Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-08-01
A MAN OF FLOOD AND IRON.
Tho Career of Bismarck. tho Prime Mini,

MAN OF GCOOD AND IRON.
Tho Career of bismarck, tho Prime Minis
ter and Real Ruler of Europe.
1t was in 1861 when William of Prussia
recalled Otto Won Bismarck from the cour:
of st. Petersburg TO fill the post of premier
at Berlin that he was made count. He
was at that time the best hated man in the
kingdom, an the Liberals regarded his
appointment as a direct menace to their
aims. People used to spit upon the ground
as he passed to show their dislike; he was
Kissed and hoOted on the streets. But he
persevered in his stern policy, and those
who hooted and Kissed ard spat in his
tracks were loudest in his praise when the
triumph of the Prussian arms gave material
evidence of his farseeing sagacity and gen.
Jus.
The Schleswig- Holstein war was the first
serious test of his policy. 1t was a six
months campaign undertaken by Austria
and Prussia to wrcst the two duchies from
Denmark on the pretense of broken Ell
gagements. Denmark was beaten easily
enough, and the allies were soon haggling
over the spoils. There was TO alternative
but to fight one another, and then COM
mcnced that fierce struggle, ending with
Sadowa on July ., 1866, 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 Il strong coadjutor in Won
Moltke. Bismarck pulled the strings of
continental politics, arranging the puppets
to suit his impeIioCs fancy; Won Moltke,
with the same stern eye to prussian ag
grandizement, mapped out future cam
paigns and drilled and disciplined the army
until it was the most perfect death dealing
machine of the age. For several year. Bis
marck devoted himself to the consolidation
of the North German confederation.
Napoleon locked on with jealous eye.
The Austrian campaign had raised Prussia
| to one Cf the mighty powers of Europe. He
had t;ulcd i'll his projected role of arbitrator
| and Was tillCd with anxiety as to the future
Not only WAS his personal pride hurt by
| Bsmarck's refusal to let him in at the
| death. -; hr persuaded himself that France
| had Eccn i:isulted and that her prestige
| was thrc;'.ened by PTUssia's success. His
| mort IiiC:.;i0a spread to the people, and a
bitter i::.trri sl,rang up between the ma
tioas. Tie public journals gave voice to
| his sentiment. and when the question of the
| Sp;a.is! S':csgssicl was cunningly contrived
| by EiSi.,.lck to give mortal offense to
France >arolcon had the nation at his
| back, and the hasty declaration of war was
| greeted with wild acclaim.
With the result Of the memorable con-
| ilict between France and Prussia all the
world is familiar. Paris was besieged and
| fell after prolonged struggle, and the
German empire, Of which William of Prus-
sin 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 ut 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 Will
Hams conduct in the affairs of state for the
general good and consolidation of the en-
pirc Ii 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 its course toward
unilication, was needed to keep a firm hold
on the helm ard steer it amid the rocks and
| shoals which ut times threatened danger
| and destruction
For - years he ruled the empire with a
| rod Of iron. lie was the same forceful char
Gcter that Kept the PrUssian parliament
in hot water when William assembled the
throne. He roared and bullied and blus-
tered till the nation rcverberated in SYM
rathy. Now he Was fighting the ultramon-
t&Des with all his noisy vigor; again he
would force rough measures down the
threats of clamorous socialists. Amid all
the opposition ut home he kept a 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 a safeguard
against French aggression and Russian en-
croachment.
But as the years went by the despisetl
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 a
firmer root among the disalfected. 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 IL bold front. The death of Kaise,
William brought him face to face with the
stern truth that unless something unusual
occurred his influence in the empire would
speedily end.