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he could drive to the palace in the Wilhelmstrasse； pat his old
servant on the back； chaff him； scold him； laugh at him； and set
him going again； and no one thought less of the old monarch on
that account。 But for the YOUNG Emperor William to do this would
be fatal； it would class him at once among the rois
fatneantsthe mere figureheads〃the solemnly constituted
impostors；〃 and in this lay not merely dangers to the young
monarch； but to his dynasty and to the empire。
His recognition of this fact was； and is； to me a proof that the
favorable judgments of him which I had heard expressed in Berlin
were well founded。
But this decision did much to render him unpopular in the United
States； and various other reports which flitted over increased
the unfavorable feeling。 There came reports of his speeches to
young recruits； in which； to put it mildly； there was preached a
very high theory of the royal and imperial prerogative； and a
very exacting theory of the duty of the subject。 Little account
was taken by distant observers of the fundamental facts in the
case； namely； that Germany； being a nation with no natural
frontiers； with hostile military nations on all sides； and with
serious intestine tendencies to anarchy； must； if she is to live；
have the best possible military organization and a central power
strong to curb all the forces of the empire； and quick to hurl
them。 Moreover； these speeches； which seemed so absurd to the
average American； hardly astonished any one who had lived long in
Germany； and especially in Prussia。 The doctrines laid down by
the young monarch to the recruits were； after all； only what they
had heard a thousand times from pulpit and school desk； and are a
logical result of Prussian history and geography。 Something； too；
must be allowed to a young man gifted； energetic； suddenly
brought into so responsible a position； looking into and beyond
his empire； seeing hostile nations north； south； east； and west；
with elements of unreason fermenting within its own borders； and
feeling that the only reliance of his country is in the good
right arms of its people； in their power of striking heavily and
quickly； and in unquestioning obedience to authority。
In the history of American opinion at this time there was one
comical episode。 The strongholds of opinion among us friendly to
Germany have been； for the last sixty years； our universities and
colleges； in so many of which are professors and tutors who；
having studied in Germany； have brought back a certain love for
the German fatherland。 To them there came in those days a curious
tractate by a little…known German professorone of the most
curious satires in human history。 To all appearance it was simply
a biographical study of the young Roman emperor Caligula。 It
displayed the advantages he had derived from a brave and pious
imperial ancestry； and especially from his devout and gifted
father； it showed his natural gifts and acquired graces； his
versatility； his growing restlessness； his manifold ambitions；
his contempt of wise counsel； the dismissal of his most eminent
minister； his carelessness of thoughtful opinion； his meddling in
anything and everything； his displays in the theater and in the
temples of the gods； his growthuntil the world recognized him
simply as a beast of prey； a monster。 The whole narrative was so
managed that the young prince who had just come to the German
throne seemed the exact counterpart of the youthful Roman
monarchdown to the cruel stage of his career； THAT was left to
anticipation。 The parallels and resemblances between the two were
arranged with consummate skill； and whenever there was a passage
which seemed to present an exact chronicle of some well…known
saying or doing of the modern ruler there would follow an
asterisk with a reference to a passage in Tacitus or Suetonius or
Dion Cassius or other eminent authority exactly warranting the
statement。 This piece of historical jugglery ran speedily through
thirty editions； while from all parts of Germany came refutations
and counter…refutations by scores； all tending to increase its
notoriety。 Making a short tour through Germany at that period；
and stopping in a bookseller's shop at Munich to get a copy of
this treatise； I was shown a pile of pamphlets which it had
called out； at least a foot high。 Comically enough； its author
could not be held responsible for it； since the name of the young
Emperor William was never mentioned； all it claimed to give or
did give was the life of Caligula； and certainly there was no
crime in writing a condemnatory history of him or any other
imperial miscreant who died nearly two thousand years ago。 In the
American colleges and universities this tractate doubtless made
good friends of Germany uneasy； and it even shocked some
excellent men who knew much of Roman history and little of
mankind； but gradually common sense resumed its sway。 As men
began to think they began to realize that the modern German
Empire resembles in no particular that debased and corrupt mass
with which the imperial Roman wretches had to do； and that the
new German sovereign； in all his characteristics and tendencies
is radically a different being from any one of the crazy beasts
of prey who held the imperial power during the decline of Rome。
Sundry epigrams had also come over to us； among others； the
characterization of the three German Emperors： the first William
as 〃Der greise Kaiser；〃 the Emperor Frederick as 〃Der weise
Kaiser；〃 and the second William as 〃Der Reise Kaiser〃； and there
were unpleasant murmurs regarding sundry trials for petty
treason。 But at the same time there was evident； in the midst of
American jokes at the young Emperor's expense； a growing feeling
that there was something in him； that； at any rate； he was not a
fat…witted； Jesuit…ridden； mistress…led monarch of the old
Bourbon or Hapsburg sort； that he had 〃go〃 in himsome fine
impulses； evidently； and here and there a quotation from a speech
showed insight into the conditions of the present world and
aspiration for its betterment。
In another chapter I have given a general sketch of the
conversation at my first presentation to him as ambassador； it
strengthened in my mind the impression already formed；that he
was not a monarch of the old pattern。 The talk was not
conventional； he was evidently fond of discoursing upon
architecture； sculpture； and music； but not less gifted in
discussing current political questions； and in various
conversations afterward this fact was observable。 Conventional
talk was reduced to a minimum； the slightest hint was enough to
start a line of remark worth listening to。
Opportunities for conversation were many。 Besides the usual
〃functions〃 of various sorts； there were interviews by special
appointment； and in these the young monarch was neither backward
in presenting his ideas nor slow in developing them。 The range of
subjects which interested him seemed unlimited； but there were
some which he evidently preferred： of these were all things
relating to ships and shipping； and one of the first subjects
which came up in conversations between us was the books of
Captain Mahan； which he discussed very intelligently； awarding
great praise to their author； and saying that he required all his
naval officers to read them。
Another subject in order was art in all its developments。 During
the first years of my stay he was erecting the thirty…two
historical groups on the Avenue of Victory in the Thiergarten；
near my house。 My walks took me frequently by them； and they
interested me； not merely by their execution； but by their
historical purpose； commemorating as they do the services of his
predecessors； and of the strongest men who made their reigns
significant during nearly a thousand years。 He was always ready
to discuss these works at length； whether from the artistic；
historical； or educational point of view。 Not only to me； but to
my wife he insisted on their value as a means of arousing
intelligent patriotism in children and youth。 He dwelt with pride
on the large number of gifted sculptors in his realm； and his
comments on their work were worth listening to。 He himself has
artistic gifts which in his earlier days were shown by at least
one specimen of his work as a painter in the Berlin Annual
Exhibition； and in