The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-31

Schleswig- Holstein 10 Prussia and placed
Prussia at the head of North German
Confederate The statesman formerly SO
unpopular and hated, on whose life an at
tempt was made. was now idoliZed by the
F'ruSSlan people. The war had been an I'M
popular one in Prussia, for the nation ulq
not believe it would succeed. and It nad
Deen declared, without consulting Parma
hent or the people, by domineering JUNK
er minister. Bismarck himself was so Wen
aware or the prevailing sentiment that ne
mas since declared he would never have re-
turned to Berlin alive if the campaign had
terminated disastrously. Better suicide than
trlal condemnation, and death by his 1rrl-
tated countrymen. AS it happened how
ever, everything turned out precisely as the
Ndllant statesman had calculated. "A sue
CessIul war is always popular war. and
count Bismarck saw himself at a bound
enthroned in the affections of the very peo-
PIE who had denounced. and who, had he
Ialleu, would willingly have hanged him.
Inc victory achieved by Bismarcks diplo-
macy Tor the country, and the renown won
ny tne army, put an end to the long parlia-
mentary conflict and natural endowment
was conferred upon him by the Chambers
Inc annexation of Hanover. Hesse-Cassel,
nassau. Frankfort and Schleswig-H olstein
~ russia, and the establishment of the
t iNn,I German Confederation, with the adj
Heslon OF Saxony and other states, were
considered chiefly due to his ability
~, 9t I'd &c lght is thrown upon the diploma
~ VI napoleon III at this juncture who
was negotiating for spoil at one and the
same time with Austria and Prussia and
in as the cGsS OF the war dssred to step
torres which Prussia acquired as the result
OF the war with Austria added four and a
creased her area by about a fourth of it's
previous extent. Benedict applied to Bis
Ff rarfior Tor the restoration of the Rhine
france; but he had mistaken his man. and
Napoleon and his ambassador discovered
mat 1S tney had been completely duped
Inc hTst North German Parliament opened
on the z4th of February, 1867. Like the min
ISter, 1T had much home work before it.
But Bismarck was also called upon to deal
with pressing foreign questions. Napoleon
intrigued Tor the possession of Belgium and
i5uxemburg, but he was circumvented by
the RUSSIAN president. Austria having de-
chned BlsmarckS offers of alliance, the lat
ter accepted the proposal for a European
conference on the Luxembourg question. The
conference met in London in May, 1867, and
agreed to a treaty by which Prussia con-
Sented to withdraw her garrison from Lux
emburg and dismantIe the fortress while
the powers guaranteed the complete neu-
traIlty of the grand duchy under the crown
of Holland. Luxembourg still continued to be
member of the Zollverein however. The
efIacement of Hanover succeeded shortly
afterward, and then there arose a perfect
nightmare of European questions. with a
SYSTEM of mutual espionage on the part of
the powers AT length the strained relations
between France and Prussia came to a
crisis.
NAPOLEON WAS BAFFLED.
He had averted war with France on the
Luxembourg question by the treaty of Lon
don, but the new diplomatic success
achieved there by Prussia, in addition to
the prestige gained by her previously in
creased the jealousy of France, especially
as Napoeon's attempt at a coalition with
Austria was baffled by Bismarcks secret
treaties with the south German states and
by his understanding with Italy. The ac-
cession of a Hohenzollern prince to the
0ia hoin in nv
project of raising another prince of that
house to the Spanish throne, Napoleon
seized this incident as a preteXt for a dec
laration of war.
Bismarck had not been idle, however. The
army had been perfected in every branch.
than byword. With his RHS hand of ron he
had developed b his policy to
opened, Bismarck spoke these memorable
words: Il have this moment received the
God. we are prepared and German patriot
ism will lead us onward to victory" Deaf
ening applause followed these words. and
they have. since been the watchword of
Germany"
Napoleon was made prisoner in a short
time, and the flower of the French army
was fastened in the fortresses of Germany
as prisoners of war. France was isolated,
Inundated, and when, in 1871, the terms of
peace were ratified. Germany stood forth
such conQueror as history has seldom
known. BismarckS reward was the title
and the position of prince and the gift of an
sum Of money ThFoug hout the war, Bis
marck was by the side of the Emperor, dis
playing at every step new talents for execu-
tive and diplomatic affairs. In internal af-
fairs, his policy had in the meanwhile,
gradually assumed a more liberal complex
ion In 1872, he took strong ground against
the doctrine of papal infallibility caused
the expulsion of the Jesuits from Prussia,
and insisted upon the subsection of the Ro-
man Catholic Church to the civil govern
he a mt on roll e
life took place in 1874, at Kissingen, where a
young mechanic named Kullmann, who pro-
fessed to have been impelled by hatred of
the chancellor's ecclesiastical policy slight
ly wounded him in the arm with pistol
shot
Aside from this religious question Bis
marck devoted himself since the Franco
Prussjan war chiefly to affairs in which the
unity of Germany has been concerned He
fought socialism, battled for protection,
urged the cause of education, the influence
of domestic content, and joining in every
controversy wherein Germany could have
an interest, he was the arbiter of Euro
pean destinieS. Among those who controlled
the political course of the nineteenth CEN
fury he must be classed, perhaps, the great
est. The map of Europe is not what it was
in 1870. Bismarck is written over its face.
Gladstone, Disraeli may be compared to
him. but neither has been of such influence.
A scholar, diplomat, the equal of each,
he held the scales of peace for many years
in his own hands.
QUARREL AND RECONCILIATION.
Bismarck's course during the last few
years is known to every newspaper reader.
His differences with the young King over
the labor question are matters Of recent
record. The reconciliation of the German
Emperor and Bismarck was a most i'm
portant event in Europe. For Germany it
was the most important since the conclusion
of the triple alliance, while to the world it
is an episode of historic and dramatic in
terest Bismarcks position in Germany
since he resigned the chancellorship sug-
gests the times when the barons contended
with the monarchs on even terms and when
the issue between the King and feudalism
hung in the balance The old chancellor
was the most powerful private citizen in
the world since he left Berlin and went into
retirement at FREDERICKSBURG in March, 1880.
His resignation is so recent that II IS nee
essary to recall only the leading features OF
the few days when the differences netWeen
the Emperor and the chancellor eliminated
the four years preceding the resignation.
Bismarck had long been the foremost inquire
in continental Europe. For a time ne
was the mos important figure in the world.
When the German empire was porn ne,
more than any other man, was acknoWl-
edged to be it's author. As statesman and
diplomat he has had few peers in the latter
half of this century. The great service tnaL
| he rendered Germany during the reign OF
| reverence and love of his felloW-country-
men In the old Emperor's day Bismarck
/ was the master. William i, in character
| and abilities was the first monarch OF Eu-