New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-04-15
PRINCE BISMARCK.
AND HOW HE DELIVERED TO THE REICH
STAG THE EMPERoR'S MESSAGE.

Ny only glimpse of Prince Bismarck this week
was in the Reichstag His public appearances
are now rare, and even the presence OF his car
rage in the streets is enough to attract crowd
From my windows in the hotel l could see the
Princes palace in the Wilhelmstrasse, and when
ever his carriage entered or left the gates com
pany of the curious followed IT. As he drives at
a good pace, they had TO follow fast II they
counted on look OF the inside passenger Inc
custom is one which is perhaps peculiar to Berlin
People in London coll, CT, often larSc numbers,
opposite the gates Of Buckingham Palace to see
the Queen, or on the sidewalk over against the
entrance TO Marlborough House in patient ex-
notation OF the exit of the Prince or Princess OF
Wales. / cannot recollect to lave seen any OF
these eager throngs pursuing on foot the objects
of their loyal alteration
The Reichstag had been summoned to hear q
message from the new Emperor, and there was
some hope that it would be read by Prince Bis
marck Mr.. Pendleton was kind enough to take
me with him to this ceremony; one OF many
friendly acts for which / have 70 thank him.
Arriving few minutes before the hour, we found
no signs Of excitement In the Leipsigerstrasse or
about the plain, large edifce where the lm-
perial Parliament is, for the present, con-
tent to sit. They are erecting ereao
building for its permanent home, destined 10
be, some years hence, magnificent. Nobody IN
Berlin is ever in q hurry about anything. Inc
hall itself was empty. 1t is not splendid, put
respectable In appearance, with general tone OF
reddish brown in its decorations. There are seats
for rather more than three hundred members III
pairs desks for each pair in front OF the seats
with two inkstands sunk in each desk. me resi-
dents tribune rises high in the middle OF one Oh
the longer Sides below it the tribune from which
any orator SO minded addresses his fellow legs-
l. Ton no ri al
reporters, of whom four might use it at the same
time On the right OF the President are seats Tor
Ministers also raised above the level Of those who
are not Ministers; on the left other seats equal
in elevation, whether for more Ministers or for
ex Ministers did not make out. These seats and
tribunes I'll the whole Of one of the longer SIDES
of a hall which is paralelogram in shape Seats
and desks occupy al the space TO the opposite wall,
curving in rows so that the occupant may always
face the President There galleries at either end
of these two longer walls; at one end royal and
diplomatic boxes at the other the trlbunes OF the
general public separated in each case by square
pillars and raised well above The level Of the
house The seats in the body Of the hall are
in light brown leather; the walls painted
brown but of rudy hue; the woodwork is every
where brown, the walls also panelled in brown;
the cornice or rather cove is in brown, and the
roof is in glass more or less painted In brown
By half past some two hundred members have
arrived and the public galleries are half-fulL They
remain half full during all the proceedings which
seem to have no great interest for the people OF
Berlin. Possibly the people Of Berlin are aware
that this hi ghy respectable Imperial Parliament
is not the final arbter of the destinies OF the
German empire, whether for veal or woe The
centre Of political power Is not here so the centre
Of political interest is elsewhere whether at Char
Gutenberg with the dying Emperor, or in the
Palais Radziwill in the Wilhelmstrasse where lives
the Imperial Chancellor, may be a question. 1t
is not here in the Reichstag at any rate not even
when the Imperial Chancellor puts in formal
appearance. The members have, nevertheless, a
business-Ike look. They are O stalwart body;
with for the most part good gray heads on their
bodies, and would be the more distinguished in
aspect if they wore fewer spectacles 1t may be
the spectacles which stamp them as a body
slightly pedantic air, as Of body Of professors
The House of Commons looks, even in these de-
generate days, like gathering of men Of the
world of men who spend their lives, whether in
country city, on high level, and
who take large views of affairs; with
their eyes set well apart in their heads They
have not derived their opinions, Liberal or Tory,
from books; they are not parochial. The German
analogue for parochial is Partcularist. man
even kingdom, more than he regards the concerns
of the Empire, is Particularist. What business
has he in an Imperial Parliament2 Yet there
are many such; nay, 1 thought 1 detected this
provincial stamp on some men who would resent
the application Of such a name to them
The defect of the Germans, if we are to believe
Mr. Matthew Arnold, is defect Of civic courage.
Perhaps but suspect an American would discover
in fhaun NJ | In
use that phrase on tins occasion as a synonym for
machine or anything like it, 1t is colloquial
way of saying that they are without that political
training which comes from long and responsible
connection with public affairs, beginning
with municipal and ending with imperial
affairs. They see the thing next TO
them with painful distinctness; beyond
it, little nothing. / speak of the average;
the best of them belong to a totally different
class. But confess, as looked upon the Reich
stag and thought the history of its conten-
tons, and of the Prussian and other disputes that
had preceded it, it seemed 10 me an assembly Of
amateurs. No German Parliament is comparable
in efficiency TO the House of Commons or to the
Congress at Washington. What is here efficient
is the Crown. 1t is the Kingly principle, the |
Imperial principle by which fifty millions of
Germans, though with universal suffrage, and
triennial Parliaments, and the power Of the purse
in their hands, are really governed
There is time enough for these and other re-
fections while the House assemblies. Nobody
seems to know whether Prince Bismarck is coming
hirpsc.t OF not But while the President, who has
the air of a about to deliver a sermon, is
eonversng sedatey with a group Of deputies on
the steps Of his pulpit, dark young man enters
at his right from door in the rear, and lays
large red portfolio on the shelf in front Of the
ministerial seat nearest the tribune. Just beneath
stands a tall man of slender build, in an undreSs
uniform Of dark blue and red, his smooth-shaven
face scored all over with fine lines, the nose
aquilne and thin, eyes sunken, forehead lofty and
broad and deeply thoughtful palpable brown wig
on his head the whole fcnre slinhtlv Sfnoninr.