St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1898-08-10

III
as he passed to show their dislike; he was
Missed and hooted on the streets. But he
persevered In his stern policy, and those
who hooted and Kissed and spat in his
tracks ybre loudest In his praise when the
triumph Of the Prussan arms gave material
evidence Of his farseeing sagacity and gen
ius.
The Schleswig- Holstein war was the first
serious test Of his policy. 1t was a six
months campaign undertaken by Austria
and Prussia to wrest the two duchies from
Denmark on the pretense of broken en-.
gagements Denmark was beaten easily
enough, and the allies were soon haggling
over the spoils There was no alternative
but to fight one another, and then COM
menced that fierce struggle, ending with
Sadowa on July Q, 1865, which blotted out
the military glory Of Austria and added i'm.
perishable fame to the Prussian eagles.
In his great plans for German unity Bis
marck had strong coadjutor in Won
Moltke. Bismarck pulled the strings of
continental politics, arranging the puppets
to suit his imperious fancy Won Moltke,
with the same stern eye to Prussan az.
grandizement. mapped out future cam
paigns and drilled and disciplined the army
until 1t was the most perfect death dealing
machine of the age. For several years Bis
marck devoted himself to the consolidation
of the North German confederation.
Napoleon looked on with jealous eye
The Austrian campaign had raised Prussia
to one Of the mighty powers of Europe. He
had failed in his projected role Of arbitrator
and was filled with anxiety as to the future
Not only was his personal pride hurt by
Bismarck's Iefusal to let him in at the
death, but he persuaded himself that France
had been insulted and that her prestige
was threatened by Prussia's success. His
modification spread to the people, and
bitter hatred sprang up between the ma
tions The public journals gave voice to
his sentiment, and when the question of the
| Spanish succession was cunningly contrived
| by Bismarck to give mortal offense to
France Napoleon had the nation at his
back, and the hasty declaration of war was
| greeted with wild acclaim.
With the result of the memorable con.
| fict between France and Prussia all the
world is familiar. Paris was besieged and
fell after a prolonged struggle, and the
German empire, of which William of Prus-
STA was declared emperor, was proclaimed
in the palace of Versailles. The title of
Prince Bismarck Schoenhausen, chancellor
of the German empire, was conferred upon
him at the close of the Franco Prussian war
Bismarck's fame was now at its zenith
Recognized everywhere as the diplomatic
giant Of the century, he was really the
handspring and ruler Of united Germany
The emperor was as clay in his hands,
While protesting the utmost loyalty and
obedience, Bismarck coolly regulated Viii
liam's conduct in the affairs of state for the
general good and consolidation of the en-
pre- 1t seemed meet that it should be So
With all his virtues, the kaiser's hand was
not steady enough nor his mind strong or
broad enough to direct the ship of state in
safety through the political breakers Bis.
marck, who mapped out it's course toward
nnification, was needed to keep firm hold
on the helm and steer it amid the rocks and
shoals which at times threatened danger
and destruction.
For 90 years he ruled the empire with q
rod of iron He was the same forceful char
acter that kept the Prussian parliament
in hot water when William assembled the
throne. He roared and bullied and blus
tered till the nation reverberated in sym
pathy. Now he was fighting the ultramon.
tanes with all his noisy vigor; again he
would force rough measures down the
Threats of camorous socialists Amid all
the opposition at home he kept watchful
eye on the rest of Europe, cementing the
various interests of the new empire together
and developing the commercial and mill
tary resources of the fatherland. His sec
ond great object was to preserve the peace
of Europe, which he did by increasing the
efficiency of the German army and forming
the famous triple alliance between Ger.
many, Austria and Italy as safeguard
against French aggression and Russian en-
croachment.
But as the years went by the despised
people began to make themselves felt. The
excessive militarism which Bismarck's pol.
icy rendered necessary laid immense bur
dens upon the workmen. Socialism took q
firmer root among the disaffected, mutter
ings of discomfort became prevalent, and
the Iron Chancellor found his power on the
wane. He was loath to admit the fact and
preserved bold front. The death of Kaiser
William brought him face to face with the
stern truth that unless something unusual
occurred his influence In the empire would
speedily end.
The measures he adopted to preserve hi:
authority were not such as to commend
themselves to mankind Crown Prince
Frederick and Bismarck had been al
swords points for years Bismarck had op
posed Frederick marriage to Victoria, ED
est daughter of the queen of England
After the marriage he lost no opportunity
TO annoy the princess. He seemed inspired
with unreasoning hatred toward her, ant
he took an especial delight in turning tn,
heart Of her eldest son away from her II
was on this boy, afterward Emperor Will
liam II, that Bismarck depended for con-
tinuance of his power Frederick had an
incurable malady, and when he succeeded
to the throne in March, 1888, his death was
only question of u very short time.
The people expected great deal from
Frederick, who was liberal and progressive
in his IDEAS They viewed with dismay the
rapid progress of his fatal malady. They
witnessed with anger which could scarce
be repressed the evil influence of Bismarck
upon the crown prince. AS soon as the
breath was out Of Frederick's body Bis
marck had the palace surrounded with
troops and orders issued that no one should
be allowed to leave until search was made
for the dead mans diary.
What followed is fresh in the minds o.
all readers of current history. The EN-
press, although badgered and bullied to the
limit of endurance, managed to secure hel
husbands papers, 1--WE shall have no more
petticoats meddling in politics nowr was
the triumphant cry Of the Iron Chancellor
as the marks of arrangement between tn,