The Hawaiian gazette., 1914-11-20

Il is often sIid by historians that M
trnly great man is ever really under
stood BY the generation, and in the age
for which he labors. Many instances Of
the truth OF this statement can b,
easily cited Two OF the most fragrant
have come within the range OF my owl
personal experience.
Compares With Lincola and Seward
The first was the character Of Abra
ham Lincoln MS depicted by the British
press of $4,000 and rs conceived by Oh,
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 oul
history, writes in that fascinating bool,
Of his entitled "The Educational Henry
Adams, that
London was altogether beside IT,
self on one point, in especial; it
created a nightmare Of its own, and
gave IL the shape Of Abraham Lin.
coin. Behind this IL placed another
demon. III possible more devilish,
and called II Mr.. Seward. In regard
to these two men English society
seemed demented. Defense was use
less; explanation was vain. One
could only Jet the passion exhaust
itself. One 3 best friends were as
unreasonable as enemies, Cor the
belief in poor Mr.. Lineoln's brutal
ity aud Seward 3 ferocity became
dogma Of popular faith. y
Adams relates further that the last
time he saw Thackeray at Christmas Of
1868 thew smoke of their mutual friend,
Mrs. Frank Hampton Of South Carolina,
whom Thackeray had portrayed as
Ethel Newcome, and who had recently
passed away from life. Thaekeray had
read in the British PAPERS that her par
ents had been prevented by the Federal
soldiers from passing through the lines
to see her on her deathbed, Adams
whites that p
Thackeray on Lincoln
Z 'sin speaking Of il Thackeray's
voice trembled and his eyes filed
with tears. The coarse cruelty of
Lincoln and his hirelings was no.
torious, He never doubted that the
Federals made a business of har-
rowing the tenderest feelings of
particularly Of women--in
order to punish their opponents On
quite insufficient evidence he burst
into reproaeh. Had he (Adams) ear.
ried in his pocket the proofs that
the reproach was unjust, he would
have gained nothing by showing
them. At that moment Thackeray,
and all London society with him,
needed the nervous relief of ex-
pressing emotions; for il Mr.. Lin
coin was not what they said he was,
what were theyP'
English Prejudice Deep Seated \,
Mr.. Lincoln sent oyer our most skill
full politician, Thurlow Weed, and our
most able constitutional lawyer, VIII
liam M. Evarts, and later our most bril-.
liant orator. Henry Ward Beeeher, fol-
lowed, for the purpose Of bringing the
British PEOPLE to their senses and cor
reeting British opinion; but all to lit
tie purpose
Gettysturg and vieksburg did far
more towafdi modifying that opinion
than the "Reminiscences of Weed, the
logic of Eyarts, or the eloquence OF
Beecher, and il took Chattanooga, the
March to the Sea, and Appomattox 10
dispel the illusion entirely.
About the Kaiser
Today we are lnboring under a no
less singular delusion than were the
English in 1859. The conception pre-,
vailing in England and in this country
the physical, mental, and
moral makeup of the German Emperor
is the monumental caricature Of bio
graphical literature. ~
RI have had the privilege of his per
sonal acquaintance now for nearly ten
years. $50.
I have been brought into contact with
him in many, different ways and under
many varying conditions, at court and
state functions, at university ceremo-
MES and celebrations, at his table, and
by his Preside surrounded by his fam
lily, when in the midst of his officials,
his men of science, and his personal
friends, and, more instructive than all,
alone in the imperial home in Berlin
and at P0Ttsdam and in the castle and
forest at Wilhelmshohe. ~
With all this experience, with all this
lOi
range, am hardly able to recognize a
single characteristics usually attributed
to him by the British and American
press of today.
Physical Characteristics Of Kaiser
In the first place, the Emperor is an
man physically. lie is not
a giant IN stature, but man Of medium
size, great strength and endurance, and
OF agile and graceful movement lie
looks every inch a leader of men, His
fine gray.blue eyes are peculiarly fas-
cinating | saw him once seated beside
his uncle, King Edward VIE, and the
contrast was very striking, and greatly
in his favor.
Is a Cultivated Man
y In the second place, the Emperor is
an exceedingly Intelligent and highly
cultivated man. His mental processes
are swift, but they 90 also very deep,
He is searching inquirer, and ques-
tions and listens more than he talks.
His funds OF knowledge Is immense and
sometimes astonishing. lie manifests
j. A Il r IA ! o. A q L..