The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-06-15
WILHELM 28
 YEARS ON THRONE

The Germans in America as well as in Europe will celebrate today the twenty eight anniversary of the ac- cessfon to the throne of Kaiser Will helm II. It was on the fifteenth of June, 1888, that his father, Emperor Frederick, succumbed to the illness with which he had been afflicted throughout his brief reign of three months Wilhelm, then in his thir- tieth year, immediately assumed the imperial powers and prorogatives. His first official proclamation as Emperor of Germany was addressed to the army and navy, and from the first day of his reign he manifested an almost passionate enthusiasm for the development of the Teuton mill tary machine. His first address to the German people, as well as his inaug- ura1 speech al the Reichstag, showed the new ruler to be an ardent be- Iiever in the divine rights of kings, and left no doubt in the minds of 'ihs subjects that Wilhelm proposed to be a monarch in fact as well as in name. Some of the passages in those ad- dresses breathed distinctly feudal and absoIutist spirit, and his utter ances were bitterly criticized by the liberal and sociaEstic press of Ger many and Europe. EfThe supreme guardian of law and order," he pub licly declared himself to be crowned by God and owing allegiance only to the Deity.
 No other modern European ruler has ever interfered so constantly and vital1y in all administrative affairs and in regulating the social and religious life of the public as Kaiser Wilhelm IT. Active and restless, the young Emperor put his finger in every pie. and he, soont- found himself at odds l with Bismarck. the veteran chan ceIlor who had so long been the real l'ru1er of the empires destinies. The Iron chancellor was too old and"sot | in his ways to be content to play second fiddle. The young Kaiser s 'father and grandfather had subjec- lted themselves to- "Gott und Bis marck,' but Wilhelm II; while loudly declaring his subservience to the for 'mer, was disinc1ined to submit his inn l perial will to the latter. A number Eof astute German statesmen, per- ceiving advantage to themselves by alienating n6narch and chancellor, fostered the ambitious designs of the Emperor to rule alone. Matters came l to, a head in March, 1890, less, than two years after the accession of Will helm IT. The Emperor had issued a decree which had been opposed by Bismarck, and he had demanded that | the Chancellor repeat a certain con versation, to be met with refusal. Wilhelm then asked Bismarck to re- sign, and when he refused, he was
 
 | the break between the creator of the empire and it's young ruler was al most the sole topic of discussion in Germany. The older men of the country sided with Bismarck almost 1 to man, but the younger element of the population were inclined to l support Wilhelm in his act. It was soon evident that Bismarck had at | tained his second childhood, for the once stern arbiter of Germany filled the country with his lamentations and complaints. fter four years o1 ennity, the Kaiser and the deposed Chancellor were publicly reconciled and all Germany rejoiced.
 l General Caprivi, who succeeded Bismarck as chancellor, was the 1oya. servant of his imperial master, but the hostility of the Junkers forced his resignation in 1894. Prince Hohen- 1ohe, the next chancellor, was alos completely subservient to the Elm peror. In 1900 Count won BuIow took his place. Bulow had not long held the office when his inability to con troI the monarch's tendency toward jed him to resign. The Kaiser induced led him to resign. TheKaiser induced him to remain, and he held the of flee until 1909, when the present
 chancellor, Dr. Won Bethmann-Hol1
 veg, an ardent disciple of the dive rights theory, was installed.