TaÌˆgliche Omaha tribuÌˆne. [volume] (Omaha, Nebr.) 1912-1926, 1914-10-23
The German Emperor.
Prof. Dr. John w. Burgess De-
olaros Him 20 b0 m~lsupd0r-
stood Mere. - Describes tho
Kaiser ne No Found MIN.


the age. for which be lab0re. Nany
instances fof the truth OF this state,
ment can be easily cited. Two OF
the mOEt fragrant have coma within
the range Of my own personal OK.
~porience. The first was tho character
Of Abraham Lincoln as depicted BY
the British press Of 1s60-6a and az
conceived by the British public
opinion Of that era. Mr., Henry
Adams. son and private secretary OF
Mr.. Charles Francis Adams. our
Minister Plenipotentiary TO Great
Britain during that critical era In em
history, writes, In that fascinating
book Of his entitled The Education
bf Henry Adams" that London
was altogether beside itself on one
point, In especial; II created q
nightmare OF ita own. and gave Il
tho shape Of Abraham Lincoln.
Behind this II placed another
demon, IN possible more deviiish,
and called It Mr., Seward. IN
regard 10 those two men English
society seemed demeuted. Defense
was useless; explanation was vain.
One could only let the passion
exhaust itself. Ones best friends
were as unreasonable as enemies,
for the belief In poor Mr.. Lineoln's
brutality and Stewards ferocity be-
came Q dogma of popular faith"
Adams relates further that the
last time he saw Thackeray at Christ.
mas OF 1859 they spoke OF their
mutual friend, Mrs. Frank Hampton
II South Carolina. whom Thaekeray
had Portrayed as Ethel Newcome, and
who had recently passed away from
life. Thackeray had read in the
British papers that her parents had
been prevented by the Federal
soldiers from passing through tho
ines TO e her on her death-bed.
Adams writes that
in speaking Of II Thackeray's voice
trembled and his eyes filled with
tears. The coarse cruelty Of Lin.
coin and his hireIlngs was noto-
Tlous. He never doubted that the
Federals made a business Of
narrowing the ttnderest feelings Of
women - particularly Of women =
in order TO punish their oppone nts.
On quite insufficient evidence be
burst into ~reproach. Had he
(Adams) carried in his pocket the
proofs that the reproach was un-
just, he would have gained nothing
BY showing them. At that moment
Thackeray, and all London society
with him, needed the nervous relief
OF expressing emotions; for II Mr..
Lincoln was not what they said he
was, what were they?"
Mr.. Lincoln sent over our most
killfui politician. Thurlow Weed. and
mr most able constitutional lawyer,
William NJ. Evarts, and later our
most brilliant orator, Henry Ward
leecher, followed, for the purpose ef
ringing the British people to their
enses and correcting British opinion.
mt all to little purpose. Gettysburg
nd Yicksburg did far more toward
'odifying that opinion than the per-
~tasiveness of Weed, the logic Of
yarts, or the ~eloquence Of Beecher,
ID II took Chattanooga, the March
the Sea. and Apponattox to dispel
@ delusion entirely.
Decisions About the Kaiser.
Today we are laboring under a no
SIS singular delugion than were the
nglish In 1852. The conception
feyailing in England and in this
1untry concerning the physical,
entail, and moral makeup Of the
erman Emperor Is the monumental
irieature Of Biographical literature.
have had the privilege OF his
ersonal acquaintance now for nearly
IN years. | have been brought into
contact with him In many different
rays and under many Tarying condi-
ons, at Court and Slate functions.
/ university ceremonies and celebra-
lons, at his table, and by his freside
grounded by his family, when in
ie midst Of his officials, his msn 81
fence, and his personal friends, anil.
ore instructive than all, alone g.
10 imperial home in Berlin and at
1tsdAm and In the castle and forest
Wilhelmsh6he. With all this ex.
a%rience, With all this opportunity
n observation at close range, | am
Ardly able to recognize a single
'%aracteristic usually attributed to
n by the British and American
ess of today.
In the first place, the Emperor is
impressive man physically. He is
1t a giant In stature, but a man OF
edlum size, great strength and en-
! rance, and Of agile and graceful
1yement. He looks every inch a
ader of men. His fine gray.blue
rs are peculiarly fascinating.
" him once seated beside bis uncle,
ng Edward VII, and the contrast
IS very striking, and greatly In his
yor.
In the second place, the Emperor
an exceedingly intelligent anc
shly cultivated man. His mental
ocesses are swift, but they go also
ry deep. He Is a searching in
irer; and questions and listens more
IN he talks. His fund Of knowledge
immense and sometimes astonish.
q He manifests interest in every,
ng. even to the smallest detail,
iich can have any bearing upon
man Improvement. | remember a
lEhour's conversation with him
70 over a cupping glass. which he
Il gotten from an excavation In the
man ruin called the Saalburg, near
lmburg. He always appeared TO me
Isl deeply concerned with the arts
peace. | have never heard him
aak much OF war, aud then always
IN adherence nor much Of military