Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1918-11-29
CHAPTER XIV.

untrayeled German has but the VagueSt
ideas concerning our people and our
institutions. | have had patients Oh
intelligence and education ask me how
we are abe to cope with the Indians.
In view of the extent of German emf
grafton to America and the vast vel
ume of commercial transactions be
>-1I51 TIE Two countries, It is aimc5,
unbelievable that such erroneous no
tons should prevail in these enlighF
ened days, but they do.
This fact partially serves to explain
how easy it was for the kaiser and his
inspired press to pull the wool over
the peoples eyes regarding the unim'
pOrtance Of Americas entry into tnt
war. 1t doesn't explain at ali, how
ever, how completely the kaiser him
self underestimate us and our power
for l doubt whether there is any for
eigner living. who has never visitet
America who Knows more about oui
country than tie German emperor. In
deed, he Was more familiar with many
Ct pr@t!ems than many Of on!
~>c0untrym-a nd he frequently reveal
ed to me in the course of our CONVEX
sation; Low thoroughly posted he was
on American conditions.
Long before the subject of fores5
conservation was taken up seriously II
iris country, the kaiser pointed out tt
me what a great mistake we were
making in not devoting more atten-
ton to it.
San you tell me, Davis, why you
h&ve 50 many forest fires in your coun,
t.-r%, he asked, after particularly
destructive c~uGagration in the West
Rad destroyed many acres OF timber
'&Iow Gees it happen"
explained to him That most of the
forest fires came from sparks from
locomotives. Careless lumbermen al
lowed Tia branches which they Topped
of the trees to remain on the ground
and when they wer2 ;gnifed by sparks
tie fire sometimes s2read to the uncut
timber. AS the facilities for eXtin-
gushing fire in these appropriated re-
ai0ns were practically nil and the eli
mate made the timber particularly in
fammable, these fires usually attained
serious dimensions.
THAT points out again the inefi-
cheney Of your form of government" he
commented. you have laws requiring
the railways 10 Use appliances to ar
rest tho SPARKS from their engines,
haven't you: Why don't you enforce
them? Your people don't seem to
rsaiize t;iat it takes years to grow a
tree. Because you have more than you
need today, you make no preparation
for tomorrcw. Fer every tree cut
down another should be planted. Ii
you don't adopt some such measure the
lime will surely come when America
Will have to turn to Germany for tim
ber."
The kaiser Yves q harsh critic OF our
election system. The idea Of four
year term for the president was nat
urally 'cnunnant to one who held such
exalted nn;.ols as to the rights OF
rulers. 4 would be too much to eX-
noct the uohv1ZUllern mind to approve
CT Il constitution which provided for
the rulers return to private life after
{. period u fCu: years at the head Of
the government.
r. IL, jared that with constant
CI.an&n uf administration it was quite
90 us he question for this country
IL Ia..oH any definite policy. 1t was
fal enough even so far as internal
:.iaiTs We're concerned he said, but
such 4 system made it impossible he
thought fer America ever TO take
p.croiannt place in international poll
IT,.
"I.i can't expect the nations of the
ysr,.i 20 deal with America rs they
{ 81. among themselves when the next
cs..1rc Of administration may mean
- adoption Of an entirely new foreign
l,.Icy," he declared. There can be
l.atAi4g stable about the foreign policy
OF : mutton whose leaders change every
four years"
r.ci.icun party politics were a con-
s."at source of embarrassment to the
kaiser. He always seemed undecided
rs to just how ne should receive an
American of prominence. If he hap
pened to be Of the same political faith
as the administration, the kaiser was
afraid to do him too much honor for
fear of offending the opposing party
who might win the next election; and
if he were net OF the same party as
tie administration, the kaiser feared
to honor him lest more immediate re.
sentiment be stirred up in America
Tnus ne refused to receive Bryan On
two different occasions when Repub-
Ecan administration was in power.
He criticized very strongly, too, our
election methods.
'Tnstead Of discussing principles,
your political candidates. exchange per-
Soralities," he said. Ny people would
be shocked at the sc-t'oI speeches and
accusations Which figure in ali Your
political campaigns. Over here, moth
ing Of the kind is ever heard"
The kaiser was very much interested
in our negro problem. 1t seemed to
have a great fascination for him, and
he frequently referred to it. lie told
ne that he understood there were
;5,00G,OO0 negroes in this country, bat
they were dying off in great numbers
through consumption and other dis
eases to which they offered but poor
resistance.
1.-THE negro viii always be great
,,rob1o,n in vorrr country however, ne