The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-10-10
THE DYING STATESMAN.

HTlnC6 blSludECh Has SOuO W Lib AOlhC
at Friedrichsruh, apparently to die. In
the eyes OF the world he is undoubtedly
the greatest living statesman; and his
last days are of melancholy interest
wherever craftsmanship is admired. 10
an American or an Englishman the great
Chancellor may not be the ideal states
man. We rather like a man of the Glad
stone type, one who feels carefully the
popular pulse, and aims to lead his people
in those pleasant paths where they think
they want to go; man of a wonderful
diversity of accomplishments; and Won
derful ability to win men to ideas. Glad
stone has led in many reforms which have
made the people of the British Empire
better pleased with their lot; and he has
become the greatest figure of all in the
historic conflict over the relations of
Ireland to the Empire. But the genius of
others had built up that Empire before
ever Gladstone was prime minister. We
do not think of Bismarck as reformer.
Whether our ideas be correct or not, we
look upon him rather as stern taskmaster
of the German people, one to whom they
submitted because of their admiration
for his greatness. In civil liberty Ger
many is a hundred years behind England
or America and there is no evidence that
Bismarck ever wished it otherwise. He
would not be popular man in American
politics, unless his debut should happen
to be at time of great national disasters
when fear had sent to the rear the states
men of the school that is now so dlstin-
gushing itself in the Senate of the
United States. But Bismarck's business
was never to attain some high Office as a
means of effecting reforms in an Empire
already created; and still less was it for
the sake of holding the office itself. He
was the creator of an empire. He laid
the foundations of the offices which he
held. He was both the pioneer in the
wilderness and the tiller of the cultivat-
ed fields. AS man of thought he was
among the greatest of his age, but as
m an of action he was greater. The re-
nown of the German peoples for valor
was the most ancient in Europe. For in
tellect and achievement in the work OF
civilization only one people could claim
superiority. Germany was the home OF
the printing press and the Reformation,
as well as of great warriors like Barbar'
ossa and Frederick. But when Germany
was spoken of as a nation it was the by
word of statesmen. There was Austria,
a great power. There was Prussia,
small but brave and well ordered State;
but Germany was collection of jealous
and discordant States. and the German
Empire was as near nebulous as any con-
glomeration of states can be. This con-
ditien had existed not for ten, fifteen or
even fifty years. 1t had always been,
unless an exception be made OF that
memorable day in the year 9 D., when
the best legions Rome ever had were
swept away by the united tribes OF Ger
MANY in the defeat of Varus. In ten
years Bismarck did what nearly twice
ten centuries had failed to do. 1t was
in 1862 that he became minister OF state
in Prussia. Reactionary they called
him, and reactionary he was. Constitu-
tional government found few favors in
his hand. Others..might smooth and pol
ish; he had his eyes on certain giants OF
the forest. that must be felled and hewed.
In 1864 Prussia was made stronger by
the annexation.of Schleswig-Holsteln. In
1866 Austria saidsto.. Prussia: you have
grown strong enough" Austria was IT.
revocably defeated on the field of4Sadowa.
Then Prussia began to gather the dis
cordant German States under her wing.
The North German confederation was
formed, the stepping stone to the future
empire. But Bismarck. foresaw thatsbe-
fore many years another power would
advance in Prussia's path and declare
"Thus far and no farther" So he began
to prepare for that day. Austria was
no sooner humbled in 1866 than Won
Moltke was set at work preparing plans
for war with France. There were four
years of surveying, drilling, observing.
German citizensssettled in .France.in the
regions lying between the Rhine and
Paris, and lived there for years in order
that they might be trained as guides.
When the hour came and France at
tempted to nip in the bud the flower .of
German unity, everything was ready,
even to the last camp kettle, for an ire
sistible march on Paris. When the Ger
man Empire was proclaimed in the cap
tured city the world recognized the work
and the genius of Bismarck. That was
his task. and when it was finally done,
Germany had no longer use for him. Her
development is likely to be internal hence
forth, in the direction of constitutional
government. The men of blood and iron
are not of the type likely to be at the
front now, even in Germany.
pcpcNNhI ANN pEGIu Jar