Montgomery County sentinel., 1890-03-28
RETIREMENT or BISMA RCE

RETIREMENT or BISMA RCK.
the retirement oi Prince bismarck at the !
present movement from the Chancelorship /
Of the German Empire, it has been obvious |
for months that that retirement was only "A
question oi "a short Time The young En-
reror is too energetic to have aged men
about him who ale incapable Of "getting
around" quickly enough to keep themselves
abreast OF his youthful impetuousness =
Bismarck had no doubt become painfully
sware oi his physical inability at the age OF
20, and he loresaw naturally in the recent
succession OF his friend and comrade, Count
Won Mollke, by younger man, simply and
solely on the ground OF years. that his own
turn would soon come, and that meantime
he. was being tolerated only on the strength
OF his splendid service to his State and the
Empire.
The physical falling oil the grand old
statesman, and the concomitant desire not
TO be a clog upon the wheels of the admin
istration were, we believe, the real reasons
of Prince Bismarck's withdrawal from pub.
lie affairs, netied though he may have been
a little at the theatrical OF the Emperor on
the subject of labor, and chagrined MS he
must have been at the government candi-
oates for the Rechstag two or three weeks
ago.
The aged Chancellor, everybody will be
glad to believe, retires to private life as
much honored and regarded by his imperial
master as he is loved and idolized by the
united fatherland, and as he is admired and
respected in every civilized country.
TO Bismarck, Germany owes more than
to any other individual, statesman or ruler.
For to him she owes her unified national
lite and her place in the forefront OF Euro
pean nations. There was no Germany when +,
iorty years ago, Otto Edward Leopold Bis.
.marck- -Schonhausen stood up in his seat as
a member of the Prussian diet and was
hissed and cheered as he boldly advocated
the consolidation of the German nationality
by the joint action of Prussia and Austria
and although Bismarck never succeeded in
his young dream of consolidating Prussia
and Austria without Hungary into one
coherent, il not very homogeneous, whole,
1T was his ceaseless ambition, and it was the
crowning honor of a splendid career, to
weld the erst warning nations Of North
GeEman States and forming what the pre-
sent day beholds with pride as the German
/ npire.
The German unification was distinctly
Prince Bismarck's work, his own especial
work, helped in II although he was by the
counsels of statesmen, the swords Of war
riors, and the resources of kings. When
the history of the unified comes to be writ
ten n. a later day, the name OF the man of
l.lood and Iron will be the name of the
universally recognized architect Of that
magnificent edifce.
Bismarck was not a statesman in whom a
Democracy would nd its ideal He was
strong nd vocate of kngly privilege, of royal
rrerogalive. lie did not believe that the
mass OF the people was to be trusted with
the management OF its own affairs, he held
that princes and potentates were alone fit
Ia rule, and the people were simply to obey.
Europe has produced, within the past CEN
tury, no greater statesman than the retiring
Chancellor, nor indeed any one as great,
unless an exception be made in favor OF
Count Cavour. Whether the younger states
man OF Germany will be able 10 maintain
the prestige which the Chancellor has
created for the imperial councils among
European nations remains to be seen.
Tho good wishes of every civilized per-
n who admires lofty and patriotic aims,
,lrohity and tenacty of purpose, far reach
ing foresight, invincible courage, purity of
life, and simplicity OF demeanor, will go
with Bismarck into his retirement. No
man living deserves "A rest from the cares of
Office better than he, and it will be every
ones hope that no unforeseen trouble may
arise 10 the empire of his creation 10 call him
again TO the front. Bismarck is one of the
men whom the poet had within the field of
his mental vision when the iervent prayer
burst from him:
20 God /! Tor man with u head, heart, hand
Like one of the simple great ones gone for
ever,
And ever by a strong man in blatant
hand
Calltiim aristocrat, autocrat, democrat, what
care /
A man who can rule and dare not lie"
Capatf,r arrno.,is nd ;c MT ot N stand