Show THE KAISER i 11 adeer of tho eni geror of A LONG AND ure t r ign lord alid revered bv ids people san francisco call william the birst emperor of germany was born march and was the second son of king frederick william ill and queen louisea princess of mecklenburg strelitz Sk the of which he was chief emerged from the comparative obscurity of feudal sway in the eighth century the name is derived from the mountain castle which has won immortality in the fame and prominence of the descendants of its founders it is located in southwestern germany this was the source aiom which has 9 be rei aning dynasty of prussia A cotrit athass i 1 1 0 who flourished anel about is mentioned as tbt most ent and authentic progenitor of the house there is a vague bradt tion that alleges that in the veins of the rung too the blood of the distinguished colonias Colon nas of italy naturally the line IV as subjected to nume U of which the most powerful were those known as the frankish and these two during the changes and excitements excite ments of later benim centuries seems to have se 0 cured and maintained a ence that was ever the frankish bh line was in 1463 raised princey rank in 1415 it ob bained the of branden burg and in 1601 its head the elector frederick III became the first king of prussia from taij branch which was known As the was de directly the emperor william it avas the fortune of his boyhood to be identified with the most exciting and are of the present century when P apoleon I 1 with rapidity of mo tio n and comprehensiveness of scheme was constantly changing the gnap of europe growing aal mg the scenes f jena stierstadt eylan and fried and it is not to be wondered that in him there were planted seeds which though slow of growth have yet borne wonderful fruit in our own day young as he was lie took a part in the campaigns of 1813 and 1814 which closed the carter of bonaparte it is not strange that such an introduction into life should baye de the instincts of the soldier at the close of the wars he became of the minutest details of military affairs Il ardene d by ex arcise temperate in all things be was soon remarkable for his pro ficie sic yand for his enthusiasm in martial attainments nis dieb in 1840 the king his father died and his elder brother frederiek william was crowned the fourth of his name and william became beir presumptive and Prince of prussia though at this period 43 years of age he bad no tion other than that conferred by his rank and military reputation lie bad no prominence in political affairs the insignificance of his duties and power in times of peace his only nominal connection with the Government bis well known military character all conspire to conceal the greatness of his genius and the patriotism which cherishes only the good and glory of germany regarded as an absolutist on ac count of his attainments as a er be was with the was sea unpopular the events of the french reola tion aroused in the german mind A p desire bof unity and d and the result was at ahk time an undercurrent of disturbance i g 0 ut of enrow rc big en ts and a craving for constitutional reforms the people thought they knew that personal rule was ill adapted to the tamen ing of the principles of liberty el capt as persecution induced revola tion 1 beir princes bad not been of a kind to lead them to think otherwise popular aspiration had been thwarted and they bad been promised concessions in emerge n cleo which when the occasion b passed were never regarded except to a that did not greatly modify the s a the conservative party or t be party in power was considered an to all the the liberals that the prince should have been in theory at least identified with the opponents of public demands is most natural though in himself were then in ex tence the qualities which made a nation of the best features self co bained calm anti uti demonstrative in to be expected a of him he would take a course that would ant agonize both b y a lukewarm ad bernce to the principles of either the time was not ripe for the dia play of his beliefs and plans revolution OF 1818 when the revolution of 1848 took place he was obliged to leave germany and he went to I 1 angland his absence hoy wever was brief for in 1849 we find him i is com and I 1 of the army ordered to the bouth german Sta testo suppress risings in the palatinate and baden i little later owing to the aus triau policy in german aff lAirs he contributed most earnestly and ef fictively to the pacification and ad JU S t m ent of the cause discontent i d his and r of ebar acter appes lr to have gained bior him then a clasine in the judg ment of the people as be soon c ame to be regarded as an le adjunct to the greatness of cussia Is tejo 1 gt only ri mode ato and insecure growth in the of the populace as wai evidenced when he became regent on october 9 2858 though abe measures lie secured for the people should have taught them that in hirn they bad a ruler who recognized thair thuir demands still however he was misconstrued and it was plain that the erroneous judgment of former bears was lot to be overruled precipitately the reigning king owing to his mental condition was obliged to conent con ent to the regency william unfavorable t the policy which had been pursued appointed anew min astry of a moderately