New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-03-06

Copyright. 1870. by George ". snaliey.)

tho Windy City to the rest OF the tnited
States. and of such parts as L knew !
did not think +; a coed account
After a time Chicago was dismissed
and the talk dr;fted away into less Diff
cult channels But the position was al
WAYS much the same. The Princess talked
and | listened: the most interesting OF al
positions ] had heard-everybody had
heard great deal about her views on
nolitics and On AnglO-Gernan relations
ana on the internal affairs Of Germany.
on Some of these matters she touched
briefly: on all she threw a bright light,
for no matter what the immediate topic
OF her discourse. her attitude OF inlnd
toward other topics ard toward high
matters OF state became visible. Never
for . moment did this stream OF talk
stop nor grow sluggish. Carlyle summed
,5,, Nacaulay. for whom he had no great
respect. in the phrase: "fTioW on. thou
shining river" He might, in sardonic
mood. have done tbs same for THIS
Princess After 2 time I found myself
in dilemma. An hour and half had
passed. dgGP6atAA anu Va Ai4Ae'lN'S- 49, -
had passed. and I had been for some
time expecting the signal which would
indicate that my audience was at an END.
II did not come. The Princess talked on
| knew Her Royal Highness had dinner
engag cement. and knew L had, and II
was already half past six. and HomburS
dinners are carly. Finally I said I was
afraid 7 had abused Her Royal High
ness's kindness and might 1 be permitted
70 withdraw. The permission was given,
the Princess held out her hand, and /
went.
It was an illuminating interview. II
threw light on events TO come, as well as
on those of the past. Here was great
lady. full Of intelligence and gifts, get talk
ing views OF great public questions which
she held almost alone. She had made
many enemies. She was to make many
more In Berlin 7 had heard much
Prince BiSma rck's diStrust Of the Crown
Princess. and of the Crown Prince on
her account, was known It was shared
by multitudes of Germans. They be
Iieyed rightly or wrongly, that she
wanted TO Anglicize Germany Her
ascendency over her husband was be
lieved TO be complete, and because II
was complete the day Of the Crown
Princes accession to the throne was
expected with dread. During his short
reign of three nlonths-Na~cll TO June
i. lSSS-these gloomy forecasts could
be neither confirmed nor dispelled- But
they existed they were general. and they
modified the grief of the German people
at TIE melancholy ending Of what had
promised to he q great career.
I suppose it must be said that the
Crown Princess had furnished some ma
terial for German forebodings as TO 4.
German future shaped by her or by her
influence. She talked openly. She told
all corners that what Germany needed
vas parliamentary government as il was
understood and practised in England.
Against that the German face was set
as flint. In little things as in great she
made no secret of her preference for
what was English over what vas Ger
man. When the rooms the Crown Prince
and Crown Princess were to occupy in
the Palace of Charlottenburg, outside
Berlin, were TO be refurnished she in
sisted on bringing upholsterers from
London to do the work. Naturally, the
Berlin people did not like that.
Judgment was not her strong point
nor vas tact. II ! am 10 say what was
her strong point I suppose it would be
sincerity. Her gifts of mind We're daz-
zling rather than sound. Her impulses
were not always under control Her
animosities, once reused. never slept, as
Prince Bismarck we'll knew. Her will
was SO vehement as sometimes to OBJ
sCure her perceptions. But hers was d
loyal nature. and whatever one may
think Of her politics, it is Impossible not
{" regret that the promise of a great
ambition should have come to so tragic
8r end. @. Y. s.