erately changing
the wording of a telegram--in itself friendly--from the King of Prussia
to Napoleon III, knowing it would result in war. All were short wars,
all resulted in victory for Prussia and consequent increase in
territory. Under the glamour of the great victory over France in 1871
came the formation of the German Empire.

THE GERMAN EMPIRE.

Thus there suddenly arose in Central Europe, in the place of the weak
confederation of earlier years, one empire of great actual strength,
generously endowed as regards territory, and at the head of that empire
was a state that alone of modern states most resembles Rome of early
centuries, that ruled the Mediterranean world, imposing on the conquered
people of that section her language, her laws and her customs. Like her
great prototype, we now know that official Prussia regarded all she had
accomplished to the formation of the empire as simply a station reached
in a career of progress which was to end in a World empire as greatly
surpassing that of Rome in her palmy days as the world of the twentieth
century surpasses the known world of Roman times.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE EMPIRE.

The empire enjoyed a brief span of national life. In less than fifty
years it ceased to exist, a republic of an uncertain nature takes its
place. To outward appearances the development of the empire was a
brilliant one. A colonial empire was established--mostly in
Africa--nearly five times as great in area as the home empire; she had
large possessions in the Pacific and had gained a foothold in China. The
rich potash and iron deposits of Alsace increased her wealth and
marvelously built up her industries and she became one of the greatest
manufacturing nations of modern times. Her population doubled, her
foreign trade increased four fold, her shipping grew by leaps and
bounds. Her army became so perfected that it was acknowledged to be the
greatest military machine the world had ever seen; she was building a
navy that threatened the supremacy of England on the sea.

BUILT ON A FOUNDATION OF SAND.

In spite of this brilliant development, the empire rested on a
foundation of sand. You will never understand the World War unless you
grasp this thought and its justification. The government was autocratic,
though under the form of a constitutional government. The entire
military class in Germany held to theories of government, of national
rights and wrongs that belonged to the middle ages. T