The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-04-01
All the People Seemingly Bent ON Do
ing Their Utmost to Honor the
Father OF the Empire.
BISMARCKIAN FETES BEGUN
"COMMERS" AND BRILLIANT ILLU-
MINATIONs AT HAMBURG.
Great Preparations at Friedrichsruhe
for TO-Day's Celebration of the
Princes Eightieth Birthday.

BERLIN, March 31.-Telegrams are pour
ing from all parts of the empire announc-
ing that the Bismarckian fetes have been
commenced with great spirit. There was a
specially interesting gathering at the ma
tional monument of Germania, in the Me
derwald, whittier thousands of persons trav-
eled from all parts of the Rhineland.
Among those present were representatives
of thirty-six cities in the Rhenish district.
Professor Auckeii, of Giessen University,
delivered an grafton at the foot of the
monument. In Munich, the Bavarian capt.
tal musicale in honor of the occasion
was given in the Odeon. Throughout Ger
many tonight joy fires are burning on the
highest mountain peaks and hills from the
Baltic. and the North seas on the north to
the Swiss and Austrian frontiers on the
south; from the Russian frontier on the
east to the frontiers of France, Belgium
and the Netherlands on the west. Never
before in the history of the empire has
there been such heartfelt and spontane-
Gus exhibition of love by the German peo-
pie. Tomorrow all the schools and most
CT the civic and state Offices will be closed
in honor of him to whom the empire owes
its existence.
With few exceptions the newspapers pub
lis1l2 leaders on Prince Bismarck, accom-
panied by poetical effusions. They carefully
refrain from any utterances calculated to
injure the feelings of the German people.
Even the critic Vorwaertz, the organ of the
Social Democracy, has the good taste to
keep silent. The seni-official North Ger
man Gazette concludes very sympathetic
article with these words: "As in the years
before Prince Bismarcks work. SO now also
large section of our people stand between
hope and fear, asking themselves whether
we are in the right path, and whether it
will lead to new rise and happy end or
to decline and ruin. We have, however, an
ncalculapie advantage in having learned
our strength Every hour we can comfort
ourselves by looking back on the past,
which gives us the assurance that SO long
as our thoughts and actions are German
and elevated nothing can destroy us-neither
envious external enemy nor an insidious
internal foe. For all the services Prince
Bismarck has performed for his king and
country, before the magnitude of which
services the tongue is dumb, we thank him
to-day with the sincerest gratitude Of our
deeply moved hearts,"
The address of the Bundczrath to Prince
Bismarck, after expressing that body's
satisfaction at having co-operated with him,
proceeds Thanks to the policy directed
by your Serene Highness, the alliance of the
empire stands firm against the decomposng
elements which never weary in the attempt
to destroy the work of glorious time.
The Bundezrath knows it is at one with all
patriots in the conviction that it was your
far-seeing vision that enabled the founda-
tions of this success to be laid. 1ne fed
eral council will continue the further COM
pletion of the imperial ediITce on the lines
Traced by you, thereby paving one part Of
like achievements OF the first Chancellor
The new President and Vice President of
the Reichstag having formally announced
their election to the Emperor, he invited
them. IN addition to the customary audi
ence tomorrow. to attend the imperial Bis
bered that Baron uol-Berenbers and
Herren Schmidt and SPAIN. respectively the
President and Vice Presidents, represent
parties who refuse to congratulate Prince
Bismarck and owe their election to that
tact. But the invitation was not rescinded.
The Emperor's action reads like a grim
satire. 1t was first regarded as a 1st of
April joke. The National press cannot re-
at this turn of events. Herr Robert Schmidt,
the senior Vice President, is a Radical.
He extricated himself from the dilemma
by declining the imperial invitation.
The Socialists have now abandoned all
idea of raising a discussion in the Reichs-
Bismarck after his Majesty learned of the
Reichstag's action in refusing to delegate
Herr Won LevetzoW to convey the congratu-
According to the estimate of the postal
officials over 900 parcels and 200,00l letters
and postal cards have already arrived for
Prince Bismarck.
A Vienna dispatch says that thirty-two
members of the Reichsrath sent joint tel
egram to Prince Bismarck congratulatine
him on the anniversary of his birth and as
! being the founder of the Austro-German
alliance" "
| The Prince. still dresses and undresses
without assistance. His weight is about
two hundred pounds But this fiuctuates
somewhat He looks much better and
younger than he did after his illness in
1S92. He seems to be rather stimulated
| than wearied by his birthday celebration
| Among the interesting presents that he has
received is a lock of Washington's hair
Most of the presents are valuable work.
OF industrial art. IL is surprising to find
that so far all the gifts different
Among the curious is a tablet in the shape
of a PruSSian iron cross. consisting OF
eighty squares the size of a postage stamp
on which BismarckS name is written 202s(
times, and the number of days he has lived
The centeTpiece is miniature of the ole
Emperor in the act of giving his hand tc
Prince Bismarck. This is ssrmounted by a
| statue of Germania. This gift is from ar
1 army major.
| Head Forester Lang has sent from Fried.
richSruhe Sixty-Six young oaks to be planted
| in various places throughout the country il
| honor of the day
\ Emperor William intends to personally
| christen the new German war ship Bis
| nacck.
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