The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-23
BISMARCK IN DEBATE.
Pen Picture of the Iron Chancellor as lie Is
Seen in the Reichstag.

Seen in the Reichstag.
Berlin Letter in Philadelphia Press.
Everyone interested in foreign politics must
enjoy hearing Prince Bismarck speak. The
Chancellor is not fine orator, rather the cou-
trary. but in debates he is a leader of the first
rank One. day recently when the Reich
stag was again opened, he spoke seven
times, and every time with greater vi
vacty. Deputy Lingens who occupied the
attention of the Rechsta9 before the Chancellor
appeared, addressed an empty house but while
he was speaking the hall gradually filed, for q
report had spread that the imperial Chancellor
was to appear.
The small, narrow door on the left side of the
presidential seat suddenly opened, and the tall
figure of Bismarck appeared in the doorway,
nearly filling the opening Through all the
rooms of the building was heard a soft, gentle
ringing. In the reading hall, in the Offices, in
the rooms Of the journalists, everywhere the
electric bells sound to inform those outside Of
the hall of conferences that Bismarck had come
and was going to speak.
Meanwhile the Chancellor is already busy in
taking notes He writes with the celebrated
pencils, one foot long, which the wits say,
might be used as lances by the Cossacks. He
has before him Il quantity of loose QuartO sheets,
which he covers with letters about an inch long.
This is an infallibe sign that no soon intends to
reply to some orator.
AS Bismarck rises, enc can see what giant
the iron Chancellor" is He stands six feet
powerful chest sits a remarkable head with
round skull of perfect proportions, and as hair
less and smooth cupOla made of polished
ivory. Thick, white eyebrows hang, like icicles,
deeply over his steel gray eyes. These bushy eye
brows give sombre expression to the face,
and under them the eyes shine with a cold,
hard lustre. AS thick and full as his eyebrows
is the iron gray mustache, which hides the
mouth entirely The whole face is marked with
lines and turroWs dark rings curve beneath the
nf
AS Bismarck begins to speak, his face a mo-
ment ago pale becomes slightly red and then
a light bronze. This colorng seems most nat
ural. The entire powerful skull looks like
beaten metal.
He who hears Bismarck speak for the first
time is greatly surprised, for his feeble voice is
out of proportion with his gigantic body. Often
il threatens to die out completely, and after the
least effort it gets slightly hoarse. The Chan
cellor speaks sometimes very fast, sometimes
very slowly, but always low. He never uses
pathos. The sentences which, when printed
look like massive iron hurled forth with the
greatest power of tone and motion, fall in reality
from his lips in light conversational manner
In the same way the sharpest personal attacks
slip out of his mouth with ironical poteness
and in such guise as if he were making some
friendly remarks.
But | once saw the Chancellor when esery
fibre in him trembled with anger when n storm
broke from him with the force of hurricane in
mark, attacking his personal honor, had been
shouted at him from the benches of the Oppo
sition. His nostrls quivered, he bit his lip. his
eyes wide open and flaming, his hands were
nervously clenched, and his color changed rap
Idly from a deep purpl5h red to an ashen white
ness. The Chancellor jumped down from his
place, like a wounded boar, into the rows of the
Opposition Heaven knows how the scene would
have ended if his opponents had not at that mo-
ment offered an explanation.
But usually when Bismarck joins in the de-
bates, he always shows himself gentleman.
lie does not rant and in spite of the sharpness
of his expressions he always gives to his
speeches the varnIsh Of a political conversation,
as he did in the discussion on the protective
tariff, on free trade and emigration.
tie has peculiar method of combating with
bis adversary. His opponents speech is to him
like ball Of thread; the last end Of the ball Of
thread lies on the surface, and is most easily
visible Thus Bismarck takes up first his ad-
versary's last speech, and unwinds from end to
beginning the whole Of his antagonists argument
like a ball. TO each thread which he exposes.
and which does not please him he knots his
repartee His mind always anticipates his
tongue. His voice grows hesitating, his
looks turn, so to speak inwardly and
he develops by fits and starts lightning like
flashes of thought The auditors see and hear
how these thoughts grow in the orators brain,
and now they slowly detach themselves in words.
Therein lies the great charm of Bismarck
speeches They never are smooth, worn out
high roads; they surprise by their fresh original
ity and by their sldden turns with unexpected
views. Add to that Il dry humor and quiet sar-
casr, which are in high degree at the imperial
Chancellors command.
With un&ccustomed vivacty Bismarck again
and again rose to speak the occasion Of
which | am writing; finally the debate ended in
a duel of words between himself and Eugene
Richter, the leader Of the German Liberals, on
the question of free tariff and emigration. The
lights were already burning in the hall, the
hands of the large clock pointed to the
sixth hour of the evening and the
wordy duel still continued, but it was winding
up with series of personal remarks,
in which the Chancellor took no longer any part.
He sat in bis chair, the first in the ministerial
row, holding up black trimmed eye>Slass, to
help his sight, and, with his long pencil, correct
ing the stenographic report of his speeches. In
the heat of the battle not every sentence is ut
tered in finished style fit for print, and Bismarck
controls-perhaps also, for political reasons
personally every one of his speeches, before they
can be printed for the official reports.