The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-26
Although Nearly Eighty, the
Prince Yet Knows
How to Talk.
BIG CEREMONIES IN ORDER
Throughout the FatherIand the
Birthday Anniversary VIII
Be Celebrated.

SpeCldl trains, having on DOdIu HUI IIelu-
bers of the Reichstag and of the Prussian
Diet, arrived here to-day and were received
at the station by deputation headed by
Count Herbert Bismarck. They were
taken to the castle front, where they were
received in a body by Prince Bismarck.
Upon reaching the garden, the guests
proceeded to the rear of the house, where
there is large balcony. Prince Bismarck,
accompanied by his sons, his daughter and
his son-in-law, all in mourning, appeared
on the terrace and were received with
loud cheers by the visitors below. Spokes-
men from the several branches of the Leg
islature made speeches, briefly conveying
the fervent hope that Prince Bismarck
would long be spared to enjoy his we'll
earned repose,
Prince Bismarck, standing close to the
stone balustrade, replied in loud and
clear voice, distinctly audible to all pres
ent. He spoke for nearly twenty minutes
with wonderful animation, emphasizing
his remarks with frequent gestures of the
hand. The self-deprecatory remarks with
which he began were answered with loud
shouts of "Nein."
The Prince thanked the deputation for
the high honor conferred upon him by
their visit and declared that the Sachsen-
valid had never before seen such a notable
company. Then he said:
II should to some extent be ashamed of
the great honor, but feel that it is not in
tended for me alone, but also for the task
accomplished in which I assisted and for
the political objects we thereby gained.
The compliment you pay me l must
share with others. 1t is a source of i'm
mense satisfaction to me that must share
it with my former (now deceased) colleague
and must share it with many others"
The aged ex-Chancellor paused. mani
testing intense emotion, with tears in his
eyes, as his thoughts reverted to the past.
His listeners were deeply affected as they
stood silently for fully half a minute,
waiting for him to proceed. When he
spoke again he said: ''Above all I must
share it with my"-Qong pause) "old
master, Emperor William, of blessed
memory"
This remark of the Prince was greeted
with prolonged applause. When quiet
had been restored Prince Bismarck said:
What could l have done without him
and hisIarmy? I should have remained in
the SAME swamp that the leaders of all for
mer national efforts encountered, who
were actuated by errors in that they ig-
nored the power of German sovereignty
and dynasty.
From the best view, that was an error.
Our dynasties are, thank God, still strong
in their roots, each in its own land, and
this is especially the case with the great
military force which the King of Prussia
undoubtedly has the power to place at the
service of the national will That was my
endeavor when 1, in the capacity of En-
bassador to Frankfort, observed the state
of the political situation. We, therefore,
are indebted to the old Emperor and his
allies for more than any Minister or
Chancellor could have done for us. If the
treaties signed by the Federal Government
had not borne their signature these trea-
ties would not have existed.
''If the King had not issued his mobil-
ization order in 1866 and 1870, what would
have happened? And you remember the
dynasties have been far more injured by
US in the course of history, not intention
ally, but as the result of passing events,
than by any parliamentary faction in our
peaceful times. Laughter. We fought
iercely with the Bavarians and Saxons,
yet directly there was common need for
the support of the Empires people, their
assistance was given to us with the great
est readiness. Loud cheers.
"All political differences, all rivalries and
all open or secret intrigues belong only to
certain party factions. [Laughter.] The
others are more concerned with the ma
tional interests which are connected with
the sovereign and dynasty of the country.
We have fought to such an extent that
dogs have licked the blood of the slain, vet
we now shake hands and march together
against the enemies of our country. This
is the way our dynasties act as compared
with our party factions. hope you will
take lesson therefrom.
AS long as we are able to reckon upon
this national sentiment, we need have no
fear Of our being involved in any difficulty
which may arise from party division. l
should be glad if more support was given
to the national will in the Diet and indi
vidual States, just as it has been supported
by the reigning dynasty. We cannot in
Germany exist as two separate kingdoms
as Sweden and Norway, which live together
under one dynasty. We are Prussians.
Bavarians and Saxons, and we are Ger
mans. To remain so we must study the
country's interests in our Diets, and
especially regarding the policy to be pur-
sued by the empire. We must specially
not ignore this.
"We must exercise control over our For
eign Minister in regard to the attitude he
adopts in the Bundesrath and over the
imperial policy he pursues.. The whole
national sentiment would be entirely
changed if it should be possible to induce
local patriotism to partake in the develop
ment of the nation to such an extent that
German policy might also be discussed in
the Prussian Diet, as well as the question
of how the Foreign Minister shall be in
structed in his capacity as representative
in the Bundesrath. Are we agreed upon
this point? Such matters can all be easily
discussed during the debate on the budget
and the debate on official salaries. Laugh
ter
Il shall be pleased if the policy of the
empire is criticized in the Diet, and this !
say not only of the Prussians, but also of
the Saxon, Bavarian and other Diets. This
would, in my opinion, be proof that those
Aer- IL.