January 11, 1896. [1]
As the result of his telegram to President Krueger, William II has
recovered the popularity of the early days of his reign. The German
Emperor had undoubtedly very powerful reasons for making a chivalrous
display on behalf of the Transvaal, from which he anticipated deriving
the greatest advantages. He expected to produce a moral effect by
undertaking the defence of the weaker side (a role that once belonged
to France). He saw a way to flatter Holland, deeply touched by these
manifestations of German sympathy for Dutchmen, who were represented by
others as barbarians. He saw also an opportunity for acquiring and
keeping admirable outlets into the Transvaal, which had threatened to
become for ever closed to German emigrants. Finally, he expected to
produce a feeling of admiration for his magnanimous attitude, which
would divert the German people from socialism and make them forget the
Hammerstein affair. Truly, the Transvaal is for William II one of
those lucky finds from which all sorts of good things may spring.
The educated classes in Germany, as well as the lower orders, were
beginning to get very weary of the everlasting celebrations in memory
of 1870-71, which continually fed the flames of French hatred. A
Silesian journal had just informed us that the 25th anniversary of the
proclamation of the German Empire at Versailles would be celebrated by
a great fete in all the German schools. The German artillery of the
Siege of Paris had arranged for a commemorative banquet, to be held in
Berlin on January 5.
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