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I may say； before closing this subject； that Thomas Jefferson's
famous letter to Governor Langdon； describing royal personages as
he knew them while minister to France before the French
Revolution； no longer applies。 The events which followed the
Revolution taught the crowned heads of Europe that they could no
longer indulge in the good old Bourbon； Hapsburg； and Braganza
idleness and stupidity。 Modern European sovereigns； almost
without exception； work for their living； and work hard。 Few
business men go through a more severe training； or a longer and
harder day of steady work； than do most of the contemporary
sovereigns of Europe。 This fact especially struck me on my
presentation； about this time； to one of the best of the minor
monarchs； the King of Wurtemberg。 I found him a hearty； strong；
active…minded manthe sort of man whom we in America would call
〃level…headed〃 and 〃a worker。〃 Learning that I had once passed a
winter in Stuttgart； he detained me long with a most interesting
account of the improvements which had been made in the city since
my visit； and showed public spirit of a sort very different from
that which animated the minor potentates of Germany in the last
century。 The same may be said of the Grand Duke of Baden； who； in
a long conversation； impressed me as a gentleman of large and
just views； understanding the problems of his time and thoroughly
in sympathy with the best men and movements。
Republican as I am； this acknowledgment must be made。 The
historical lessons of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries；
and the pressure of democracy； are obliging the monarchs of
Europe to fit themselves for their duties wisely and to discharge
them intelligently。 But this is true only of certain ruling
houses。 There seems to be a 〃survival of the fittest。〃 At various
periods in my life I have also had occasion to observe with some
care various pretenders to European thrones； among them the
husband of Queen Isabella of Spain； Prince Napoleon Victor； the
heir to the Napoleonic throne； the Duke of Orleans； Don Carlos；
the representative of the Spanish Bourbons； with sundry others；
and it would be hard to conceive persons more utterly unfit or
futile。
As to the conduct of Germany during our war with Spain； while the
press； with two or three exceptions； was anything but friendly；
and while a large majority of the people were hostile to us on
account of the natural sympathy with a small power battling
against a larger one； the course of the Imperial Government；
especially of the Foreign Office under Count von Bulow and Baron
von Richthofen； was all that could be desired。 Indeed； they went
so far on one occasion as almost to alarm us。 The American consul
at Hamburg having notified me by telephone that a Spanish vessel；
supposed to be loaded with arms for use against us in Cuba； was
about to leave that port； I hastened to the Foreign Office and
urged that vigorous steps be taken； with the result that the
vessel； which in the meantime had left Hamburg； was overhauled
and searched at the mouth of the Elbe。 The German Government
might easily have pleaded； in answer to my request； that the
American Government had generally shown itself opposed to any
such interference with the shipments of small arms to
belligerents； and had contended that it was not obliged to search
vessels to find such contraband of war； but that this duty was
incumbent upon the belligerent nation concerned。 This evidence of
the fairness of Germany I took pains to make known； and in my
address at the American celebration in Leipsic on the Fourth of
July declared my belief that the hostility of the German people
and press at large was only temporary； and that the old good
relations would be restored。 Knowing that my speech would be
widely quoted in the German press； I took even more pains to show
the reasons why we could bide our time and trust to the
magnanimity of the German people。 Of one thing I then and always
reminded my hearersnamely； that during our Civil War； when our
national existence was trembling in the balance and our foreign
friends were few； the German press and people were steadily on
our side。
The occasion was indeed a peculiar one。 On the morning of the
Fourth； when we had all assembled； bad news came。 Certain German
presses had been very prompt to patch together all sorts of
accounts of American defeats； and to present them in the most
unpleasant way possible； but while we were seated at table in the
evening came a despatch announcing the annihilation of the
Spanish fleet in Cuban waters； and this put us all in good humor。
One circumstance may serve to show the bitterness at heart among
Americans at this period。 On entering the dining…hall with our
consul； I noticed two things： first； that the hall was profusely
decorated in a way I had never seen before and had never expected
to seenamely； by intertwined American and British flags； and；
secondly； that there was not a German flag in the room。 I
immediately sent for the proprietor and told him that I would not
sit down to dinner until a German flag was brought in。 He at
first thought it impossible to supply the want； but； on my
insisting； a large flag was at last found。 This was speedily
given a place of honor among the interior decorations of our
hall； and all then went on satisfactorily。
As the war with Spain progressed； various causes of difficulty
arose between Germany and the United States； but I feel bound to
say that the German Government continued to act toward us with
justice。 The sensational press； indeed； continued its work on
both sides of the Atlantic。 On our side it took pains to secure
and publish stories of insults by the German Admiral Diederichs
to the American Admiral Dewey； and to develop various legends
regarding these two commanders。 As a matter of fact； each of the
two admirals； when their relations first began in Manila； was
doubtless rather stiff and on his guard against the other； but
these feelings soon yielded to different sentiments。
The foolish utterances of various individuals； spread by sundry
American papers； were heartily echoed in the German press； the
most noted among these being an alleged after…dinner speech by an
American officer at a New York club； and a Congressional speech
in which the person who made it declared that 〃the United States；
having whipped Spain； ought now to whip Germany。〃 Still； the
thinking men intrusted with the relations between the two
countries labored on； though at times there must have recurred to
us a sense of the divine inspiration of Schiller's words；
〃Against stupidity even the gods fight in vain。〃
Of course the task of the embassy in protecting American citizens
abroad was especially increased in those times of commotion。 At
such periods the number of ways in which American citizens；
native or naturalized； can get into trouble seems infinite； and
here； too； even from the first moment of my arrival in Berlin as
ambassador； I saw evidences of the same evil which had struck me
during my previous missions in Berlin and St。 Petersburgnamely；
the constant and ingenious efforts to prostitute American
citizenship。 Among the manifold duties of an ambassador is the
granting of passports。 The great majority of those who ask for
them are entitled to them； but there are always a considerable
number of persons who； having left Europe just in time to escape
militar