The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-01-27
BISMARCK AND THE kaiser
The Iron Prince Docs Not Approve Of
the EmperOr's Course.
CAUSE OF STRAINED RELATIONS
bismarck Declines to BE Csed as Flag
for tho Present Course Of tho
Emperor in His Rapid
Political Career.

Berlin. Jan. 26.-Thfee times within
the past week rumors were i'm circula-
tion in Berlin that Prince Bismarck
was dead. These reports had the effect
to cause rush of Inquiries to Fried
richsruhe to learn the truth. Among
the large number of visitors whom the
prince received personally and with
such courtesy and activity of movement
as to dispel the last vestige of anxiety
concerning his health. was an old and
intimate friend and co-wOrker i'm the
political arena. who has given the Unit
ed Press the substance of an interest
ing conversation he had with the ex-
chancellor, which serves to correct GER
tain impressions upon the public mind
In regard to Prince Bismarck's relations
with the kaiser. Not once since his
resignation of the Office of chancellor,
Prince Bismarck said to his friend. has
the emperor spoken to him upon the
subject Of politics except upon the
memorable occasion of the kaisers visit
to Friedrichsruhe on March 90 last,
when his majesty came to the ex-chan-
cellor's residence with General Count
Won Waldersee. The emperor was at
the time very angry about the vote in
the Reichstag refusing to pay the unit
ed respects of that body to the prince
upon the occasion Of his birthday
Prince Bismarck admitted to his
friend that he was well able to go to
Berlin on Jan. is, when the twenty fifth
anniversary of the founding of the en-
pire was celebrated, but ne did not go
because he emphatically declined to
lend his name as flag for the present
course of politics which is being direct
ed by the kaiser upon lines which the
eN-chancellor regards as radically
wrong and of which he profoundly dis
approves 1t was a move of rare clever
ness on the part of the emperor, the
prince said. to make a spontaneous call
at Friedrichsruhe recently. thereby
creating at home and abroad the i'm
preston that the imperial policy had
the full approval of Prince bismarck or
at least his tacit assent. Nothing Of
the kind was true, however. The recent
moves of the kaiser he said, were grave
mistakes Germany had no business
whatever to NEEDLE in foreign compl-
cations unless German interests are di-
rectly menaced or assailed. II the
powers have grouped themselves def
nitely either for or against certain
causes. what of II. Germany has still
time to decide TO what extent her in
terests are involved.
kaiser In III Health.
The rash actions which the emperor
has sometimes indulged in. the United
Press informant said, must be credited
to the fact that the kaiser's state of
health is not always normal. His ir-
ritatibility, caused by worrying and
frequent violent headaches, have quite
often been responsible for quick word
or deed on his part. 1t may be added,
too, that he sleeps very little. in fact
not at all sufficiently to enable him to
maintain his health.
The present government of Germany
is deprived of all iniative in the man.
agement or direction of politics. The
emperor directs everything personally
and his ministers and secretaries of
state are merely his executive officials.
Among his many irresponsible counsel
lors 1t is always the last one having the
ear of the kaiser who is charged to see
that the ideas of the emperor are car
ried out
Prince Bismarck's personal organ, the
Hamburger Nachrichten, prints articles
almost daily giving pointed expression
to some of the foregoing views.
a case affecting Germans becoming
American citizens has just been decided
by the supreme court of the empire i'm
Liepsic Mr.. +. W. BOehme a druggist
living in Brooklyn. n. Y, and a native
of I.eipsic, was sentenced by a lower
court to pay a fine of 200 marks for emf
grating to a foreign country without
having fulfilled his term of military SER
vice. He appealed through his father
from the decision of the court. The su-
preme court in rendering it's decision
upon the appeal finds that Boehme as
duly naturaliZed citizen of the United
States could not be punished for an act
committed through his emigration to
America. but that he could be punished
for an act committed prior to his emf
grafton. The court therefore reversed
the decision of the lower tribunal. If
BOehme had left the country to escape
military service the judgment of the su-
preme court would have been different.