The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-06-30
Bismarck Speaks.

Bismarck Speaks.
1t seems that Prince BISMARCK has given
great offence to the friends of Emperor
WILLIAM by his interview in Vienna with
representative Of the .Ncue Frcie Presse and
by some remarks which he made at Augs-
burg In the course Of his homeward journey
through Bavaria. On the former occasion
he criticised the foreign policy Of his sue
cessor. and on the latter he spoke regret
fully OF what no termed tho mistaken atti-
tude OF tho Kaiser toward tho internal
politics OF Prussia and tho German empire.
The sting Of these criticisms lay In the fact
that they are Individually just. The only
point open to question Is whether or not it
is tho duty Of the greatest German states
man to speak or to keep silent when no secs
his country going wrong.
The gist Of the Vienna interview was that
while BISMARCK remained Chancellor the
traditional friendship between Prussia and
Russia was unbroken. No combination on
the part Of the St. Petersburg and Paris
Governments was then contemplated, and
BISMARCK would have spared no effort to
avert state OF things SO menacng to Ger
many. From this frank declaration tho In
ference has been drawn that In spite Of
the alliance between Germany and Austria
the former Chancellor. had he been forced
to choose. would have abandoned his ally
in order to keep tho Cars good will.
Tho deduction is not warranted except SO
far as it means that BISMARCK would never
have supported Austria in her attempt to
deprive Russia OF her legitimate influence
In In nj p,Io
whose Christian inhabitants the Car, and
he only. had rescued from tho Turk. For
fourteen years tho Vienna Government
has been trying in southeastern Europe to
reap whore 1t has not sown. 1t began with
acquiring at the Congress OF Berlin tho
right to occupy Bosnia and tho Hcrzegovi-
ma on the avowed ground that those PROV
inces were needed to Offset the ascendancy
OF Russia In tho new Bulgarian principality
Next. by lending money to King MILAN
1t obtained controlling influence in Ser
via. which had been freed by Russian blood
and encouraged its ruler to undertake his
abortivc invasion OF Bulgaria. When this
failed. the Vienna politicians backed Mr.
SrAMBoULoFF and his fellow Bulgarlans in
their resolve to repUdiate their national
Indebtedness to Russia and to elect as ruler
Prince FERDINAND OF Coburg. who was
known to be obnoxious to the Car. Finally,
by persistent intrigues Mt Bucharest. they
succeeded In placing the Roumnnisn Gov
ernmcnt for some years in the hands of the
pro-Austrtun party. although tho ground
gained In this quarter has since been lost.
Throughout these proceedings. Which
pointed Enthusiastically TO war between Aus
tria and Russia. BISMARCK warned tho
HAPsBUHG Government that 1t must not ey-
pcct help from Germany in contest which
1t had provoked. Some Of these warnings
were published: one In particular was given
in tho Relchstag. when BISMARCK said that
the overthrow Of Russian influence I'm Bull
gara was not worth tho sacrifice Of ono
Pomcranlan grcnadler. While such was
the attitude of Germany under BIsMARcK's
guidance. Russia had nothing to gain by a
coalition with France. while Austria. on the
other hand. had no lawful subject of COM
plant. The alliance between Germany and
Austria was intended as a guarantee OF
tranquility and Of the status quo. not for
tho surrcptitlous promotion of the latter
powers designs OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT in
southeastern Europe.
No ono now doubts that BIsMARcK's pro-
grnmme was programme of peace, and
that Its corner stone was the prevention Of
combination between Russia and France.
He has right to boast of 1t in view of
what has taken place since his election from
Office. No less crcditablc to him Is the con-
trast between his informal policy and that
to which the young Kaiser has resorted. For
the control Of tho Rcichstag and of the
Prussian Landtag BISMARCK relied Oh IL
coalition OF the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS with the
two Conservative parties: coalition In IT.
self SO strong that by only moderate con-
cessions it could usually secure tho support
of tho Ultramontancs. As regards the
Poles In POsen and West Prussia, BISMARCK
did his utmost to turn them into Germans.
both because he deemed the time had come
for their complete assimilation and because
nothing was more calculated to exasperate
tho Car than u perpctuation of Polish ma
tional traditions on his western frontier.
The Socialists were believed by BISMARCK
to be irreconcllable enemies OF the Prus-
sian monarchy. and tho aim of his repres-
Bive legislation was to keep their representa-
ton In the Reichstng reduced to ncglible
quantity.
Kaiser WILLIAM II. has pursued pre-
risely opposite policy IN both Of these par
Iiculars. He has countcnancod and virtu-
llly applauded the refusal of tho Poles to
become Gerlnapized, and by removing all
OF, the political activity OF the
socialists he has euablad than IN bennma