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that on the most important question of all they finally； after a
wide divergence from our view； made common cause with Great
Britain and the United States。 I regret that the time has not
come when it is permissible to give his conversation in detail；
it treated a multitude of current topics； and even burning
questions； with statesmanlike breadth； and at the same time with
the shrewdness of a man of the world。 There were in it sundry
personal touches which interested me； among others； a statement
regarding Cecil Rhodes； the South African magnate； and a
reference to sundry doings and sayings of his own which had been
misrepresented； especially in England。 One point in this was
especially curious。 He said； 〃Some people find fault with me for
traveling so much； but this is part of my business： I try to know
my empire and my people； to see for myself what they need and
what is going on； what is doing and who are doing it。 It is my
duty also to know men and countries outside the empire。 I am not
like ；〃 naming a sovereign well known in history； 〃who never
stirred out of the house if he could help it； and so let men and
things go on as they pleased。〃
This union of breadth and minuteness in his view of his empire
and of the world is； perhaps； his most striking characteristic。
It may be safely said that； at any given moment； he knows
directly； or will shortly know； the person and work of every man
in his empire who is really taking the lead in anything worthy of
special study or close attention。 The German court is considered
very exclusive； but one constantly saw at its assemblages men
noted in worthy fields from every part of Germany and； indeed； of
Europe。 Herein is a great difference between the German and
Russian courts。 If； during my official life at St。 Petersburg； I
wished to make the acquaintance of a man noted in science；
literature； or art； he must be found at professorial gatherings
across the Neva。 He rarely； if ever； appeared in the throng of
military and civil officials at the Winter Palace。 But at Berlin
such men took an honored place at the court among those whom the
ruler sought out and was glad to converse with。
As to the world outside the empire； I doubt whether any other
sovereign equals him in personal acquaintance with leaders in
every field of worthy activity。 It was interesting from time to
time to look over the official lists of his guests at breakfast；
or luncheon； or dinner； or supper； or at military exercises； or
at the theater； for they usually embraced men noted in civil；
ecclesiastical； or military affairs； in literature； science； art；
commerce； or industry from every nation。 One class was
conspicuous by its absence at all such gatherings； large or
small； namely； the MERELY rich。 Rich men there were； but they
were always men who had done something of marked value to their
country or to mankind； for the mere 〃fatty tumors〃 of the
financial world he evidently cared nothing。
A special characteristic in the German ruler is independence of
thought。 This quality should not be confounded； as it often is；
with mere offhand decision based upon prejudices or whimsies。 One
example； which I have given elsewhere； may be here referred to as
showing that his rapid judgments are based upon clear insight：
his OWN insight； and not that of others。 On my giving him news of
the destruction of the Maine at Havana； he at once asked me
whether the explosion was from the outside； and from first to
last； against the opinions of his admirals and captains； insisted
that it must have been so。
He is certainly； in the opinion of all who know him；
impulsiveindeed； a very large proportion of his acts which
strike the attention of the world seem the result of impulse；
but； as a rule； it will be found that beneath these impulses is a
calm judgment。 Even when this seems not to be the case； they are
likely to appeal all the more strongly to humanity at large。
Typical was his impulsive proposal to make up to the Regent of
Bavaria the art appropriation denied by sundry unpatriotic
bigots。 Its immediate result was a temporary triumph for the
common enemy； but it certainly drew to the Emperor the hearts of
an immense number of people； not only inside； but outside his
empire； and； in the long run； it will doubtless be found to have
wrought powerfully for right reason。 As an example of an
utterance of his which to many might seem to be the result of a
momentary impulse； but which reveals sober contemplation of
problems looming large before the United States as well as
Germany； I might cite a remark made last year to an American
eminent in public affairs。 He said； 〃You in America may do what
you please； but I will not suffer capitalists in Germany to suck
the life out of the workingmen and then fling them like squeezed
lemon…skins into the gutter。〃
Any one who runs through the printed volume of his speeches will
see that he is fertile in ideas on many subjects； and knows how
to impress them upon his audiences。 His voice and manner are
good； and at times there are evidences of deep feeling； showing
the man beneath the garb of the sovereign。 This was especially
the case in his speech at the coming of age of his son。 The
audience was noteworthy； there being present the Austrian
Emperor； members of all the great ruling houses of Europe the
foremost men in contemporary German history； and the diplomatic
representatives of foreign powersan audience representing wide
differences in points of view and in lines of thought； yet no one
of them could fail to be impressed by sundry references to the
significance of the occasion。
Even the most rapid sketch of the Emperor would be inadequate
without some reference to his religious views。 It is curious to
note that while Frederick the Great is one of the gods of his
idolatry； the two monarchs are separated by a whole orb of
thought in their religious theories and feelings。 While a
philosophical observer may see in this the result of careful
training in view of the evident interests of the monarchy in
these days； he must none the less acknowledge the reality and
depth of those feelings in the present sovereign。 No one who has
observed his conduct and utterances； and especially no one who
has read his sermon and prayer on the deck of one of his
war…ships just at the beginning of the Chinese war； can doubt
that there is in his thinking a genuine substratum of religious
feeling。 It is true that at times one is reminded of the remark
made to an American ecclesiastic by an eminent German theological
professor regarding that tough old monarch； Frederick William I；
namely； that while he was deeply religious； his religion was 〃of
an Old Testament type。〃 Of course； the religion of the present
Emperor is of a type vastly higher than that of his ancestor；
whose harshness to the youth who afterward became the great
Frederick has been depicted in the 〃Memoirs〃 of the Margravine of
Bayreuth； but there remains clearly in the religion of the
present Emperor a certain 〃Old Testament〃 charactera feeling of
direct reliance upon the Almighty； a consciousness of his own
part in guiding a chosen people； and a readiness； if need be； to
smite the Philistines。 One phase of this feeling appears in the
music at the great anniversaries； when the leading men of the
empire are brought together beneath the dome of the Palace
Church。 The anthems executed by the bands and choir