The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-12-12
Ten YEARS A PREMIER.
A Decade Of Most Brilliant Service
in Diplomacy by Count
Kalnoky.
"a Constellation OF Three Glars
Seen in the Sky of
Europe"
Halnoky Much Younger Thar Other Min
listers When He Went Into Ohioe-
His Personal Character.

|# ~ $50
VIENNA, Nov. M.-'sThe constellation Of
three stars ia seen once more in tho sky OF
Europe" said a prominent journalist OF
this city just ten years ago. The appoint
ment OF Count Kalnoky to be minister OF
foreign affairs had just been announced.
The count had been ambassador to Russia,
and had been pre-eminently persona grata
at St. Petersburg. The ozar esteemed him
above all other diplomats, and on receiv-
ing his adieus, bestowed uEon him a most
distinguished decorations: and M. dc Giers
shared fully the sentiments of his imperial
master. Naturally, therefore, the eleya-
tion of Count Kalnoky to the ministry of
foreign affairs was interpreted as meaning
thenoeforth a triple alliance. 1t was
the first time in years that
Austria had displayed any wish or willing
ness to enter into a pact with Russia; but
this seemed an unmistabable sign to that
effect. Hence tho remark Of the journalist
above quoted. Nov. 20 marked the tenth
anniversary OF Count Kalnoky's appoint
mont, and a CONSTELLATION of three stars" Is
still visible in the sky Of Europe. But 1t is
not quite the same constellation. The
north star has vanished from it, and the
south star has entered the group. Instead
of maintaining an alliance with the power
that helped her to subdue Hungary and
weld the dual empire together, Austria has
Joined hands with her former foe, who
wrested from her the fair provinces of
Lombardy and Venetia.
This anniversary, which is observed with
fitting formalities, has, however, more than
political interest. TIL personality of the
minister commands attention. 1t is a strik-
ing personality, albeit far less familiar to
the public than that of almost any other
man OF similar rank. He was a young man,
compared with other ministers. when he
took up his portfolio; forty-nine against
Blsmarck's sixty-eight, Gladstone's seventy
two and G~ortschakof's eighty-three. He
was seven years younger than Andrassy.
But he was already a famous parsonage.
Oddly enough, much of his fame had come
from a waste-paper basket. A younger son
of a great Moravian noble, he was put in
the army at an early age, and after a few
years quilted it for diplomacy. He served,
with no especial distinction, at Munich,
u LOAANoAt ASOAho SA~ wynn"
hagen, and in 1880 was made
ambassador at St. Petersburg. Immedi-
ately after his appointment to the last
named post the Beaconsfield government in
England fell. Thus Austria lost her chief
support, outside of Germany. and Russia
the new ambassador was thus made exceed
ingly delicate, and it was not improved
when, a few months later, Alexander III.
was murdered and Alexander I'LL, Slavophil
and Austrophobe, succeeded him. Never
theless, Count, Kalnoky conducted himself
soma grata at the Russian court. The czar
himself described him as "a diplomat emil
nently correct and conciliatory; still young,
but firm, and above all, prudent and con-
servative." u.
Early in the fall of 1881 Baron Haymerle,
then Austrian foreign minister, sent to
Francis Joseph a long telegram giving Kali
noky's account of the much-talked-of
Dantzig interview. The emperor received
it at the Miskolez palace, read it and threw
it into a waste-paper basket. Thence it
was surreptitiously taken by some attend
Rarian newspaper Eggertetee. In that
journal it was promptly published and the
next day all Europe rang with the name of
Kalnoky. "A couple of months later Hay
merle died and the emperor, who had
watched the young diplomats career
CLOSELY anu HppIOVlIRly, pun hdluOAy Ill
his place. Nor did Francis Joseph ever do
a more popular act. There we're other
statesmen whom the public had thought
more likely to receive the portfolio, such as
Andrassy, Huebner, Beust. De Kally and
Trautmansdorf. But non of these resented
or in the least criticised Kalnoky's appoint
ment; and indeed it was the foremost Of
them, Andrassy. who nominated him.
Count Taafe also heartily supported the
appointment, 80 that the two wings of the
dual empire were in entire harmony on this
issue. Perhaps the fact that the Kalnoky
family owns large estates in Hungary had
something to do with that.
It is said that Count Kalnoky is the best
dispatch writer in Europe, and that it was
his ability in this respect that most COM
mendedh him to the emperor. From Rome
and from st. Petersburg his dispatches
were models of clearness. The same may
be said of his state papers and speeches
since. His public addresses are compre
hsnsive, cool, clear and singularly eloquent.
He frequently writes for the emperor
elaborate sketches of the general political
and diplomatic situation, and it ia said that
each Of these would we'll serve as a chapter
Of permanent history. He is, indeed,
classics inc of all important foreign Ian
guages, and q wide reader of the best liter
hture of the world. When he was a subor-
dinate attaohe of some legation, while his
fellow-clerks were dancing or drinking or
gambling, he would study. There were
who thought him a fool for leaving
the army, where promotion was certain, to |.
9nter the hazardous realm of diplomacy. I
He would surely have become a captain,
hey said; and perhaps, even a colonel.
Well, he has become ambassador and for
aign minister, and NJ a general of cavalry
boot.
One reason why this statesman is 80 lit
lie known to the public ia that he has never
married, and so has not fgnred largely in
Indeed, he rather shuns society,
referring to remain in his study. It ia
'arely that he receives at the foreign Office,
md his official weekly reception is always
confined to ambassadors. Thus,
le seldom comes into personal contact with
my of the minor members Of the
liplomatie corps, or, indeed, with the
parliamentary and official circles of =
Jenna. He spends several hours every
lay. however. with tho emperor, and in
ONE way manages to keep h,mself thor
'ughly lin touch with public sentiment.
ie may not always be in full accord with