The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1894-03-15
{ cermaay,s Chancellor.

3Elf3 (
cermany's Chancellor.
When Prince Bismarck, the mar
Of "blood and iron, had been COM
peiicd to lazy down the rcins of pow
er, the present Emperor Of Germany
decided to have soldier for his new
Chancellor, thus acting on the die
tum of his illustrieus ancestor, Fred
erick the great, that general must
be the sursst dictator Of a foreign
policy, as knowing best how far he
can so with an army behind him.
He, therefore, asked General Won
Caprivi to assume the enormous bur
den ofrcsponsibility devolving upon
the holder of the important position.
Thus Ear, experience has shown the
Emperior's choice to have been wise
one. 1t is not likely that the recent
make up Of differences between the
Emperor and Bismarck will work a
change back to the former position
! General Caprivi was born in Ber-
lin in 1881. Entering the army in
his 18Th year, his promotion was
rapid, and he served with distinction
in the campaign of 1S6466. In the
Franco-German war, he acted as
chief of the staff to the Tenth Corps,
and reaped fresh laurels in all the
battles on the Loire. In 1883,to the
general amazement of the world, he
passed with single bound from the
army to the navy, being chosen as
head Of the German Admiralty. Ma
val men by profession were astonish-
ed at the mastery Of their art, and
the perception of their interests dis
played by the landsman and soldier,
and his administration conclusively
proved that he was a man possessing
a rare power .of adapting himself to
new modes and lines of activity. He
entirely rcorganizcd the German
Navy.
General Caprivi is something
more than good soldie he is a
man of great force of character and
will, blending sagacity with patience.
resolution with good humor, and
German thoroughncss with southern
fire. SO remarkable is the personal
likeness between Bismarck and Cap
rivi that they might well pass for
brothers. But difference in the
character of the two men is discover
ed in their walk. Bismarck treads
sharply and heavily like a trooper;
the gait Of Caprivi has in it some
thing of delibcration and leisurely
elegance. The latter is q good
speaker, but not an eloquent one; his
speeches are usually brief and to the
point.
Not the least of Caprivi's merits is
that he has limitel the power and
extent Of the official press of his
country. Hecontcnts himself with a
brief emphatic denial of false state
ments il. the "Richsanzciger." In
another respect he also widely differs
from Bismarck; the latter, when in
office, was always surrounded by a
specially told off detachment Of po-
lice, but one Of Caprivi's first acts
was to decline the services Of these
agents, saying: cas- an old soldier.
| do not need police protection. l
can take CAGE of myself In all
respects less pretentious than Bis
marck, he is not less a patriot, and
perhaps, ::thanks to his gentler quail
tiles, he is better suited to guide a
nation that has need now more OF
gentle suasion and wise guidance
than of "blooi and IRON
Caprivi's task is no light one. But
he is doing his best to tide over diff
ficnltics arising from depression and
stringent taxation, by making COM
mercial treaties by which he hopes to
facilitate commerce and gradually to
float his country into soundcr COM
mercial waters, and lighter burdens.
Political Pensions.