Rocky Ford enterprise. (Rocky Ford, Colo.) 1887-1950, 1898-08-11


North German confederation. For
ing for the struggle with France, which
as he foresaw. was inevitable. Deeply
mortified by the results Of the Sadowa
campaign and the Nlkolsburg confer
ence. and knowing that his position in
France was becoming daily more I'M
certain, Napoleon was only awaiting
An opportunity to attack Prussia, rely
ing on the assistance of Austria, or at
least of the south German states. After
ineffectual attempts to make an excuse
for war out OF the Luxembourg question,
and even of that of the st. Gothard
railway, Louis Napoleon found one in
the candidature of Prince Leopold Of
Hohenzollern for the throne Of Spain.
In Berlin there was little reluctance
toward a war, for which Prussia wes
infinitely better prepared than France.
but Bismarck's astute diplomacy put
Napoleon III completely in the wrong.
and compelled him to force on hostil-
tiles by q series of insults to the Prus-
sian nation and its popular sovereign.
Bismarck's shrowd Stroke.
The wanton and apparently unpro-
voked aggression of the French emper-
or reused the spirit OF the whole Ger
man people, and Bavaria and Wurtem-
berg entered into the war with alac-
rity. A master stroke OF Bismarck's
policy diverted the sympathy of the
neutral powers. and especially that OF
England. from the French. On July
25 he published in the Times q draft
treaty drawn up by the French am
bassador, Benedict. according to which
Prussia and France were to arrange
for the annexation of Belgium by the
latter power. Bismarck had received
the draft In Benedetti's handwriting
as far back as 1867, but had adroltly
contrived to avoid committing himself
to- q decisive reply. The effect on Eu-
ropean and English public opinion was
instantaneous. On July 10 Bismarck
announced In the reichstag that France
had declared war. On July 81 Bis
marck left Berlin with the king and
the headquarters stan of the German
army. He was present In the earlier
battles OF the eventful campaign that
followed. On the night OF Sept. lie
arranged with the Emperor Napoleon
the preliminaries which led to the ca
pitulation OF Sedan. In October he
moved with the king to Versailles and
took up his quarters In n house In the
Rue de Provence, whenct he directed
the foreign policy Of the federation and
received and repulscd the attacks G:
the French provisional government TO
make peace on easy terms. and the
nNF- ~, stot OF nj
ton.
Work for tho German Empire.
At the same time that he was dc
tating terms Of peace which compelled
France to restore to Germany the prov
inces of Alsacc and Lorraine. which
Louis XIV. had taken. and to pay n
war indemnity of nearly $1,000. oo0. 900
or three times the amount oxactod
from Prussia by Napoleon bis
marck was not losing sight OF his am
billions for the house of Hohenzollcrn.
He now concerned himself with the
transformation OF the North German
bund into tho German empire. The
free town Of Frankfort had received n
Prussinn garrison. In spite of indig-
nant protests. Immediately after the
war with Austria. Hanover was incor-
porated with tho Germnn!c confedcra-
ton. and at the close of 1866 Bismarck
had concluded with Bavaria. Baden and
wurtemberg treaties of peace and al
lianccs offensive and defensive, with a
proviso that in the event of war Prus-
sia should have the chief military COM
mand. The North German confedera-
ton. organized In 1867. which comprls-
ed twenty-five states, represented n
population of 100000. The king OF
Prussia WIS at the head OF this power
full combination. and federal council.
composed of delegates of the different
states. was established. together with
n dieto or common parliament. the
members Of which were elected by uni
versal suffrage. The great work of
making all the states of this confed-
Grafton acknowledge the sovereignty
of Prussia and the overlordship of the
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS life work
he accomplished Jan. is. 1871. At
noon on that day the assembled Ger
man princes. with the king of Ba-
varia ut their head. acclaimed King
William as "DeutBchcr Kaiser" and
the chancellor read the solemn pros
lamation which the emperor addressed
to the united peoples of Germany. Ten
days later. after several conferences
between Bismarck and the French for
cign minister. Jules Favrc. n truce was
concluded. and the Parisian forts were
handed over to the Prussians. On Feb.
81 the negotiations were resumed by
NJ. Theirs on the part of France. and
on the 26th the French statesman was
forced to agree to the hard conditions
laid down by the conquerors. These
included the cession OF Alsace and
German-Lorraine and the payment of
n war Indemnity Of & 600 600 600 franco