The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-07-31

were that humbled Austria or left
France laid bare under the carving
knife OF conquest.
Stationed at the read of affairs. Bis
marck FASTENED to force his ambitious
plans upon Prussia. Instantly these
plans proved their u~npopularity
i'm official circles: forthwith Bis
marck silenced the press. coerced
the bench and prosecuted the
deputies. When domestic broils
had reached the stage where he
felt that there was need for a diversion.
he had one prepared-he picked a quar-
rel with the king OF Denmark over the
provinces OF Schleswig and Holstein.
OF course. Bismarck's ultimate victim
was not I'm the North-it was at Vienna.
but his scheme was to reach Austria by
indirection. So. Austria was sdroitly
brought in. to act with Prussia in the
Schleswig-Holstein war. That affair,
ending with a signal victory for Ger
man arms. left Austria and Prussia as
the administrators Of the punished
provinces. Presently Prussia quarreled
with the other administrator and. his
foes in his own household still hamper
ing him. Bismarck brought matters to
n conclusion in the brief. but brilliant
war of 1866 with Austria. was a
second trial trip for Won Moltke and the
needle gun. II was a seven weeks
dress parade of Prussian soldiers
across the kingdoms and duchies OF
Middle and South Germany. 1T culmi-
mated at Sadowa. 1t made Austria's
humiliation complete. il dazed Europe.
Il was notice 10 the bevy of petty
princelets in German principalties that
they they would better hasten to Ber-
lin and announce their willingness to
enter into closer federate relations.
Most of all IL sllenced Bismarck's
Prussia's man of destiny.
Restlessly. Bismarck schemed on He
had no longer to fight his Prussians-
they were now wholly his; but IL re-
manned to impress the Saxon, the Ba-
~varian. the Wurtemburger and the rest
OF them that there was glory. not alone
for Prussia. but for the larger father
land. In the successes of a German
army. There must be a clash between
some foreign power and United Ger
many; the German union must be fra
ernized by fighting a foreign foe. If a
benign providence had made Bis
marck's plans the object of its espe-
- .z. xczt-. l.. r,,...o d.,,;.o tb1
next four years. could not have ordered
themselves more in harmony with his
ambition. The summer of 1870 found
Napoleon at the pass where he must
choose between the dangers of domes-
tic uproar and the chances his dynasty
might get out Of the opportunities
which a war with some European
power would furnish. The Spanish sue
cession provided the pretext for a war.
King william was impatient to help
Napoleon I'm precipitating 1t; he sent
to Paris, by the hands of the French
Emperor's envoy, the curt answer
which instantly evoked a declaration
of war. That was in July, 1870.
Germany was ready: even while the
excited populace in the cities of France
were shouting ito Berlin. to Berlin!"
three German armies were on Frances
side of the Rhine. Weissenburg was
fought, Metz fell, Gravellotte became n
blood bought feld-these in the days of
August. Sedan went down in Septem-
Der. and the french emperor to prison.
The siege OF Paris was watched by an
amazed world. In the following jan
uary, I'm the hall OF mirrors at Yer
%sailles, Bismarck proclaimed the Ger
man empire. while France ~tearfully
surrendered cherished soil and poured
into Germany's lap the milliards of
ransom money.
Here the thread is lost which. In
tracing Bismarck's career, one easily
follows. from its starting point In Paris.
to Vienna and thence to Berlin. He be-
came chancellor. and in the empires
constructive period his influence was
overwhelming. yet II does not reveal
itself in results that are so distinctively
i~ndividuaIized. The great chancellor
has admirers whose belief is that IL
were Dettef TOT MS fame nau MS record
closed with The coronation ceremonies
at Versailles. This belief. however,
does not take Just account of the SER
vice Bismarck rendered In the empires
formative days, when a hand as firm
as the one that had forced an agrees
sive foreign policy was needed, in order
TO bring into unison nan domestic
elements which, at first, were not too
pleasantly disposed toward harmony.
After 1871. Bismarck, as the world now
looks back upon those days. ceased to
be plcturesque-his cup carried it's share
Of bitterness and jealousy and disap-
polntment. Nevertheless. the service
he rendered was one that Germany
could Ill have spared.