liberal char acter A general election was ordered and irle free action of the constituencies not being interfered with the result was a demon stra tion of liberal sentiments of the population and the effect was soon ap ae growing hopefulness of the liberal party in ayery german state aino in january 1861 lie became king and though his conciliatory policy had marked an era in ger man aff lairs the people yet were in harmonious irritated at his efforts at reorganization of the army ile was heart and soul for the diz ement of ierma uy but it vv 8 then his misfortune that his ambi tion for public good should be pre aversely it was not strange the people bad never seen the army utilized for any other than the selfish purposes of the crown tile of his echeme with the awakening of the people for libert yand their jealousy of all encroachments encroach ments must have been conspicuously apparent to him tu persist in his policy bader such circumstances relying on the den of the future to justify him require qualities that work the philosopher ami statesman cauree at this time teen in the light of bitoy shows how wise he was liberal concessions to moffiet the magnitude of his military reforms an admirer of the E capp in speak irig of his coronation at konigsberg october 18 1801 says it was characterized by the most ceremonious magnificence his pride in his family and regal dignity qualities however which with him viere with the greatest personal simplicity will temperance perfect conscientiousness and great industry the differences between him and dand be came even more difficult after the a of its dent of his cabinet in 1802 the representative chamber refused to sanction the great wil gitary reforms and the king and his majesty were to rely entirely on the upper house the audacity of the premier however stood the te though the people showed unreeled eed 1 th air sytha thy with his opponents alil devur I 1 tar reforce ere executed A sion in the popular ceelina was at hand the policy of the king now began to be developed under the frank shrewd diplomacy ister denmark ha I 1 claimed schleswig Sch leswig as a dependency though a part of the german Conf eders lion this became a cause of war and with austria as an ally the prussian army entered upon the contest june 37 1 1863 the people were elated nd the pride of the nation in the successes of its army bad the usual result E aalt aaion and laudations laudat ions of their king began to replace the sullen criticisms be bad borne without a dem ausma still morea was this change of sentiment exhibited during and after the war with austria nod her german allies the questions that arose between austria and brusda as corrol laries of the g holstein conflict were deftly ban aled by bismark to foment the di f fical t ies that terminated at konig gratz and the peace of pra g u ll 11 austria was outmaneuvered in t h field and in council and lannen burg the te reward of her persecution of schleswig was handed over to her former ally and present victor ng the contest with austria the lib eral party opposed the king a pt icy and endeavored to ot 11 but when overwhelming victories crowned the they yielded immediately and be came a e with theKia gs suppo artera in the storm an se that greeted him ad his councillors councilors counci lors bismarck von and roon revival NATIONAL when the italians bad secured to italy its unity the flame spread to germany and they could not that what their neigh bra had attained was unattainable by them here the statesmanship of the king was bbown in the annex attoh of hanover hafso and nas sau As king he undoubtedly lies stated at the but tile end jus tidied the means and as king he became subservient to tile indica eions of bai political worl 1 tile con tion followed decided by univ erml ballot on july 26 1867 the kin issued from aws a manifesto wani festo by which lie as earned the sovereign ity of the north german slates for himself and successors tile south aerman states were bitterly opposed to a union with the north and without extraneous causes it we uld not readily have been achieved what internal causes would have pre vented external reasons WAR at eni in 1870 when the pro po dation to put upon the throne of spain a prince of the branch of the house oi lern kindled the wrath of france the king dis a rectitude a dignity tend a self that won the of the civilized world it amzy well be doubted if france bad anything to fear from the the frelich crisis grasp ilig of the Tb eKings ealm dignity triumphed and the most wonderful campaign that ever emde a panorama of europe began the p position the assumed i kief hi d diplomacy with the french minister added greatly to the esteem with which the people were now rega di h before he bad b een loo ed upon as a stolid and resolute soldier was a onu added the far greater glory of the farseeing far seeing and courageous statesman he was adopted as the german representative of pro gresa and utility acy and wars of frederick the great which have no object save tile personal glora of the crown seemed to be by on advanced theory of making the position poRi tion in the development ene of right aright which meant a guard of the people as well As the throne and its dignities in the incursion into france after the early victories of the army on its own