The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-05-05
Germans Are Facing Demand
for Heavier Civil
List.
ny LA MARaUIsE DE FoNrENoY.

LA Mhh0oISF' DE FONrENOf.
n L moment when tho entire Ger
~ man people are confronted with
not only Il vast increase of their
already terribly onerous yearly taxes
but likewise with an extraordinary as
sessInent on all capital and property
"ithin the empire. no matter whether
IT belongs to natives or Foreigners
these sacrifices being demanded Of the
nation for purposes of military and
naval defense-it is sinsularly impoli-
tic, from mona rchical point of view
TO apply to the legislatures for an adj
dition to the civil list of tho sovereign
Yet this is precisely what has taken
place In the Kingdom of Wurtamberg.
where the government has applied To
the Chambers to vote an increase of
oOo,O0o marks TO the civil list of 5000
600. already received by the sovereipn
from the national treasury
Naturally. the proposal is meeting
with great deal of criticism and even
ABUSE; the more so as the government
has admitted that the money is re-
CURED not for the purpose of aug
menting the monarch's income. but
merely 10 Increase the salaries of his
court dignitaries. and to add to their
number. 1t Is argued that at n time
when citizens of every class in Ger
many are cutting down their expenses
In order TO comply in patriotic ash
ion with the demands made upon their
purses by the Fatherland, it i'll becomes
the King OF Wurtemberg to add to the
number OF purely decorative court
dignitaries. and to augment the nav of
.hose already in office. 1t is urged
that their number should be dimln
ished. on the ground that the inevita
bic course of events Is gradually re-
ducing the twenty odd states OF the
German Confederation from independ
ent soVereignties into mere Prussian
proVinces-the result OF centralizing
everything at Berln-and that the
time is approaching when the people
OF on-Prussian Germany will reach the
conclusion that petty courts pettv
reigning families, and the expenses
which their maintenance entails upon
the taxpayers, are an altogether useless
extravaganza. There is all the less
excuse FOR this ill-timed application to
the people for an increase Of the civil
list OF King William, since he is ex-
ceedingly rich in the matter both of
crown property and of private for
tune, while his tastes and those of his
Queen are quite the reverse OF ex-
travagant Among other sources of
his income are the revenues which he
derives from the two principal hotels
and restaurants at Stuttgart; one the
Marquardt. situated right opposite the
royal palace. and the other, the Refs
sig, located under and over the arcade
OF the koenigsbau.
In running these two establishments
as source OF considerable profit to
his private cxchcquer. King William
Is merely continuing the traditions and
customs of his predecessors on the
throne for the past goo years There
is story as old as the time of Peter
the Great in connection Herewith n
seems that the Gear, who was deter
mined on retaining his incognito in
travelling through Europe, absolutely
declined to take up his quarters in
the royal palace at Stuttgart but in
sisted upon going to an inn. Having
learned of this prior to the Russian
Emperor's arrival, the ruler of Wur-
temberg had caused all the hotel and
innkeepers TO remove their signs Over
the principal doorway of his palace
he had huge sign hung out stating
that within there was cheer for man
and beast at moderate prices. and that
the name OF the inn was the Koenigs-
bau.
On the Cars carriages and retinue
entering Stuttgart, the postillions. pre-
viously instructed by the Wurtembcrg
officials. drove straight TO the palace.
and there, standing st the main en-
trance. was the sovereign, fat and
burly, arrayed in the traditional cos
tune of a Boniface. with white apron
and cap. while the various princesses,
princes. great mobiles and dignitaries
of his court We're costumed as walters
and Mattresses. ostlers and other serv-
ants.
Peter the Great. hugely amused by
this witty and kindly manner of hu-
moring his wishes. entered thoroughly
into the joke. which was kept up until
the following day, when he proceeded
on. his Journey. Noticing that the pos
tillion mounted on the wheeler of his
travelling carriage was a man OF sin
gularly unkempt appearance, his
clothes ragged and covered with mud,
lie made the remark to one OF his at
tendants that there was AZ least no
mistake as to the social condition OF
that man. and that there could be no
danger OF his being Il nobleman. But
when the position came to the car
rage door to receive his gratuity. and