The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1898-08-05

fhlNCh blSmAisOh
ments in the princes condition the
public accepted the physicians asser-
ton when he said there was no reason
why Bismarck should not reach the
age of 30 years.
SHORT SKETCH OF HIS CAREER.
Prince Bismarck. or to give his full name
and title, Prince Otto Eduard Leopold Won
Bismarck Schoenhausen. was born April l.
1915. on the knights estate of Schoenhausen
near Stendal. in Prussian Saxony. He came OF
an old family OF the lower order Of Prussian
nobility. Several OF hls parental ancestors
were distinguished rs soldiers and statesmen
From his father, u retired ofticer and coun-
try gentleman Bismarck inherited q strong
love for country and family ife-a trait which
we see woven in and out through his career
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 impr ssion of
life. In 1882, when II years old, he matricu-
lated as student at the University of
Goettingen His career NJ 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 dusls are recorded against him
In July isT he married Johanna Won Putt
kamer. To the couple three children were
born; a 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 lsis swept over Eu-
rope Bismarck rallied 10 the support OF his
sovereign. His first political stand was taken
undoubtedly from blind caste OF prejudice
What he saw was his beloved country sucked
into a torrent and he believed her safer in the
hun do n "a Nufga 1n1 ffgV,p VhuK,
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 He became disguised at his
treatment by Austria's young emperor, and IL
was thought prudent TO send him as am
bassador to St Petersburg. He remained
here lin the cold" or, as he put
it. upon ice like champagne until
wanted" That time came in 1861, when the
death Of Frederick Wilhelm ~. placed his
brother upon the throne OF Prussia as Wilhelm
J. bismarck was called upon TO take the oner-
Gus part OF minister president, with the port
folio Of foreign secretary. II was then that
really began his great career as an European
statesman His first undertaking as premier
was to carry through the army reorganization
measure OF his king In the teeth OF power
fu majority IL was a four years strug-
gle The first foreign knot to be united
was the Schleswig- Holstein question. IL re-
suited in a six month"; 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 divi-
sion led 10 the war OF 1854 The decisive event
of the war was the battle OF Koeniggraetz. or
Sadowa which was fought July ,, 1879, ana 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 and
N a md a Oft ha
North German confederation Within this
period fell the master stroke OF his diplomacy.
While he knit together and formed the North
German confederation he quietly formed with
the South German states an alliance offensive
and defensive. He had allowed Napoleon to
exercise some influence In negotiations in the
character of o mediator but the French mon
arch lived TO see in the Frnnco-Prussian war
the troops Of Bavaria and Wurtemberg march,
ing with those OF Prussia against Paris The
story Of 1870 need not be retold here King
William led his army across the Rhine and
through the garden of lovely France toward
Paris Victory followed victory, ana, what
irony OF fate, the proclamation Of the Geman
empire was issued in the paase OF Versailles
one Of the most important enterprises in
which he engaged after the war was his cam
palgn against the power OF the Roman Catholic
church in Germany He conceived that the
unity OF the nation and the authority OF the
government was endangered by the church
OF Rome and its doctrines of papal in
failibility. A bitter struggle, called the
Kulturkampf, resulted with the vatican.
A series OF laws, the Falk or May laws,
so-called were passed, which were most
stringent measures aimed against the
Catholic hierarchy, The law closing monas-
terles and converts was enforced with great
striclness and thousands Of men and women,
learned but thoroughly unfamiliar with the
ways Of the world. or Of any means OF making
Il llvnv were turned almost helpless out upon
the world Afterwards however, no modified
some Of the most oppressive OF the ant-papal
edl'ts.
When Wilhelm l. died Blsmarcks political
opponents had much to hone from the attitude
and sympathieS of his successor, Frederick
Wilhelm But the new sovereign was too III
to enforce his plans and his death left Bis
marcN's power supreme, When Wilhelm IL
succeeded his father IL soon became apparent
that he ana the iron chancellor were not In
complete harmony, The turmoils OF Frederick
Wiihem's short reign had made vivid impress
sions upon the young emperor which were not
favorable to Bismarck SO the latter resigned
March H. 1891
Upon his retirement he went TO live at Fried
richSruhe. one OF his estates Many honors