New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-03
INJUSTICE TO BISMARCK.
AREPLY TO AN EXPERIENCED DIPLOMAT
OLD SCANDALS REHAsHED-FRIENDs AS WELL
AS ENEMIES OF THE IRON CHANCELLOR
HAVE DIED.
rsr TELEGRAPH TO THE rnrsu,nl


underneath the servants staircase or amid the
fumes of bad tobacco in a beer cellar in the
slums of Berlin or Vienna Most Of tha scandals
enumerated are of such venerable age and have
been told about so many other persons before
that they have long since become classic. The
innocent air with which the experienced diplomat
dishes these stories up and wants people to be-
lieve them is truly amusing Take the story,
for instance. OF Archdukc Francis stopping
PEASANTS funeral and amusing himself for
half an hour by jumping with his horse
over the hearse-why this very same incl
dent is mentioned by Prince Puckler-MuslSau
in an account of his travels and ascribed to some
unmentionable Turk, and the Prince lived and
wrote more than fifty years ago The same
story is told about one of the Polish Princes in
the seventeenth century-I forget his name just
now Its origin, however, is lost in the midst
of the Middle Ages, and IL not so awfully wicked
and disloyal might have found its way before
long into German primers and school readers,
there to point moral and to adorn a tale, for
in most Of the stories handed down the wicked
Prince breaks his neck after the third jump
why third jump heaven only knows, but third
it always IS Besides, has it ever occurred to
the experienced diplomat that epileptics are not
as rule addicted to violent horseback exercise,
and, consequently, would not jump over hearses,
for fear. no doubt OF tumbling into them. Is.
The reflections OF the experienced diplomat upon
what he seems to regard as sort of Bismarck
luck, and his enumeration Of the enemies OF the
Prince who in some mysterious way or another
have departed this earth remind one OF those
sagacious persons who, putting their trust in Pres
dent Clevelands luck, laid their bets according
Iy and lost their money Why, there never was
ANYTHING mysterious about the death Of Gam
BETA, nor about that Of Skobelof, nor about
that of King Louis Of Bavaria. Gambetta was
at the time he received his fatal wound in the
company of a woman of questionable antecedents
In fact she was his mistress quarrel arose
between the two; in some way the pistol he al
WAYS carried with him was discharged The
bullet entered some 1eshy part OF his BODY
The wound was not considered dangerous until
blood poisoninr set in. The woman remained
with Gambetta until he died. There was nothing
mysterious about his end, except that his friends
were for obvious reasons anxious to keep the
details of his relations with the woman from the
public Skobelofr died after prolonged debauch
in the company OF some ballet-dancers whom ne
had invited TO supper after performance az
the theatre. l think it was apopexy which
killed him. Is there anything mysterious about
that? OF course, such details are not published
in European newspapers as they are here, conse-
auently there always arises moro or less gossip
after such an occurrence. You can't prevent ser
wants from talking and if experienced diplomats
win listen TO and believe all they near on pack-
stairs why they must permit others TO laugh
at their ehldlilSe innocence.
aNow. as 10 the death of King Louis OF Bavaria
That, at least, l should have thought, would nave
been clear TO your experienced diplomat here
is what he says: - ...,,nr .s,de
the veil which enshrouds tho last moments Of the late
King Louis Of Bavaral HIS corpse ana .nat , ~
attendant physician showed sr fSr life had taken place
on tho shore OF tho Staremberg Lake Du' "ho
were the asSalantsP
q nidn't the experienced diplomat know that
door King Louis was ,nsaneS Didnt ne Kno"
that the King had repeatedly attempted ms own
life within two or three weeks of his death
Didn't he know that il was this which made the
constant attendance of medical man necessary
Didnt he know thut the King, on the day oil
his death. was walking on the border Of the
Staremberg Lake; that he suddenly jumped into
a boat. that the physician in attendance quickly
followed: that the King then attempted to throw
himself into the water; that the physician threw
his arms about the King to prevent him from
carving out his purpose that in the struggle
which ensued the boat was overturned and ooth
went down. the King with the desperation OIL
mailman bafled still clinging TO his victim All
this has been told so often and has been the
subject so frequently Of discussion that u mas
ceased 10 be a mystery to everybody apparently
except your experienced diplomat
Now while the experienced diplomat was at
work why didn't he include in his list OF mys-
teriously fortunate accidents the death OF Pho
Mono or that of Lasker, or that in fact OF hah
n dozen which might be mentioned In the same
categorvP With what delightful mystery he
might surround the death OF u good Old Pope
,rbo Is kept a prisoner ut the Vatican; or with
what dark hints and sly winks OF the eye nc
MIGHT accompany a recital Of the death Of Lasker
in a stable in New York. alone and at the witching
time of night. Or, if-what Heaven forbid l-genlal
Tom, Ocbiltree should be called from us suddenly,
wbat dark visions of fancy might not the 'ex-
uerienced diplomat indulge in, and what speEdld
onportuuity it would furnish him for description
OF the savage gee felt IN the Wilhelmstrasse
at the death of this arch-enemy to the peace OF
the great Chancellor.
Now, seriously speaking, has it never occurred
to the experienced diplomat that for every death
of supposed enemy Of Prince Bismarck's THAI
of stanch friend might be inStanced, illus proving
the faIlacy OF the luck bncOfy Inc 10
destination of Alexander remove one OF the best
friends Of Germany from the Russian throne, and
place there "a pronounced enemy Of everything
German? Or what has the experienced diplomat
rot to say with regard TO the death OF Lord
Beaconsfeld, or that OF the late King. OF Italy,
or that of the Uhlan' King Of Spain-all OF them
admirers and friends Of Bismarck and Germany
was not their death as much of loss to Germany
or bismarck as the death of Gambetta, Skobclon,
or King Louis is regarded by your experienced
diplomat to have been gain to Germany or
Bismarck?
Just now said Supposed enemies of Bis
marck' Your experienced diplomat can have
studied recent occurrences with little profit II he
NUTS down either Gambetta or KING Louis as
an enemy Of Bismarck. Let him recall the story
of Arnim's downfall and how Il was brought about
through his silly intrigues in behalf
OF n monarchcal movement in France, contrary
10 Prince Bismarclxs instructions Bsmarcks
Motley toward France, for obvious reasons, was
All directed toward the object of continuing the
Republic. lie assisted Gambetta Ia maintaining
himself. This the latter recognized and appreci-
ated Roth knew that the Republic meant peace,