New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-06-20
4 TfIE UTTH BISMARCK.

The German elections are indeciSlve except
on two points: the increase of the Socialist
vote and the complete wipinS out OF Radical
ism as represented by Richter 80 far as the
Army bill is concerned, it is imrrac,icable to
forecast the result of the second ballots for
ISL seats Instead of attempting an impoS-
sbe task we direct attention TO master poll
tician's incisivc comments upon that measure
and upon the tend rnccs of Socialism. These
comments will be found in Prince Bismarck :
conversation with or London correspondent ut
Friedlich>ruh, as detailed in the remarkable
letter published in other columns. 1t is lo'-
ter which opens with an allcGoiy about the
Princes swans. ducks and rats. as striking in
its way as enc of Thackclays famous pr0losucs.
The grounds Of Prince BismarkS opposition
TO the Army bill arc defined by him in this
conv ersa,ion with characteristic candor and
lucidity He believes in Strengthening the
German army, but he considers this measure
which will weaken it. 1t involves a large in
crease in the rank and file when there are not
non commissioned off cr> at hand for drilling
them Artillery, in Prince Bismarck's juds-
ment. is what is ,edcd rather than additional
recruits when million soldiers can be brought
mo llt Upiu lbT dl tIicl SUM-. anu uiININ az
three millions, in reserve. This j. military
teaching based on Nap1lconic maXims. Battle,
aIe won with the best guns. A modern cam
paign depends less upon superiority Of numbers
than upon superiority of artillery. il waS be-
cause Germany had the advantage in this arm
that the battle with France was won. Prince
Bismarck contends that in artillery the Ter
mans are not superior to France in the same
nroport;on as in 1870 \ wise Army bill
would strengthen the military establishment at
the point where it is weakest instead Oh mus
tering thousands of recruits and drawing upon
the old force of non-c4mmissioned officers as
drill masters
Prince BiSmarclls forecast of the general
result Of the election has already been fulfilled
i'm the large increase of the Socialist vote His
criticism upon the Governments policy Of deal
ing seriously with the Socialists a political
party is trenchant. That policy has increased
very much their power and importance. Prince
Bismarck says that he would have crushed
them as robbers and theves-hc would have
stamped them out As - the rats of the coun-
try lie di>cerns clearly their real character
as anti-ImpclialstS rather than enemies of So
ciety. They are dangerous because they place
class interests before those OF the nation, and
desire to dsband the army, to abolish COM
pulsoIy service and to reduce taxation for mil
itary service. At is easy t. read between the
lines OF Prince BiSmarck's structures his con-
dcmnatiOn of the Govclnm cntS course IN
forcing unnecessarily an issue on the Army bill
by which popular discomfort with milI,aii'm
and its tremendous burden Of taxation has in
eSltably been decpened and intensified
Thee are many interesting "reminiscences Of
his own policy as PIu>san Minister and Chan
celOr in the Princes conversation. Perhaps
the most striking observation i, his admission
that, although he carried on the Government Of
Prussia from 1852 to 1866 without a budget
and without majority, he could not ii he were
now in Office repeat that experience. Certainly
he never said anything more characteristic than
this: There has grown up Of late a notion
that the world can be governed from below.
That cannot be- The conversation as a whole
is a most remarkable one, and supplies many Of
the cues needed for correct understanding Of
the career Of Tie greatest European since Napo
Icon. 1t has in it more of the real Bismarck
than hundreds of obituaries will contain when
bn dos