Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1918-02-20
Hon. A. III. REID
Judge of the 10Th Circuit, Wisconsin
An Address delivered at Eagle River, Wisconsin
February l9, 1918

February l9, 1918
OF intense preparation for conflict and after having brought
their armament the height of perfection having
their people mtarstic system as nHexbe as machine
are now making desperate effort only maintain their power
but enlarge other PEOPLES and if possible
dominate world AT the outset of this war thew not onv frankly
confessed their but advocated the desay extending
what they termed their Kuur which simply system
of government and political and organization far
possible even by the of the sword They making
great effort of auocratc government against the
movement for liberty autonomy and segovement for every
people
Prussia Austria and Turkey controlled and directed by the
military and autocac aderents of their
absolute monarchy and aayed against them stand almost every
liberty loving segovernng people of the world We have
to the rreconclabe conflict America could stay
because the fires of liberty lighted here and she stayed
until the autocracy of Europe would fall the
tim of that coldbooded, ironcad system.
The directing will of the Central Powers of Europe for they
have neither souD Prussia Its imperial govern
in the form of despoc machine up utterly selfish
constituencies and ambitious men, ruling directing
Teuonc throughout Germany and Austria and reaching
far Bulgaria and Turkey That will driving forward their
great machine with purpose crush beneath its pondeous
spoken by the system e make subject and dependent
many people possible dominate Europe with absolute monarchy
and with the divine right of kings and then perhaps the world
The way in which Prussia rose to power not only prepared the
way for what she attempting accomplish but has made
the project of the Central Allies perfectly natural and
logical result.
There came to throne of Prussia in King William L.
He bitterly opposed concession to liberalism
to the He set about increase
Prussa army and met with opposition from the Pussian paa
because this required large increase in taxes Then he
found prime Bismarck who both able and
ready carry his wl-parlament parliament The
parliament consisted Of houses of
tyes of the people and the other of house nobe
could do nothing without the of the nobe
and the king had absolute of both Bismarck invented the
theory that the houses did the king and the house
of mobiles could and without the consent OF the
representative and raise taxes they did spite
protests denuncaon by the representative house and
despite threats hang Bismarck quote from standard
history.
When Bismarck ready he, by series of unscupuous
daring ntgues brought three in The
first with Denmark Denmark then included the provinces OF
Sceswg Hosen and the Danish king the duke of those
provinces When the Danish king died. dispute arose to who
ghtfu the duke of these What
the rights of the contendng parties were it certain that
Prussia devoid of right and of any shadow OF claim But
stepped the provinces for Prussia VINO had
right ALL The scheme would have been impossible to scr
pulous But with cunning and deceit he drew Austria
in as an accompce he deceived the other into keeping
hands off of his Pssian machine he took the
two provinces Denmark plain act of robbery any
which Wisconsin court would sentence the pepear TO the
pententary. ~ :,
Next came the question with Austria of dividing the spols
Bismarck only aned them ALL He forced quarrel with Austria
and although nearly other German states stood by Austria
Prussas war machine weeks had Austria and Its adnerenS
at his mercy annexed only schleswg and Hosen
but three provinces which had sided with Austria and thus
Bismarck Prussia nation of 100000 OF people and
the practical ruler of German conedeacy besides
With characteristic craft Bismarck next in 1871 brought on
h - with France He bound all the German confederation
tightly to Prussia exciting their fears OF France he circulated
uo intended invasion by France AT the same time ne put
Prussia marvellous state OF military preparation ana WITCH
all was ready first opportunity he faxed lying telegram
which naamed the French people produced The crushing
of France with such an Prussia had was like the hand
of man closing egg SHE'LL And Prussia IN addition 10
great ndenes from France the provinces OF Asace ana
Lorraine William Of Prussia became emperor OF Ger
manv and the the greatest military power the world then
knew This process only been of blood and ron ou
of fraud and asehood and unhoy conquest and in the
people lost much liberty they had previously had Inc rgn
of conquered provinces to sefgoyenmen was ru e1
brushed aside Bisarcks theory of absolute monarchy was n
seated The became everything and the ndvoua
nothing except as might the purposes OF the sae
individual became cog great machine as unable to ex
cate himself from real in an iron wheel Wnen
william was crowned emperor of Germany he himself raised the
crown from the table while declaring, Inns crown
comes only from God have received from MS hanos
This bold declaration henceforh the peoples rights were
nothing has been the principle of German government ever since
Tbs b;ohv nerfeced autocat and mitar1stc ogan Won
came the hands present kaiser and ne and his m
nv nutiples prepared for Its every
s.; Which modern science could devise. What cofek
oesuu0uon LII Gee unless to invade conquer, and