Identifier: menaroundkaiserm00wilerich (find matches)
Title: Men around the Kaiser; the makers of modern Germany
Year: 1913 (1910s)
Authors: Wile, Frederic William, 1873-1941
Subjects: William II, German Emperor, 1859-1941 Germany -- Biography Germany -- Politics and government 1888-1918 Germany -- Intellectual life
Publisher: Philadelphia, Lippincott
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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uly 14th, 1909, but the actual date of his politicaldemise was November 17th, 1908. It was on thatday that he undertook his fateful journey to Potsdamin the midst of the Kaiser Crisis provoked by theDaily Telegraph interview, to extort from hisImperial master a pledge of greater reserve inthe discussion and conduct of the nations affairs.The Imperial Gazette proclaimed that the Kaiserhad assured the man with the muzzle of his con-tinued confidence, but Buelow actually lay inextremis from the moment he quit his chastenedSovereigns presence. His early disappearance fromthe place he had adorned for ten years became aforegone conclusion. Throughout his long career the goddess of fortunelavished her capricious smiles on Buelow so faith-fully that he came to be known as Bernhard theLucky. His rise in the diplomatic service from anhumble attacheship to the Foreign Secretaryship,the warm favour of the Kaiser, his extended tenure ofthe Imperial Chancellorship, his successive elevations132 » 5
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PRINCE VON BUELOW to the rank of Count and Prince, his ParHamentarytriumphs, his feat in arresting the rising tide ofSocial Democracy, his inheritance of a great fortune—all these episodes were hailed by compatriotsas evidence that Buelow led a charmed life, andthat the pitfalls which ordinarily bring statesmento earth were but stepping stones for him. Though the November storm undid him,fortunes favourite was not to be left in the lurch ;he was vouchsafed an exit from political lifewhich historians will not place to his discredit.Germanys chaotic Imperial finances were to be reformed by the imposition of £25,000,000 offresh taxes to meet the deficits resultant from theDreadnought era. Prince Buelow insisted that thegreat landed classes should bear their share of theburden, and proposed an Inheritance Tax as thefairest means of assessing them. The Agrarianaristocracy, the self-anointed guardians of Throne,conscience and patriotism in Prussia-Germany,revolted against the Chancellors

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