The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-05-29

nous domains obtained by BISMARCK In
Africa and Oceanica. he sets complacently
the acquisition by WILLIAM II. OF the
worthless rocky islet Of Heligoland. Then.
again, the protectionist policy OF BISMARCK
is unfavorably contracted with the close
approach to FREQ trad among the mem
bers OF tho Triple Alliance. brought about
by WILLIAM ii. through the new Zollve-
rein. Time will show whether in this mat
ter BISMARCK or the young Emperor has
been the wisest friend OF tho HoHENzoL-
LERN dynasty. The Zollvercin was need
less to strengthen the union Of the three
central powers. for the Triple Alliance was
evidently stronger three years ago than II
Is now. The effect of the commercial union
viii be to subject the natural products OF
the Prussian sol! TO competition with the
harrests OF Hungary, and to that extent
the Pruss!an pcasantry will regard their
interests rs sacrificed. BISMARCK was
keenly alive to the fact that the great ma
jority OF tho German operatives. artisans,
and miners were Social Democrats, ana as
such irreconcilable enemies OF the monar-
chical system. On the peasantry alone
could the monarchy lean safely. and he
was determined that not by his hand should
the staff be broken.
The final accusation In the Ontempo-
rdrv Is that. while BISMARCK has made
bad job OF nearly everything else. he is not
even the author OF united Germany. The
Emperor FREDERICK. 1t is asserted, sug-
gested the idea Of united Germany, and
1t was tho force of German public opinion
on the one hand, and the military genius OF
tn,. n
the project possible. OF course, there was
current OF pubic opinion in favor OF Ger
man unity. but the narrow limits of its
power were decisivcly demonstrated by the
dismal collapse ut the national movement
in ls49. How little there was left OF this
force in the spring and carly sum-
mcr OF lsGG is shown by the fact
that the Frankfort Diet ordered all
the German States to take up arms
against Prussia. although that monarchy
was recognized as the indispensable agent
OF German liberty and unity. 1t is true
that NoS AloLTKE manipulated with extra
ordinary skill the armies at his disposal in
the Bohemian campaign, and aftcrward in
the French campaign OF 1870. But how
came he to have such admirable military
material ut his disposal? Ii would not
have been in existence but for BISMARCK.
who insisted in the teeth Of q hostile legis
lature on maintaining the Prussian army
In state OF high efficiency. and to
that end did not hesitate to risk his head
by governing for four years. from 1862 to
1866. without budget. And who but Bis
MARCK should be credited with the magnii-
cent diplomacy which between 1866 and |
1870 parted every effort Of NAPOLEON |
III. to obtain an equivalent for Prus- |
sian aggrandizement. and which finally |
left him at the outbreak Of the war dis
trusted at home and without On ally in |
Europe? As to the person from whom the |
idea OF reviving tho German empire ema- |
mated. we have the welghty authority Of the |
Duke OF Saxe-Coburg- Gotha for saying that |
1t came from BISMARCK. But what does 1t |
matter who gave the idea formal express
sion2 1t was the inevitable outcome Of
BIsMARCK's efforts.
It is too late to try to depreciate the ex-
Already he belongs to history.
to whose verdict he stands forth
the greatest figure seen upon the earth
since the death Of NAPOLEON BoNAPARTE