The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1884-04-05
Prince Bismark.
Imperial Chancellor of Germany.

The recent events in connection with the
return of the Lfsker resolutions, and
Prince Bismark's speech OF the subject in
the Reichstag the other day, when he de-
clared his friendly feeling toward this
country, bat vehemently stated his objec-
tions to being made his "enemy's post
man." have of late made the burly figure
of the German Chancellor notable object
in the politics of tie day.
Otto Edouard Leopold Bismark-Schoen-
hausen, Chancellor of Germany, and po-
Iitically the most powerful single man in
the world, was born at Brandenburg
April 1, 1878, of an old and wealthy fam
lily. He studied at the Universities of Got
tingen and Berlin, and his reputation is
still high in the estimation of students as a
daelist and beer drinker.
Bismark's diplomatic career began in
| 1851, when he was made chief secretary of
the Prussian Legation at Frankfurt. Be
fore this he was known as an ultra-royalist
and absolutist. The interests of Prussia
and It's elevation to the head of confeder-
acy of German States, were objects always
in his mind. He was special envoy to St.
Petersburg in 1859, constantly grew i'll the
regard of King William, and in 1862 was
given the most important diplomatic posi-
ton in the gift of the court-that Of Minis
ter to France. Before long he was recalled
and made President of the Cabinet and
Minister of Foreign Affairs. The popular
opposition to the militarism that was fast
becoming the overpowering feature of
Prussian politics met with strong opposi-
ton in the Parliament, and i'll October,
1862, Bismark dismissed the deputies. A
revolution would doubtless have followed
this arbitrary action. but the complicated
Slesvig- -Holstein question aroused strong
feeling III favor of the,pationalitgand unity
of Germany.
From this time the policy of Bismark was
secure, and Prussia at once took the lead
of the German States. The war of 1866
completed the supremacy of Prussia, and
Bismark, from being the most hated be-
came the most popular man in Germany.
When, in 1870, Napoleon Ill took advan-
tage of the so-called Spanish question to
precipitate war with Prussia, feeling that
the security of his throne depended ON prov
ing that be possessed the military genius of
the great Napoleon, Germany was pre-
pared at every point, armed, as 1t were, to
the teeth. The war of 1901 was soon de-
cided. The discipline and skill in strategy
of the Prussian troops were invincible.
The anticipated '' march to Berlin" of the
French troops became a sudden retreat.
Paris was surrounded, and at last the Ger
man soldiers marched through the streets
of the French capital. The terms dictated
by Bismark included the surrender of AL
SAGE and part Of Lorraine, and war in
demnity of 5000 million francs (about ST.
O0O, O0,G00). The unifcation of Germany
was the natural result. In 1871 Bismark
was made Prince and in the same year
was raised to the position of Imperial Chan
cellor. It is probably fact that he is the
ruler of Germany in all absolute degree
that is hardly true even Of the Russian
Czar. The Emperor follows his advice i'm
plicitly, and the Reichstag is almost always
subseryient to his will.
For some time Prince Rismark's health
has been very poor, but he has OF late sub
mitted to severe course of training, and the
other day, when about to make his speech
on the Lasker question, walked to the Reich
stag-the first time for many months-re-
ceiying an ovation from the people of Ber-
lin.
A geological exploration of the Holy