Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-10-21
A TALK WITH BISMARCK.
A Comparison of the Relative Merits of til
French and German Armies.

A Comparison of the Relative Merits of the
French and German Armies.
An interesting account of an interview
which French journalist residing in the
east of Europe had with Prince Won Bis
marck last year is published by The FL
CARO-.
After some conversation about Victor
Hugo, Admiral Courbet, and the war in
Tonquin, the princes interlocutor intro
duced the subject of the relative merits
of the French and German armies:
France" said the Journalist, "has now
as many men on war footing as Ger
many has, but we depend more on mill
tary education than on the organization
OF large bodies of men. If Germany
overwhelmed US with her numerical
strength in 1870, her great tacticians
know perfectly we'll that our soldiers were
for the best part of the time placed at a
disadvantage, owing to the unskillfulness
OF their Chiefs
II grant it." replied Prince Won Bis
marck, ''but nevertheless. all your gener-
ais of that time had given proof of sci
ence and bravery in Africa, Crimea, and
Italy"
Here the prince smiled, and his inter
locutor having remarked this, went on to
say that the French generals were more
devoted to Emperor Napoleon III. than
to France.
''Do not believe it," said the prince, be-
coming serious, ~ smiled because I knew
you were going to repeat what all your
statesmen and your newspapers have been
saying for fifteen years. Let me tell you
that your generals were very experienced
very brave, and very patriotic. You can
take my word for it."
Here the prince broke off into disser-
| tat1on on patriotism, which, he said, was
differently understood by Frenchmen and
Germans. In his opinion patriotism was
based on tradition, on respect for the
past things which French philosophical
politicians ignored. Hoche, Marceau and
other patriots of the revolution caKried
| their Illusions to the tomb, while those
who survived rallied around Bonaparte
after having been disgusted with the
effects of the great apheaval. The jour.
nalist observed that he thought the young
republic would be able to produce the
necessary men in the hour of danger
| $50 much the better" answered the chan
cellor, ''but think that anarchy will have
strangled your republic before them
The conversation now turned upon the
| Socialists and Anarchists. The Journals
said they we're not feared by the French
government, which had only to lift its
hand in order to crush them. Out were
not the Socialists" continued the inter
locutor, ''taking root in Germany"
''They are present from France res
poned the chancellor, "but their grain
will never thrive on German soil. You, il
France, know nothing of our country
Our autonomy rests upon two founda
tions which can defy the teeth of revolu
tions. These are religion and monarchy
God and the king. Our institutions
the same to-day as they were yesterday
rest on these, for outside of them there
is naught but chaos. There may be those
among US who think differently, but
these Emergencies are but superficial
At the bottom you will always, in fact
fin d the German such that, were old
Barbarossa to emerge to-day from his
grotto, he would doubt that he had SLEPT
| 700 years" In conclusion, the prince said
he drew back from no measure calculated
to destroy the putrid germ of revolution
that had been injecting the world for 10(
years, and he hoped and trusted his sue
cessors of the work would continue purif
cation.