german soil the perfect results of the ion continued system and wah which the army bad been imbued were a lion that aroused the admiration of the world as well as excited its sur prise nod wonder what itice lay in the syr f cm that had been in a u g ur abedin I 1 i h and developed with patience j one knew not even the soldier he had opposed it in its alq growth absorbed in i of liberty they bad tuia tui A to recognize the element in which was best calculated to preserve that liberty like the return of sanity to the madman came the general and of their kitiss greatness and victory nit er victory crowned the march in battle his tall and un bowed form azre than thouis threescore years an ten in with the bravery and in diffie rence of the commoner com soldier the success of the war anti the realization of prussian sias future glory cemented at once the royalty of cerman princes previously divided find the imperial crown was offered and at versailles Veri ailles on the of january 1671 accepted TO BERLIN ili return to berlin was one pro urged ovation and the ous enthusiasm of the people for ever swept away all bat could con flicht with and reverence the newly elected alouse of representatives with one accord consented to obliterate all evidence 4 of past A new con was adopted which pre ascribed scribed that the headship of the confederation should ba hereditary that it should belong to the king of that legislative funt eions should be exercised by a federal council representatives of the various principalities and a diet to be elected by the whole people AND STATE strong now in the loyalty of his people the emperor was about to kemt a powerful and extended porn lie of them in their dearest pred and beliefs at no other time in his career could lie have ventured upon tile step bac hesitatingly took during his whole life be bad been remarkable no doubt this firm dis in religious matters bad an lion to the roman curia and the catholic church which in germany bad directly and indirectly long and bloody wars As in his state policy he had been aar seeing so it is more than just to accord tp his action toward the catholics and more immediately the pope the be lief that lie was actuated byun selfish motives ills own age and tho strength of his position precluded the thought of any personal anticipation of trouble from ultra m on taoism the most intolerant P es s cannot in this day of liberalism in matters of religion pre diet denominational conflicts and but religious rev vals and excitements excite ments are liable to cime at long intervals hilory the world has been for centuries ever changing now liberal now in to lerent it a al offense offence fur the clergy to utter or print any sentiment which imperiled the public peace in j uy the ministry of the catholic religion one y of religion constituted ivas for catholic and protestant the office of Chaplain General in the army was ing and restraining acts were passed which completely paralyzed arle pope the crow n I 1 rbuce vi sittI it ia consequence and had an au then ce with the pope and thea the matter haq suffered to sink into to cat holie priest in Germ stiv ming es mo r 3 free y avith the in than ever before and a condition of mutual forbearance and friendship exist 3 that has its foundation in the matters of religion must become become subservient to those lofstate kliten a policy requires it the storm that threatened this 0 f the of conscience amily and the result has justified the wisdom of t he ste for i I 1 is up barent there i I 1 ites i bi atry in religious now in germany than before the of tho acts ad where bigotry had been eradicated disagreements are NIS one cannot read even the bare skeleton like outline of abc iocim ats of the emperors life without being impressed ith the individuality of his remarkable character kin ga and E e rr a at 01 0 1 time i I 1 horld vor ld E to y have beu gunthed gui thed As a class for mental great nes ne s r high office generally has conferred all the geoly that surrounds them A well proper tinned royal character is anomalous they have surely uc the axiom that the good of the people is also their own good in the subject of this however taking him in his final com eneis we are compelled to ree cognize in him the initial germ of a great and noble principle early ri his life the constant retention and of it daring years when it must often seemed ass linia fatu and a hofele s ambition it is the most symmetrical sy metrical and stately career that european or any history can present at a time in life when noth ilig but personal indulgence and pleasure are con the slat uarl ambition of the rich and powerful lie aimed at the greatness of ills country though there was no certainty that ike would live to see its realization his predecessors add contemporaries afforded him no precedent for tile justness of his ambition As a king he was an anachronism iii times long before his i i ira ti ion won id have ben ascribe ns tobia the very means he deemed to be the most for the perfection of hia great scheme he knew to be the element which caused film derision and un popularity ppul arity ile had acers thrones lost for lesser reasons yet firm ill his convictions he never wavered waver td it was but the obstinacy was tempered by j u dewen t and pa the that seemed to shadow hi |