Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1898-12-03
Bismarck and His Opportunities.
Continued

(Continued)
The parliament, to obtain which, the
German Liberals had shed their blood
and imposed upon themselves volun-
tarily the ways and means to support
had adjourned sine die without any re-
suits. So mastery had the plans of
Bismarck been laid and so skillful and
subtle had been their execution, that
the man, who had been mainly instru-
mental in thwarting the aspirations of
the nation the man who had been pre-
viously looked upon as an ultra mon
tame, and opponent to unificatiOn of
the fatherland and liberal principles,
was now viewed as the nation S
brightest hope and its staunchest
friend.
AS the chairman of the Prussian
delegation to the Reichstag, already
known as a man of brains, and large
influence with his government he COM
manded great attention, and welded
great influence in that body. On his
advice minor concessions were made
by the different German governments
DO in some measure satisfy the popu-
lar demands. Keeping open house in
apartments splendidly appointed at
Frankfort on -the-Main, entertaining
in almost princely style, it was at his
salons where the most eminent men
of the nation congregated, and he be-
came thus intimately acquainted with
all the leading Germans of every
shade of opinion. By encouraging the
more radical wing of the Liberal party
in asking impossible concessions from
tKeir governmen. S, and cautioning the
more timid against granting these un-
reasonable demands, he succeeded in
the dissolution of the parliament.
Thus, the first steps in Blsmarck's S
ambitious plans had been taken. He
was now confronted by the more diff
licuEt problem of overcoming Aus
tria's controlling power in the coun-
ellis of the Reichstag.
A solution of the problem seemed to
present itself to the perspicuous mind
of Bismarck in the Sdhleswig- -Hols-
tein question; and the manner in
which he acquitted himself showed the
mastery mind of the future Chancel-
lor.
The King of Denmark was without
direct issue, and the succession was to
go to Prince Christian, of Augusten-
berg, who subsequently ascended the
Danish throne as Christian the
Ninth" The young Duke of Glucken-
berg laid claim to the succession of
the Duchies Schleswig- -Holstein, the
latter of which belonged to the Ger
man Bund, and had three votes in the
Reichstag, admission to which had al
so been asked by the Duchy of Schles-
wig. The Danish monarchy which had
been considerably weakened by its
friendship for France at the conclusion
of the peace at Paris in 1915, had ever
since tried to strengthen itself by
gradually extending its direct inhu-
ence upon the Duchies, introducing
the Danish language, and Tasty intro
ducing measures which were TO absorb
them finally and unite them with Den
mark proper.
With the purpose in view of making
capital for himself as the champion of
Germanias rights, Bismarck shortly
after the dissolution of the German
parliament sent indirectly TO the Duke
of Gluckenberg a considerable sum of
money with promises of assistance
against Denmark's efforts to incorpor-
ate the duchie. While thus encourage
ing, he sent his emissaries to Schles-
wig -Holstein to encourage opposition
to the absorption of the duchies with
Denmark proper, and subsidized large
ly the German press to arouse the ma
tional feeling against the contemplat-
ed action of Denmark.
In the German Reichstag he thund-
cred against the audacity OF Denmark
to wrest from the fatherland two Ger
man states, and compelled them to
adopt the Danish language instead of
their native. and proclaimed that it
was the duty of the German Bund to
take steps to prevent the commission
of such crime. In order to obtain
the proper power to issue an edict TO
carry into practical effect the measures
contemplated by Bismarck, the order
ing on the part of the Reiehstag OF
protest on the part of the German
Rund against the laws introduced by
Denmark into the Duchles. backed by
a suilicient army to ea5oree the same
Il was necessary not only 20 obtain,
Austrias consent, bur its co-operat.--.,..
AUSTRIA was required under such al