Stevens County tribune. (Morris, Minn.) 1877-1880, 1879-05-15
STEIN, THE STATESMAN.
The First Minister of Prussia under Frcder
William Ill.

FL
take 100 years to make gentleman,
three generations, as HerodotuS reckons,
and 300 years to make a lawn. Heroes
are quite as slowgrowing, Often-timeS, as
either of these two British institution;
that is to say, in their capacity as heroes.
1t took two centuries to place Cromwell
ON the pedestal where Carlyle has finally
set him up, and where with some mud oc-
casionally flung at him, he will probably
remain. Luther and Washington came
TO their inheritance more promptly, but
did not get their full growth as popular
heroes until at least 100 years after they
began business. Napoleon discounted
his glory, as many smaller men do, and it
has been below par now for some years,
while the men that upset him in his Ca
reer have been coming into greater re-
ncwn. This is particularly true of Stein
the long -nOsed, heightened, sharp-temper-
ed German statesman, who did as much as
anybody, and more than most, to cOnglOm-
crate the allied mass of Europe which
finally hOwled down the Man of Destiny,
after his long career of conquest and re-
construction. In NapoleOn's own day,
few people heard anything of Stein out Of
the ministerial and diplomatic circle; the
soldiers and kings quite Overcrowed HIM ;
but now he stands forth with his small,
flashing eyes, his pointed chin and his
lecturing. turn of mind as the great CONT
mental statesman and Prussian retnrmer.
He was, like all national reformers, an
embodiment of certain long forming and
well-crystalliZed national traits, among
which the martinez and the professor
claim their share. Stein was school
master by nature, though nobleman by
birth, and he snapped the ears of his pu-
pills, princes though they were. without
ceremony.
1t appears that Stein at one time, had
thought of becoming an American
citizen, and Kentucky was the place he
had pitched upon for his home. 1t was
in the dismal time after the conquest of
Prussia and all germany by Napoleon,
when Stien, who never submitted to that
cOnqueror as Goethe did, was sick of his
conquered country. In July, 1911, he
wrote: ''Fo enjoy rest and independence
it would be best to settle in America, in
Kentucky or Tennessee; there one would
find splendid climate and soil, glorious
rivers, and rest and security for a century
not to mention multitude Of Germans
the capital of Kentucky is called Frank
fort" Had he come over and lived there
half century, in 1861 the civil war would
have disturbed his repOse. But in truth
rest was not what Stein wanted, by any
means; he was born for action, and for
prompt and severe action. His rapidity
ana impatIence," says Varnhagen Won
Ense, ''were closely connected with his
bodily organization. He once asked me
the rate of my pulse, and then, with a
laugh, he held out his wrist and babe me
hundred to the minute. He declared that
had been his ordinary pulse when in per-
feet health. He seemed to regard this
peculiarly as charter from nature, allow
ing him to indulge in more fiery ebulitions
than other people" He was also very ex-
acting and as the same writer says: $50
ciety could seldom crafty his requir-
ments, for he made constantly the high
est demands. He would have people
honorable and German, but they must
be also refined and well hammered and
scientifically trained; they must be also
resolute and energetic and, if possible
they must give entertainment by theil
intelligence and wit. To be sure, he was
all this himself but he did not often meet
with such persons"
But who was Stein anyhow? methink
| heard the impatient reader exclaim; fol
we have heard a good deal more in this
country Of Carl SchurZ and of Auerbach
the novelist, than of Heinrich, Frederick
Karl, Freiherr ven und yum Stein, whom
for which means Stone. He was one o.
those stones, mentioned in the New Tesla
ment, upon which if any man fell he wa.
broken, but if it fell upon him it GROUND
him to powder. Napoleon fell upor
Stein and was broken; then Stein fell up
on Napoleon and brought down all Ger
many and then all Europe upon him
This at least, is what we must believe il
elevating Stein into hero-and it wa
not far from what he did; for, withou
Stein at certain critical moments. Prussi;
could not have recovered from the ruiz
which Napoleon brought upon her at Jena
and in the peace of Tilsit; and again
without Stein at his side, the Gar Alex
ander would hardly have taken the cours
he did after the defeat of Napoleon il
Russia, which was followed by his defea
at Lepsic and his Punishment to Elba
Stein in fact, played such part in Prus
STA as Sam Adams did in the America
colonies before the outbreak of our Revc
luton; he prepared the way for the victC
of his couetIy, though he did not have
very actiAe share in that victory itsel
s Among political economists, also, Stein
recognised as the Prussian Turgot VIII
put in paactice with swift and stron
hand, for q few years, the maxims {
common-sensc and the principles of lii
erty which Adam Smith had formulate
in the "WeaIth of Nations It was /
who drew the royal edict by which ser
dom and caste in Prussia were first brol
en- dOwn-they are not yet wholly broke
up-and which established that usefl
land tenure which England still lacks an
suffers for want of He was born
Nassue in 1857, and died in 1881. -hayir
been a Prussian official the first half of h
life, and in his later years discontente
because he was no longer one. He begs
in the civil service Of Frederick the Gre
in 1780-served through the vario
grades till 1907, when he became fiji
minister or dictator of Prussia und
Frederick William IT.; was dismissed
the autumn of 1903 for having offend.
Napoleon, who prescribed him in Decor
Der, 1905; was invitedito Russia by A
exander in the spring of 1912; returned
Germany as the representative of Alexa
der early in 1913, and assisted in the co