The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1898-08-06

ments in the princes condition the
public accepted the physician's asser-
tlon when he said there was no reason
why Bismarck should not reach the
age of 90 years
Career of the Noted Statesman.
Prince Bismarck, or TO give his full name
and title. Prince Otto Eduard Leopold Won
Bismarck -Schoenhausen, was born April I,
1915 on the knights estate OF Schoenhausen
near Stendal, In Prussian Saxony He came OF
on ole cfamlly OF the lower order Of Prussian
nobility. Several Of his parental ancestors
were distinguished as soldiers and statesmen
From his father, a retired officer and coun-
try gentleman, bismarck inherited q strong
love for country and family life-a trait which
we see woven In and out through bis career. A
year after his birth his father moved TO one OF
his estates near Stettin. In Pomerania, and IL
was there that he got his first impression Of
life In 1882, when IL years old he matrlcu-
lated as n student at the University OF
Goettlngel His career ut the university
appears to have been that OF the traditional
German student One OF his professors
said that he never saw him In his class
room. He rode, he drank. he fought, he
Haunted the colors Of his corps. got himself up
In gay Jacket monkey cap and top boots
Twenty eight duels are recorded against him.
In July, iSiT he married johanna Won Putt
kamer. To the couple three children were
born; daughter, who married Count RuntZan;
two sons Herbert, who married Countess
Marie Hoyos Of Vienna, and Wilhelm. who
strongly resembles his father. The princess
died November "a. 1894
When the revolution OF iS4S swept over Eu-
rope bismarck rallied TO the support Of his
sovereign His first political stand was taken
l..
What he saw was his beloved country sucked
into torrent and he believed her safer in the
hands OF wisely guarded despotism than in a
many-headed democracy. To him the ballot
box was only the dice box" In 1851 he was
sent as q representative of Prussia to the diet
OF Frankfort lie became disguised at his
treatment by Austria's young emperor, and 1t
was thought prudent 10 send him as am
bassador to St Petersburg. He remained
here ''in the cold" or, as he put
/ Il, upon ice, like champagne, until
wanted" That time came in 1851, when the
| death OF Frederick Wilhelm ~. placed his
/ brother upon the throne OF Prussia as Wilhelm
/ l. Bismarck was called upon 10 take the oner-
ous part Of minister president, with the port
folio OF foreign secretary. 1t was then that
really began his great career as an European
4 statesman. His first undertaking as premier
was to carry through the army reorganization
| measure OF his king In the teeth Of power
J fu majority 1t was a four years strug-
| gle The first foreign knot to be united
was the Schleswig-H -Holstein question It re-
! suited in a six months war, in which Austria
! and Prussia upon the plea of broken engage
ments, attacked Denmark and wrested from
her both duchies The trouble over the dlvi-
sion led to tho war OF 1884 The decisive event
Of the war was the battle OF Koeniggraetz, oil
Sadowa, which was fought July 9, 1855, and was
won by the Prussian forces King wilhelm
soon afterwards made his triumphal entry into
Berlin, Bismarck by his side with the treaty Of
Prague In his pocket
Bismarck devoted the years between 1868 ant
1870 to the creation and consolidation OF tht
North German confederation Within thi.
period fell the master stroke OF his diplomacy
While he knit together and formed the Norti
German confederation he quietly formed will
the South German states an alliance oiensiv,
and defensive He had allowed Napoleon Il
exercise some influence In negotiations In tn,
character OF mediator but the French mon
arch lived to see In the Franco-Prusslan wa
the troops Of Bavaria and Wurtemberg march
ing with those Of Prussia against Paris Th'
story Of 1870 need not be retold here KIM
william led his army across the Rhine an,
through the garden OF lovely France towart
irony OF fate the proclamation Of the German
empire was issued in the palace Of Versailles
One OF the most important enterprises fl
which he engaged after the war was his cam
paign against the power OF the Roman Catholi
church IN Germany. He conceived that tn
unity OF the nation and the authority Of tn
government was endangered y the churcl
OF Rome and It's doctrines Of papal in
fallibility. bitter struggle, called tn
Kuturkampi, resulted with the vatican
! A series OF laws the Falk or May laws
so-called, were passed, which were mos
stringent measures aimed against tn
Catholic hierarchy. The law closing mOnas
teries and converts was enforced with grea
strictness aud thousands OF men and womer
learned, but thoroughly unfamiliar with tn
ways OF the world or Of any means Of maxim
living. were turned almost helpless out upo
the world Afterwards however. he modifie
some Of tho most oppressive OF the anti-papa
edicts.
When Wilhelm l. died Blsmarcks politics
opponents had much TO hope from the attitud
and sympathles Of his successor Frederic
Wilhelm hut the new sovereign was too
10 enforce his plans and his death left Bis
marcks power supreme When Wilhelm
succeeded his father It soon became apparer
that he aud the iron chancellor were not
complete harmony. The turmoils Of Frederic
wilhem's short reign had made vivid impre'
sions upon the young emperor which were NJ
favorable to Bismarck SO the latter resigne
March ts, 1874
Upon his retirement he went tollve at Fries
richsruhe, one OF his estates Many homo
were bestowed upon him by the empero
among them the dukedom OF Lauenburg
memorable event was his triumphal entry
January, is9i Into Berlin and thep public recol
ciatlon Of tho emperor and himself Anoth
OF almost equal note was the celebration OF h
eightieth birthday anniversary.