The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-08-17
Career Of Prince Bismarck, the Iron
chancellor.
ACTIVE FROM HIS YOUTH
Birth and EduCatiOn-Was Always a
ings of His Career.


distinguished family, many of whose
members attained prominence in mill
tary and political life. He was born
on April /, 1915, at Schonhausen, in
Brandanburg. His fathers family be-
longed to the lower nobility, and his
mother was the daughter of Ludwig
Menken, Privy Counselor of Frederick
the Great and a very liberal minded
man.
At the early age OF six years Otto
Edward Leopold Observation-Disclosures
senior such was the full name of the
future unifier and ruler of the desUnies
of the German Empice-was placed in
boarding-schOol in Berlin, and at
twelve he entered a gymnasium, where
his character, thoughts and methods
of life were nodded to a great extent by
DR.. Provost and DR.. Bonnet who took
more than ordinary interest in the
lad. He made wonderful advances in
history, his favOrite study, and rapidly
acquired a practical knowledge of Eng
Iish and French, surprising in later
years both Lord BeacOnsfeld and
Napoleon III with the f1uency with
which he used those languages.
While pursuing his studies with
great avidity he did not neglect his
physical development. He was an ar
dent devOtee of all manly sports, in
many of which he acquired a wonder
full degree of proficiency. This was
particularly true in regard to swords
manship. At the age of IL he entered
the law department of the University
of GOttingen, where he had a superb
bundance of practice as a swOrdsman,
fighting twenty-eight duels in the
course of three semesters, or eighteen
months. In all of these encounters he
drew blood from his opponents, and
was himself only once wounded. The
mark of that wound he ever after car
ried. 1t was on his left cheek.
Entering the University of Berlin in
1888, Bismarck soon after passed the
requisite examination for professional
life. However, he did not take up the
practice Of law, but retired to his es-
tates in POmerania, and there remained
quietly for several years, occupying
himself in guarding the family prop
erty interests.
1t was not until 1847 that Bismarck
began to attract some public attention.
He was elected to the PrusSian House
of Burgesses, taking his stand as an
ultra-IOyalist. In 1851 he was chosen a
representative of the new German diet
of Frankfort This was the actual be-
ginning of his renowned public career.
At once displaying the most remark
able mental activity and manifesting
wonderful grasp of affairs Of state, he
clearly stated his views and distinctly
set forth the chief characteristics of
his most important political doctrines
He made a most marked impression,
and the result was that he at once be-
gan exercising strong influence
among his cOlleagu He mapped out
a policy which he ever aftarWard con-
sistently and closely followed. He
boldly opposed all revolutionary meas
ures and ever having in view the best
interests of Prussia, he boldly demand
ed that that country should have the
same right in the Diet as had Austria.
Recalled from the Diet in 1859, Bis
marck was sent as Minister to Russia.
| At the court of st. Petersburg ne soon
| become an adept in the art Of diplO-
macy. His ability as a diplomat was
recognized, and in order to give him a
! thorough insight into French politics
! he was transferred to Paris in the
spring of 1862. In the fall of that year
he was recalled and given the Portfolio
of foreign affairs, and was made pres
| ident of the Cabinet.
The reorganization of the army was
a measure that caused a great deal OF
| turbulence in the Parliament, which
time and again refused to pass the
| TD.-
| peatedly dissolved the Parliament, and
! finally to bring matters to a decided
issue he notified that body that the
| Government would proceed to raorgan-
| ize the army without its sanction.
Bismarck carried his point. The
army was reorganized, although during
four sessions the Parliament declined
! to vote its sanction, and upon each Oc-
casiOn was dissolved.
Upon the death of the King of Den
mark, Bismarck seized the opportunity
to aggrandize Prussia by claiming the
Schleswig-HOlstein Duchies for the
Duke of Augustinburg, the idea being
| to incorporate them with Germany.
! The occupation of these duchies
brought on the war between Prussia
and Austria, and at the battle of Ko-
niggratz, in 1866, Austria was over
whelmingly defeated. Prussia, under
the skillfuI guidance of Bismarck, now
assumed the leadership of the North
German confederation, from which
| Austria was excluded.
The success of this strategic move
ment made Bismarck the most popular
man in Germany. He had been univer-
sally disliked up to the elimination of
the war with Austria. He was given
! full credit for all that resulted from
! that conflict. Prussia's sudden ad-
vancement to the front rank as a mil
| itary nation was not only offensive
| but alarming to the French, who seized
upon the first slight pretext for declar-
| ing war.
The war of 1901 intensified the ma