Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-02-07

he thinks them ugly; just as he thinks
Robins sculpture and Renoir's paint
ings ugly. He likes to see lawns and
parks decorated with groups or
swords baskets or shells, plat bands
of bayonets and cannon.
Do you, know the large fountain
which stands in the Schlossplat2? 1t
was bequeathed to the city of Berlin
by very rich gentleman. The Mayor,
in accordance with the usual cere-
monial custom, invited the Emperor to
take part in the dedication exercises.
The Emperor was absolutely out
ragged. He could hardly believe that
they would dare to erect in Berlin a
monument which had not originated
with him.
He exhausted all the administrative
and legal tricks that he could think of
to prevent the acceptance of the
legacy, and failing to arrest the pro-
ject sent curt refusal to attend the
dedication. He felt that this fountain
was direct blow at his authority: al
most. indeed, "a crime of lese majestic.
] saw good deal of him at this
time and tried to reason with him, but
he flew into a rage and imposed ST.
lence upon me.
This fountain drives me mad" he,
cried in French. Gle always drops
into French when he wishes to use
violent languagel. 1T is a Socialist
plot. Mark my words, Socialist
plot"
tried to calm him,
by heavens. you are a Socialist,
too. Everybody is Socialist nowa-
davs!" he shouted. But they had
better take care"
Imagine the surprise of the crowd
and of the officials when on the day
of the unveiling, they saw the En-
peror appear. His face was somber
and threatening and his mustaches
were more warlike than ever. Hurting
himself upon the platform, he inter
rupted the good man who happened
to be eXpatiating upon the virtues OF
the donor.
Threatens Vengeance
AN evil spirit is lowering over this
city," cried William. Socialism is
lifting its head. l will not tolerate it.
| wish every one to know that | have
given orders for an immense barracks
to be built right in the heart of Berlin.
1t will be filled with my loyal troops
and my faithful cannon. II the So
cialists stir | will not hesitate to NOV
them down. Let them look out. ] will
NOV them down. / have had enough
of it,"
With this he turned his back on the
crowd and looked scornfully at the
fountain.
dressing the dignitaries on the plat
form with a shrug of his shoulders, 'it
is simply ridiculous-absurd!' So say
ing, he went as he had come, like q
tempest, leaving the crowd stupetied.
Strange to say. the story of this af-
fair was not broadly circulated, even
in Germany | sometimes think we
have a national modesty which causes
us to cover with our mantel the rtdicu-
lous doings of the Emperor, as Noah's $
sons covered the nakedness of their
father.
Some people believe that Williams g
startling performances are theatric et-
fects, coldly planned by him in order
to strike the imagination of his sub
jects. This is not the case. OF course.
| don't pretend that he does not inten-
tionally abuse his power; in this he
is like all other men; but / assure you
he is much less of an actor than is
thought. He simply obeys the impulse
of the moment because he is incapable
of resisting it. Some of his impulses
are generous: some are not. He often
ends by bitterly repenting his acts.
Like all neurasthenics, the Emperor
shovs-even in his most unbalanced
deeds--a sort of topsyturvy logic. He
gets peoples minds off one thing by
doing another. Thus if they blame
him for an artistic decision he mus
ters review: If they cry out over
something else he paints a picture; IL
they hiss that he writes an opera or
disguises himself as Mussulman and
makes a pilgrimage to the Holy Land
or demands that they discover a cure
for tuberculosis within twenty-four
hours.
Is Not Popular
The fact is that the Emperor is not
,YN.- .N.... l.. a
trust him and believe in him as we
once did. He fatigues and discourages
us. besides plaguing all the rest of
the world like a nightmare.
We Germans are quiet, prosperous
people, and in order to continue so we
wish to be let alone. Nevertheless we
live in constant fear of imbecile COM
plications which may be stirred up at
any moment by this blunderer, who
is far from being the master of his
slaves.
The newer generation of Germans
reproach the Emperor with being u
showy. false label badly struck on the
good old German bottle. He does not
truly represent the spirit of the peo-
pie. But in spite of our real feelings
we have to pretend, more or less, to
be as our sovereign represents u.s.
Take the case of France, for instance.
We Germans don't hate France at all:
quite the reverse, we like and trust
her. Yet in the papers that are ami
mated by the spirit of William we are
forever represented as being ready to
fly at her throat.
I do not for one moment charge
William with being serious in this
seeming hostility toward France. His
friendship for her is stronger than he
is. If in cruising he meets a French
yacht he approaches her and eX-
changes visits. He would love moth
ing better than to dine at the Elysee
Palace, and for the matter of that the
French would love it, too. for they are
still poisoned with their old monarchic
blood.
l must do William the justice to
say that he understands, like every one
else, that industry and commerce are
the vital organs and the vascular sys-
tenn of a country. But the Emperor,
in his feverish, incoherent activity. has
made the country giddy by driving it
madly on toward all sorts of economic
conquests.
In order to make her first in every
thing he has forced her to produce,
produce, produce. The products are
piled up in the shops, on the docks
and in the granaries. Sales are slow
and an enormous stock is left on hand.
Here is an example:
Jealous of the worldwide success OF
the Bordeaux, Burgundy and Cham
pagne wines of France, William has
pushed our landed proprietors and
peasants furiously to cultivate the
vino He bnS DroteCted tho German