The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1889-05-29
BISMARCK OF TO-DAY.
His Personal Appearance and Ills Ability
as an Orator.

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His Personal Appearance and His Ability
as an Orator.
Bismarck has grown old during the
last few years, his mustache is white
as snow, and his walk less erect than
in former years, but the power OF his
face and the might of his eyes live still
the same as they did ten years ago.
When he sits down it is as if he was
on guard, his sword laid across his
knees, as formerly old Hagen used to
sit, and though he is no Hagen i'll
guilt and wickedness, he is a Hagen in
faithfulness, and, if need be, in stern
wrath. And he is on guard at the
gates of the Fatherland.
Bismarck, as every body knows. is
not an orator. nearly said, thank
God. he is no orator. His speech has
been likened to forest stream which
rumbles over stones and roots. The
comparison is somewhat poor. [
think | know better, though a rather
technical one-namely, his speech is
like quicksilver drawn out Take q
drop of quicksilver containing some
lead or zinc, put it on pane of glass
and hold it slantingly. The drop
swells and rolls, but presently it stops.
becomes thinner and longer, remains
immoyable for moment, gathers new
strength to flow, becomes thin once
again, and so forth. Thus it is with
the Chancelor's words; first half a
sentence comes out, then he hesitates,
stops, or utters a short inarticulate
sound, and goes on again. 1t is evil
dent that to speak is a physical exer-
ton, but even when he is in first-rate
form he does not talk fuently.
But on closer observation the reason
appears very soon. The form of his
speech is improvised on the spur Of
the moment, but, unlike many fluent
speakers, he does not use the first ex-
preston which may come to his mind,
but while he is uttering the first half
Of a sentence he is thinking how to
shape the second half in order to eX-
press exactly what he wishes to say.
II he makes joke Or slight observa-
ton he speaks quickly and without
hesitation, but as soon as he returns to
the serious treatment of a political SUBJ
ject this painfully-accurate expression,
the result of mental work, becomes
again apparent, which shows that he
endeavors not to say syllable which
he can not reconcile with his respon-
sible position. This is the reason why
his speeches concerning foreign poll
tics, read like official diplomatic docu-
ments, every word is carefully con-
sidered
His voice is peculiar, high-pitched
and not very powerful. 1t has been
called thin voice, but this only ex-
presses one of its qualities. Another
is that it is so remarkably young that
one would think it almost incredible
for man of his age to possess such a
voice. If one does not see him while
he is speaking it is difficult to believe
that it is not young Lieutenant of
twenty-eight who is speaking (Which,
by the way, is rather pity, since the
snarl and the drawl of the German
Lieutenant is detestable). But put in
connection with this quality it can
sound extremely soft and fattering,
and [ should not be surprised il in
former years, when he was Ambas-
sador, some of his personal successes
had been due just to this timbre of his
voice. Cologne Gazette.