St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-02-07
BISMARCK SPEAKS.

A Large Crowd to Hear Bis
marck's Views on the Military
Bill.
BERLIN, Feb. 6.-The announcement
that Prince Bismarck would speak on
the military bill drew great throng of
people to the reichstag to-day, and long
before the days business was begun the
galleries were flied to repletion. Prince
William, of Prussia, and Prince Leo
pOld, son of the late Prince Frederick
Charles. occupied the court box, while
the diplomatic gallery was crowded
with the different foreign representa-
tives and their families. Prince Bis
marck was enthusiastically greeted on
his way to the reichstag palace by dense
crowds which lined the route along Will
helm straSse to the palace. He entered
the reichstag at 1:25 and was received
with deafening cheers. The house pro-
ceeded with the reading of the military
loan bill, and Prince Bismarck arose to
address the house. He said:
do not believe L can add anything to
the true state of the case regarding the
bill. do not address you on that ac-
count. My object is to speak of the gen.
eral situation of Europe. l may con-
fine myself to referring to what / said
on the same subject over year ago.
There has been very little change since
then, when / feared war with France.
Since then France has elected a peace
loving president and pacific DISPOSE
ton has prevailed. can, therefore. re-
assure the public that so far as France
is concerned the prospect has become
more peaceful. Regarding Russia also
am of no other opinion than when l
said that we have to apprehend no at
tack from Russia. The situation must
not be judged from press comment. The
Russian newspapers l do not believe. /
believe the cZar'S word absolutely. The
situation ON the whole is not different
from that of 1879. L grant that the con-
centration OF Russian troops on the
frontier
MAY APPEAR SERIOUS,
but perceive no cause or preteXt for
Russian or European war. Russia has
no interest to conquer PrusSian or Aus
trian provinces. Indeed, go so far in
my confidence to say that even a war
with France would not necesSitate
war with Russia, although the latter
eventually would involve the former. 1t
is true that l cannot demand an expla-
nation from the Russian foreign office
regarding a concentration of troops on
the frontier, but having been we'll ac-
Quainted with Russia's foreign policy
for a generation, have my opinion on
the matter. l believe the Russian cabi-
net intends to make RuSsia's voice
heard at the next European crisis, and
therefore wishes to push her military
forces as far westward as possible.
Perhaps Russia speculates upon turn
taking place soon in the Eastern Ques-
ton, and desires then to act promptly
and with greater weight. Perhaps Rus
Sia intends to render her diplomatic de-
mandS more effectual from the fact of
having an army ready for war behind
them. We, however, are only con-
cerned in the Eastern question in sec
Ondary manner" Prince Bismarck
proceed to review the relations
BETWEEN PRUSSIA AND RUSSIA
since 1S4S, and showed how frequently
they had assumed menacing as
pect. He said that at all times the calm
ness and cOnscientiousness displayed by
the ministers on the Prussian side
towards the threatening position of Rus
sian affairS-a position of which foreign
countries had no idea-had succeeded
in averting mischief. "As early as
1863" he continued, "matters were in
such position that everybody urged
me to advise striking q blow. WAITED
quietly until we were struck. / believe
we did we'll in this. Despite all indica-
tiOns of storm, a certain feeling of
tranquility supervened owing to the in
innate relations between the three
emperors. Then, as now, however, we