National Republican., 1888-06-03
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BISMARCK AS a SPEAKER.
What 1t Is He Drinks and How 1t Is
Prepared.
Temple Bari


In no respect does Bismarck set theory
and precept more at defiance than in speech
making. He has related how he once read
the bundesrath lecture on the uselessness
of verbosity, but he seldom addresses the
reichstag for shorter time than an hour,
and he has even exceeded two hours, not,
however, that the occasion would have ad-
mitted of a curtailment. He speaks eX-
tempore, though the heads of his Grafton
and newspaper quotations which he intends
to Use are carefully noted on sheets of paper
lying before him. Although the chancellor
processes to regard the press with utter in
difference, not to say contempt, no one fol-
lows the newspapers with greater care than
he. Not infrequently he makes a journal
istic criticism the text of q speech, as on
the occasion of the two hours Grafton which
pacifed the European nations IN Febru-
ary. Sometimes he brings out of the
capacious portfolio great heap of leading
articles cut from opposition prints, aud now
and then he will brandish handful Of
them In the faces of his antagonists, with
the dry observation that he does not pur-
pose reading them to the house that day.
But foolscap sheets of memoranda and
newspaper cuttings are not Prince Bis
marck's sole help In the making of a speech
Equally important is the copious libation,
by the aid Of which he keeps hoarseness
down and his spirits up. The stimulant
which the chancellor drinks is weak con
coction Of cognac and seltzer water. Form
erly this preparation was brought into the
house ready mixed, the supply being kept
undiminished by a relay of walters running
between the ministerial bench and the more
material apartments of the building Now,
however, the mixing of the chancellor's
glasses has been advanced to a high art,
which ministers, secretaries of state, and
privy councillors are alone fit and able to
practice.
On the occasion of Prince Bsmarck's last
speech in the reichstag, Count Herbert, his
eldest son, now secretary Of state in the
foreign Office, kept the cognac bottle In his
own hands, while group of high function
aries divided the rest of the work between
them. Nothing could exceed fordownrght
comicality the busy scene that was enacted
behind the chancelors back during the
whole of the speech. The difficulty with
which the glass-mixcrs had continually TO
contend was that of securing the requisite
degree Of dilution. First, one would taste
and find tle compound too weak, so that
more cognac had to be added Then another
would pronounce II too strong, and the ad.
dition Of seltzer water was the consequence
More than once the chancellor, hard to
please, refused to drink the draught so care
fully prepared, and one of the solemn group
had 10 drain the glass, 50 that the blending
operation might begin again. Probably a
dozen and q half small glasses were handed
10 Prince Bismarck full and removed from
his bench empty, before all had been said
that was In the great statesman's mind.
That WAS high record to reach, but then
the occasion was mOmentOus one, and the
chancellor's throat was unusually trouble