Omaha daily bee., 1898-08-01


fairs. No man Of this century attained
greater fame In his sphere than Bis
marck lie was the incarnation Of
German unity aud after ,hat was a..
complishcd the most potential force in
European politics while be retained
power Born at time when iremcn-
duus events wercf fshakiug all Europe
bismarck did not in his youth or early
manhood. according to his biographcrs,
show any indications Of the genius for
the great matters of state in which his
eliminating stroke was the fusion of u
the smaller kingdoms and duchies Of
the fathcrland into n mighty empire,
changing the coronct of the PrusSian
kings into the imperial crown Of Ger
man emperor. He was not Il model
and boiSterous. He was a firm believer
in the code duello ana while 4 student
fought no less than twenty-eight du Is.
But having entered the realm of politics
il was not long until Bismarck achieved
recognition and his progress 20 the at
tuinment of the highest honorS was
steady and rapid.
The idea of German unity, il appears,
came to Bismarck in his later years aud
/ was u reversal of his earlier political
convictions. The distinguished span.
! ish republican ana orator. Emilio Cas-
! telar. who has written discriminatory
of Bismarcks career and character
says: "a German burgrave. landed
aristocrat rooted to the soil like thu
very plants, n feudal seignor to the core
he opposed German unity with all hi:
might. whether preached by FrankfOrt
democrats or Erfurt courtierS,' ant
he quotes from speeches OF Bismarck
in the prussian Diet in evidence of this
"Who at that time" writes Castelar,
"could have foreSeen that it was part %
the designs of providence that this self
same man was destined, ere long. T.
represent on behalf of Prussia the par
played by Sardinia in Italy and tha
those PruSsian princes and their armies
| so suspicious and diStruStful of the tri
color, would soon be seen bearing tina
flag alOft throughout the whole of cen
trail Europe, driving Austria out of Ger
| many. SuppreSsing the temporal powe
of the pope and crushing the Napolaoni
dynasty" once having conceived til
idea of German unity Bismarck inces
sanity worked for its attainment wit
all the energy and force ana perSistenc
that were characteristic of him. He dc
veloped the highest qualities of states
manShip, great political saGacity an
shrewd skill in diplomacy. CASTELAR, say
that his patience in the preparation an
| combination of vast plans can only b
compared with the impatience wit
which he threw them aside when one
he had them fairly started on their wa
"a distinguishing and apparently col
Trajectory feature in Bismarcl'S natm
characteristic OF his whole being.
The accomplishment of German unit
did not end Bismarck'S work and du
ing the life of the first emperor IL
great statesman virtually ruled the en
pire. establishing it on firm and pc
manent basis, so that when the preSel
emperor came to the throne nothing L
maincd to be done to make imperialis
secure. The great architect of Germa
-, | unity could now be spared from Il
active work of politics and the youl
emperor, with full confidence in hil
G. self and ambitious to let the world kno
: that he alone governed, sent BismarC
n into retirement. For Il long time Il
great statesman chafed under til
treatment, which he might fairly ha'
IS regarded as Il piece of base ingratitud
+ and while he finally became reconcile
e TO an unalterable condition, it may
Il doubted whether he ever entirely fC
gave Emperor William. Bismarck GO
tinued to exert more or less intluen
upon public sentiment after his
i tirement from Office and his populari
> suffered little if any abatement.
Among great constructive statesme
among the moulders of national pc
cies who have eXGrted n great infiuen
Is upon the world among the men who
u intellectual power and force has shap
y the course of nations, Bismarck
1t cupies prominent place. Germany h
produced no greater statesman.
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