, seemed to be pret. ty evenly balanced between the German Liberals and the Conservatives. It was even shared by such a serious and | weighty publication as Die Nation, the editor of which is accounted one of the greatest friends the United States has here and who has paid several visits on the other side of the Atlantic.
 With few exceptions, the sympathies of the German people and press in the recent political struggle were on the side of the democrats the reason given being because democratic president and congress would abolish the Ding ley tariff and substitute one more fla vorable to German exporting indus tries; because Judge Parker's victory would have ended American imperial ism,' and because honestly intimate re. lations between the two countries are only possible in the latter contingency President Roosevelt's victory is here looked upon as the firm esta blishment of American plutocracy" and of the 'rule of the trusts" These are the views oi nine out of every ten thinking Ger mans, and even the government press repeated them after the news of No vember was flashed across.
 There is no doubt that the Kaiser personally adnires MT. Roosevelt; in deed, he has more than once given ex pression to such a feeling. But still ar impression prevails that, viewing hin as political rival--or, rather, as the banner bearer of great rival nation he looks upon the president with 8 somewhat uncomfortable sentiment However, the Kaiser frankly recognizes and as frankly deals with concrete 4dStS 1tA pUlllAS0f sltiSt ilS ttatl %tSi CellLCi edeavor, as he has during the last three years, to show himself as friendly te the vigorous transatlantic nation and I its eergetic head as circumstaces will at all permit. The imperial chancellor Count von Bulow, personally does moi like America or Americans. He is by birth and association an agrarian-tha I is, opposed to Americas keen agricul tural competition. But von Bulow does not rule Germany's destinies; neither do his colleagues of the imperial cabi. net. Outside Germany it is held-ane correctly--that the Kaiser frames an6 fashions the foreign policy.--Berlin Let
 ter in the New York Tribune. &