248 POLITICAL LIFE -XII 



I noticed on the table a German book which he had just 

 been reading, its author being my old friend Professor 

 Hans Delbriick of the Berlin University. At the close of 

 the message, which referred to sundry matters of current 

 business, came a playful postlude. "Tell his Majesty," 

 said the President, l ' that I am a hunter and, as such, envy 

 him one thing especially: he has done what I have never 

 yet been able to do he has killed a whale. But say to 

 him that if he will come to the United States, I will take 

 him to the Rocky Mountains to hunt the mountain lions, 

 which is no bad sport, and that if he kills one, as he 

 doubtless will, he will be the first monarch who has killed 

 a lion since Tiglath-Pileser. ' ' I need hardly add that 

 when, a few weeks later, I delivered the message to 

 the Emperor at Potsdam, it pleased him. Many people 

 on both sides of the Atlantic have noted a similarity in 

 qualities between these two rulers, and, from close obser- 

 vation, I must confess that this is better founded than are 

 most such attributed resemblances. The Emperor has 

 indeed several accomplishments, more especially in artis- 

 tic matters, which, so far as I can learn, the President has 

 not ; but both are ambitious in the noblest sense ; both are 

 young men of deep beliefs and high aims ; earnest, vigor- 

 ous, straightforward, clear-sighted; good speakers, yet 

 sturdy workers, and anxious for the prosperity, but above 

 all things jealous for the honor of the people whose af- 

 fairs they are called to administer. The President's ac- 

 counts of difficulties in finding men for responsible po- 

 sitions in various branches of the service, and his clear 

 statements of the proper line to be observed in political 

 dealings between the United States and Europe where 

 South American interests were concerned, showed him to 

 be a broad-minded statesman. During my stay with him, 

 we also discussed one or two points in his forthcoming 

 message to Congress, and in due time it was received at 

 Berlin, attracting general respect and admiration in Ger- 

 many, as throughout Europe generally. 



