National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-03-26
BISMARCK AND THE PRESS.

The Berlin correspondent of the New York
Tribune writes upon the subject of Cabinet
rumors as well as if he had just been reading
some of the efforts of the Washington CORE
spondents of the same journal in that line
The following extract is keen and biting
satire upon some of the Cabinet-mongers here:
''The German Chancellor is popular but OBJ
scure subject for the speculation of the press.
When politics sleep, it is always safe to an
nounce that somebody has advised Prince Bis
marck to resign, and that on a certain Satur-
day the Emperor's carriage was seen standing
before the Princes official residence in the
Wilhelm-strasse. From all this there can be
only one inference. The Prince is to retire from
public life, and Prince Hohenlohe is to be re-
called from Paris and become his successor. In
order, however, not to make the story too pos
tive, and thus to offer too great an opportu-
nifty for skepticism or contradiction, the latter
part may be varied, and for Prince Hohenlohe
may be substituted Herr Won Kendall at Rome,
Radawitz at st. Petersburg, Bennigsen, Presi-
dent Of the Lower House of the Landtag, or
any other possible, candidate. None Of these
persons is likely to reject the conjectural dis
tinction thus thrust upon him. Since it is a
conjecture, no harm is caused by suffering it to
circulate, while denial might be held to ex-
tend to the wish as well as the fact, and thus
prejudice possibilities of no slight importance.
In this way the public mind, ingeniously left
to itself at the right point, roves among null
titude of theories and deductions. As remod-
eled, the story is now fit to be telegraphed over
the world, and the resignation of Prince Bis
marck becomes a standing subject of comment
in all the papers of all the chief cities This is
the whole secret of the periodical rumors about
the plans of the Chancellor. They are the
idle products of unskilled journalists, who,
unable to take the lead in the publication of
facts, are proud Of priority in the dissemination
Of falsehoods. 1t is, of course, certain that
Prince Bismarck will some day retire from Of
fee. His health is infrm, and his temper, &C.
cording to his enemies, is also infrm;
and there is unfortunately experience
to prove that an infrm temper is
as likely as infirm health to drive him to a
rash resolution. But neither of these causes is
more active at this time than it has been at
any time for several years previous. The whole
agitation Of the subject is artificial, and is
maliciously encouraged for obvious purposes
by the bitterest enemies of the Prince. In all
this confusion of intrigue, jealousy and male
violence, the irmest and fairest element is the
devotion of the Emperor to his great Minister.
What struggles this has cost the veteran
monarch the world may never know. But not
even the secrecy which doth hedge in king
can shelter from the eye of public criticism the
tirelcss efforts Of court funkeys, reactionary
politicians and dapper staff officers to displace
a Minister who has outgrown their own follies,
and who, from the force of circumstances at
least, is now at the head of the liberal move
ments Of Germany. This is a mighty force at
any court, but it is far stronger at the court of
such a martinez as the Emperor Wilhelm.
That it has not yet effected its purpose is proof
that the Emperor possesses not only a large
sense Of gratitude, hut also an admirable share
of political sagacity.'