The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-26
The Feeling in Germany.

To the Western Associated Press,
NEW YoRK Feb. 25.-Norris Lasker, of Gal
weston, Tex, who accompanied the remains of
his brother, Edward Lasker, to Berlin, has just
returned. Mr.. Lasker thinks, regarding the
return of the resolution to the House of Repre-
sentatives, that Bismarck. having discovered his
grave mistake in excluding all official recogni-
ton at the funeral services of DR.. Lasker, seized
upon this resolution which, in contrast with his
action, had met with very warm sentiment on
the part of the German people, to give it the i'm
portance of a political document, and by return
ing it to weaken the influence of the friendly
sympathy which existed between the two peo-
pies on the ideas which DR.. Lasker lived
to advocate and support. The marked
contrast between the feeling of the German
masses, excited by official discourtesy on one
hand and friendly expression of a supposed IN
prejudiced people on the other, has threatened to
become too important a factor in the sentiment
of the masses against Bismarck personally.
Skillful diplomat as he is, he thus seized on
this very resolution to dispel the effect produced
by it by putting to ridicule its authors, the rep
resentative body of the American people, and
while it would suit him to antagOnize the two
peoples. yet, desiring at the same time to pre-
serve the friendly relations between the two
iO OAC as III NANAAoC " tHO
indignity thus cast upon the American people
that the document was not presented in the prop
er diplomatic manner
at seems to be the general impression in Amer
lea that Minister Sargent is held in no esteem
IN Germany and is void of tact to
uphold the dignity of his position.
/ have met people of all shades
of politics there, and | find that while some
close adherents of Bismarck display a great
deal of bitterness with regard to Mr.. Sargent,
which is produced by the controversy in con
nectiOn with the American pork importations,
yet all but the most servilc official press speak of
him in terms of high respect, and the masses are
in full sympathy with his position on the cues
lion. So far from it being true that Mr.. Sargent
lacks tact and determination, with all due cour-
sesy, to sustain his position as American minis
ter. | may say, from information derived from
undOubted sources, as a result of the controversy
referred to, the inward nature of which is best
known to the American State Department, that
German officials are evidently instructed to
approach with delicacy every question and trans
action in which they are engaged with Minister
Sargent. Mr.. Sargent represents that type of
the American intelligent gentleman who does
not lack tact and discretion to uphold his proper
dignity in any position and with due respect to
those with whom he comes in contact. Had he
(Sargentl presumed to put himself in direct
communication with the Reichstag he could have
properly been rejected, with no other than a
personal slight upon himself, and the presiding
control of that body being in the hands of those
in sympathy with Bismarck it would
have been natural for him to expect
just such treatment. AS he could only
look for recognition from the constituted author
tiles in Germany for any communication he
might desire to make, by submitting it through
the State Department, he took that course.
I predict nothing would suit Bismarck better
than to have Sargent made a scapegoat in this
matter, and with the old controversy in mind,
thus impress any future minister accredited by
the United States to the German government
that it will not do to excite his animosity, as
Bismarck's ingenuity would effect a like result
for the minister in every case. The attempt of
Bismarck in such manner to secure the recall of
the representative accredited to his government
is not new"