The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-02-23
BISMARCK AND HERR LASKER.

On the utaIll 81 lleTl ldSktl, llt tllll
nent German statesman and agihtOr, in
New York some weeks ago, the irrepressi
ble.Tom Ochiltree, of Texas, offered the
following resolution in the House of Rep.
resentatives at Washington, and it was
adopted without objection
ResOlred, That this House has heard with
deep regret of the death Of the eminent
German statesman, Edward Lasker. That
his loss is not alone to be mourned by the
people of his native land, where his firm
and constant exposition of and devotion TO
free and liberal ideas have materially adj
vanced the social, political, and economic
condition of those people, but 10y the lovers
of liberty throughout the world. That Il
copy of this resolution he forwarded to the
family of the deceased, rs we'll as To the
Minister of the United States resident at
the capital of the German Empire, 10 be
by him communicated through the legti-
mate channel to the presiding officer of the
legislative body Of which he was mem
Der.
Now the Legitimate channel of COM
municatng this resolution 10 the president
of the German Reichstag was its transmits
sion by Secretary Frelinghuysen to l. ).
Minister Sargent ut Berlin, who enclosed il
to the German high chancellor Bismarck,
to be by him sent to the President of the
Reichstag Resolutions of this kind are
usually the merest matter of form, and in
Europe are exchanged on the death of
even the most insignificant princeting.
Hence, in the estimation OF Europe at
least, there was nothing unusual or cut OF
the way in the American Congress taking
notice of the death of so eminent Il mem
Der of the German Parliament as Herr
Lasker. And as in the case of European
notabilities or obscure princelings nobody
ever presumes to look into or crticiSe the
language in which such resolutions are
couched, 50 il would surely he bad etiquette
for any of the purely min sterfal function
gress was to he transmitted, to break its
seal and overhaul and higgle over its Ian
euagc. Yet that is just what Herr Bis,
marck has done The resolution, duly in.
closed in red tape and sealing wax, is
passed over TO Prince Bismarck by Minis
ter Sargent to be handed over to the Presi.
dent or the Reichstag, to whom il is di-
rected. But Herr Bismarck says; Not so
fast; let us see what the resolution says
and ne cuts the tape strings and breaks the
seal and opens it. Aha" he 6yclaimS,
lust AS | expected. Here is an opinion rs
to the object aud effect of I.asller's politi-
cal activity which is opposed TO my conctc.
tons" &c. Therefore he decides to return
it to the German Minister at Washington
with directions to inform Congress of his
refusal to transmit il To the Reichstag on
account of its Objectionable language!
What was that to Herr Bismarck? Ii was
not addressed To him. He, as mere min
i,terial part OF the "channel' of transmits
sion, had not even right 10 know what its
contents were Could they in ordinary
courtesy be criticised anywhere, it must be-
in the ReichStag after the seal is broken
and the contents are officially made known.
In the best view, the action of Bismarck
in the matter was churlish, ill-uatured and
exceedingly bad manners, If not downright
insulting.
What is his motive. Evidently Bis
marrk wants To pick Il quarrel with the
! United States His action in regard 10
American pork shows this, and the more
our Congress talks of retaliatory legisla-
| ton the better he seems Ia like it, And
Bismarck, in his way, has abundant reason
To seek quarrel with America. We take
out of Germany every year population
enough To make big city and strapping
boys enough To make Il good corps ddIniee.
Bism rex and old Bill have doubtless
been cudgelling their brains for years how
to stop it, and nothing would suit them
better than to get good excuse 10 decree a
total interruption of Intercourse between
the two countries.