'Cbc Conservative.
As braggarts the
AN EVANGEL American people
ICAL NATION. have no superiors.
For generations ,
national vanity and couceitedness have
found overflow in Fourth of July era
tions. Each year we have vaunted our
education , our Christianity , our charity
and our moralsas the perfection of con
crete character with a massive unan
imity of egotism.
But this tabulated statement of lynch-
iugs in this religious republic during the
last sixteen years , ought to make us
less vain-glorious , and ought likewise to
silence boasting on civic and moral
superiority.
Heathen here at home do not seem
extinct. Before regenerating the West
Indies , the Sand-
At Home. wich and Philippine
Islands , how would
a little homo-work for reformation and
justice for the maintenance of law
and order strike the average advocate of
foreign missions , and the more exalted
expounders of the new gospel of "duty
and destiny ? "
"When we burn negroes at the stake in
Colorado , in Kansas and in Mississippi
and dance in savage glee about their burn
ing bodies , distorted with unspeakable
tortitre , do we appear like the best and
highest exemplars of a great Christian
nation ?
Are we the best and most consistent
missionaries for teaching Filipinos and
other un-enlighteued peoples by both
precept and example ? Asvan evangeli
cal republic , is there no impediment in
our eloquence ? Do we or do we not
stutter when we brag of our civic ,
charitable and Christian virtues ?
Otoe County
THE OLD boasts of a veiy
SETTLERS. well preserved and
very "well-fixed"
lot of old settlers living in beautiful
homes and owning many broad and
fertile acres.
"WILLIAM THE GREAT. "
The epithet "Great" as applied to Em
peror Wilhelni appears to be a device of
his grandson.tho present Emperor.and is
generally felt to be a misnomer. It is
forced upon the people in official com
munications ; it is blazoned upon a
mammoth steamship ; it is quoted in
servile speeches intended to reach the
throne ; but everybody knows that Wil-
helm I was not a character which could
bo called great , in the sense intended by
the "bestower. However , he possessed
many noble qualities , some of which are
especially worthy of perpetuity by in
heritance.
He was sufficiently modest to recog
nize his own limitations in directions
where his chosen counsellors were ex
ports , and although 'ho often showed
great obstinacy in insisting upon his
own ideas and plans , he finally acknowl
edged mistakes as to facts , as well as
errors in judgment , and submitted to
the conclusions reached by heads wiser
than his own , and minds as firm as his
in.devotion to the nation and the throne.
An incident which occurred at one of
the most interesting and exciting epochs
of his eventful life will show how he
failed to be "groat" at the very moment
when greatness would seem to have
been not only most in order but also
easiest of display. This was on the oc
casion of his being proclaimed Emperor
at Versailles. There had been much
previous discussion as to the title to be
assumed. He wished to be called "Em
peror of Germany , " but Bismarck said
that could not be allowed , because it
would imply sovereignty over the whole
of Germany. Ho supported his argu
ment by referring to the suggestion of
the King of Bavaria that'"the exercise
of the presidential right should be asso
ciated with the title of 'German emper
or , ' which title had since been adopted
by the Federal Council and drafted into
article eleven of the Constitution. "
Crown Prince Frederick upheld Bis
marck in his opinion , and this double
opposition increased the irritation of the
King , who finally declared that the
matter should be settled according to
his will and thereupon ordered that the
title should be "Emperor of Germany. "
As a last resort Bismarck went to the
Grand Duke of Baden , who would be
the first person to address the Emperor
after the Proclamation , and showed him
that the new clause in the Constitution
had already been announced by a decree
of the Imperial Parliament in Berlin.
The Grand Duke went again to the
King but Bismarck was not informed as
to the result of the conference and re
mained in a state of anxious suspense
during the next morning's ceremony ,
until relieved by the action of the
Grand Duke , who avoided the dilemma
by starting the cheer for "Emperor
"Wilhelni , " without mentioning either
of the debated titles. BiTt the new Em
peror was so angry that on descending
from the platform he passed by Bis
marck , who was standing alone in the
free space below , without bestowing
upon him a word or a look , and pro
ceeded to shake hands with the group
of Generals farther back. The fit of
ill-humor lasted several days , but the
later signs of displeasure were shown in
private. This first manifestation was a
public insult , under peculiarly aggra
vating circumstances , and although Bis
marck was probably able to bear the
slight with equanimity , still it was
cruel to choose such a time for an exhi
bition of ingratitude , thereby lessening
his unselfish enjoyment ot a triumph
which he had done so much to achieve.
The title of "Great , " like so many
flattering epithets so lavishly bestowed
upon personages exalted by birth , be
longs rather to ages when royalty was
able to keep itself withdrawn from the
public gaze. In view of the fact that
high rank does not exempt its wearer
from faults common to the human race ,
it is better , in these days of general in
formation , to refrain from such appella
tions , especially when the ascription is
not a spontaneous and universal expres
sion of public sentiment.
ELIZABETH E. EVANS.
