The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1898-07-05

Aged Statesmen Do Not Realize
Their Infrmities.
Continue TO Serve the Public Untl
Retired by the Governmental
Head-sone Notable In
stances

II Is rdtUeT 1lkdEEr COfH~AAEA4%G AAM~
at the very time when President Me
KinIey was engaged in the exceedingly
painful task Of insisting upon the res
ignation Of his secretary Of state ex-
Senator Sherman, Emperor William
should have been similarly occupied in
forcing a still more famous veteran 10
retire into private life
With ordinary civil, military ard
naval servants of the state, an age HIS
wisely been fixed BY law, On attaining
which they are compelled 10 surrender
their Offices to younger NEE, who. while
possibly possessed Of less experience,
atone for that defect by superior men
tai and physical energy and activity
But, unfortCrateIy, there IS no age
limit set for those statesmen and great
commanders whose service to the ma
ton and eminence seem TO exempt
them from ordinary rules ard reguIa-
tions- And the case of the German field
marshal Count BlumenthaI. constitutes
a striking Illustration of this
The old marshal. having reached the
advanced age of SIS. had become Obvi-
ouxly untitled for the proper perform
ance of his important and exactiEg cu-
ties as inspector general Of the third
inspection of the entire German army
All sorts of hints and suggestions CT
the most pointed character were offered
TO him. with a view of calling his az
tention eourteOuxly and considerably
to the fact that it was considered de-
sirzble to appoint younger man to his
Place, in the person of Field Marshal
Count WaIdersee
But he turned deaf ear to them, and
absolutely declined to tender his rssig-
nation. partly because. like 50 many old
men, he believed himself TO be fully
capable, physically as well as mentally.
TO fulfill his duties, and likewise b.
cause, having sustained financial re-
verses through unfortunate invest
ment. he did not relish the idea of sur
rendering full pay for a relatively mea-
ger pension
Finally. however, matters came 10
such q pass that the kaiser had 10 per
emptoriIy and directly demand his res
! 5gnation. with the result that he retires
into private life as soured and embit-
tered a man as Prince Bismarck. wbo
would likewise have remained in Office
forever had not the kaiser been forced
to insist upon his resignation after be
had refused all hints and suggestions
that it was wanted
In his case, too. old age and inhrni-
ties, which made him so irritable and
iRtolerant OF contradiction as TO render
official intercourse with him difficult in
the extreme, were one OF the main
causes of his practical dismissal froE
. the ehanceIlorShip of the empire
Yet another instance in point was
that of the old duke of Cambridge. who
; when he received suggestion from his
cousin, Queen Victoria, TO the sfFeci
that the duties of generaIissimo of the
J entire British army were too exactinz
: for a man of his years, and that he
/. would do well to resign. responded by
! pointing out to her majesty. that IN
aSmueh as the duties of governing the
: vast British empire must be infinitely
: more arduous than the mere command
( shame's sake give up work until she
set him an example by advocating
: That proved an unanswerable argu-
D ment, and the queen declined 10 take
A any further steps in the matter II
I deed. il he eventually was gotr rid of. il
5 was through species of trick on tbs
I part of the Rosebery cabinet. and IL
{ particular of the then secretary of STATE
4 for war, Sir Henry Campbell Banner
e man. a trick which the old duke hai
neither forgotten nor forgiven TO Thu
o day.-Washington Post