New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-06-07
4 cYNLCAL CH1NCELLOR.

4 CYNICAL CHANCELLOR.
Prince Bismarck's recent speech in the Reich
stag bears traces of age and cynicism. He was
irascbe. but that was nothing new. He seldom
makes parliamentary address without getting
into a passion and this Spring his temper has
been innlmed by series Of unexpected de-
fcats. His speech wOuld have failed to make
an impression upon the Reichstag II he had not
been in white heat of wrath and Indignation
He posed before the deputies as statesman
worn out with the cares of Office, strained anu
umncrved by unceasing conflict, and sckcned
by the ingratitude of his country. lie com
planned of being no longer young OF beng
weary unto death, of having wasted his vital
powers in the service of the FatheIland, OF
being forced by the will of the sovereign 10
remain where he was when he was longing
for rest. This was not a new trait Nhcther
he WAS laboling at Frankfort or lOaling at st.
Petersburg or Paris he was liable to similar
attacks of depression, and his rivate c0rreNpOn-
dcnce during the earlier stages of his career III
Berlin shows constant signs OF WEAKNESS ana
dpspoudrDcy AS early as 1864 he was
haIasscd by life like LepOlcllo's,-no peace
81 by day or night, nothing to give me
q nleasuren; and in the following year he
complained of feeling old and dried up" ana
cOmpared himself to Il convict in the bondage
of the State or to jadcd horse dragging mil
round and round without advancing step.
There has never been year since his public
life began when he has not written and talked
hike n hypochondrac and prOfcSscd anxiety
to 90 back to his estates and drink his beer i'll
peace.
There are in the speech tokens of age more
mmistakablc than Qucrulous expressions Of
WEAKNESS and explosions of temper The
/ tendency to morazo is an unCailing sign of the
vactudinarian. Prince bismarck opens his
speech with a quotation from French his
torian which caught his eye on slecplcsS
night not long ago: He had to yield to the
force of Unsuitable hatrrds which are hcapcd
=" ON the head of every Minister who remains
" too long in power The Chancellor thinks
that during eighteen years he has been in
| position to repeat these words for he has been
compelled to combat one party after another
and has incurred the hostility of one and all
/ in parliamentary conflicts. In this way he eX-
Mains his recent run of bad luck in the
| Rcicbstag. and boasts that not for eighteen
/ hut for thirty years he has been fighting the
| battle of German unity with one enemy ana
another. When, in his own phrase, he has
! taken the cream of the milk he leaves what
remains of his mOralizng to turn sour. 1t is a
mnttcr of Indifference To him, nc says with fine
IRONY, whether after he rrtires Progress and
! Free Trade drive his Successors to CanOssa
/ He can witness every failure with the same
ruuanimity IA themselves. Il know not why
the German Empire and its future should be
dcarrr to me than to any one of you. You are
all Germans. Anyone may be Minister for Il
time and then cease to be go. do not see why
should have a deeper interest in the Empire
than other Germans merely because happen
to have been Chancellor 80 long
Such passages as these show that the man Of
blood and non is getting on in years. Time
was when ne hid no explanations to offer. He
worked out his own ends and said nothing
He used to boast that he had no ideal aims
but simply busted himself with what was
practical and necessary. lie would ridiculc
those who imagined they could hasten the
flight of time by setting their watches ahead
He WAS a businrss-Ic statesman whose iudS
mcnt was not impaired 10y enthusiasm and who
found it entirely unnecessary to be consistent
Now ne seems concerned lest Il career that is
practically closed may appear to lack unity
He seems 10 nave dll uutGbN ltlllilS lllttN
countrymcn may suspect that lie has been
pitting one political force against another and
managing the Empire merely for the cXhilara-
ton of having his own way. lie mockinSly
assures them that parliamentary failure
concerns them as closely aS it does himself, for
ne is no more of a German than they are. lie
feels the want of "cOntcmplativc solitude and
"quct" Manage the Empire as you like :!
he cxclams, with a cOntcmptnOus gesture
Yet they know and he knows that 80 long rs he
lives they cannot get ON without him, and that
under the Constitution as it stands they can
not manage the Empire as they like. If he
has forfeited She confidence and excited the
hostility of one party after another it is be-
cause he has given the Fathcrland 50 Scant Il
measure of parliamentary government.
The scvcntccn-ycar locust is filling the hills and
| rich bottom-lands of Western Pennsylvania and
| III 81 l,i,ii =