The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1898-08-02
4 MAN OF BLOOD AND IRON.
The Career OF Eisinarcl.. the Prime Minis
ter and Zeal Ruler Of Europe.

ter and Zeal Ruler Of Europe.
1t was in lcGl when William ! of Prussia
recalled Otto Won Bismarck from the court
OF st. Petersburg to I'll the post Of premier
ut Berlin that be WAS made Il count. He
was at that time the best hated man in the
kingdom, ard the Liberals regarded his
appointment as Il direct menace to their
aims. People used to spit upon tie ground
It's he passed to show Their dislike; lie was
Kissed and hooted Oh the streets. But he
persevered in his stern policy. and those
who hooted and Kissed and spat in his
tracks were loldest II his prai~" when the
triumph of the Prussi2l arms gave material
evidence of his far,eeing sagacity and gen
Jus.
The Observation-Disclosures war was the first
serious test OF HI, policy. 1t was a six
months campaign undertaken by Austria
and Prussia to wrcst the two duchies from
Denmark on the rrctcnSe Of broken en-
gagements. Denmark was beaten easily
enough, and the allies We're soon haggling
over the spoi!s. There WAS no alternative
but to fight one another. and then com
menced that fierce struggle, ending with
Sadowa on July 9, 1866, which bio,tel out
the military glory of Austria and added i'm
rh' W II J IuSSl.I tttIltS.
In his great plans for German unity Bis
marck had n 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 Prussian az.
grandiZement, mapped out future cam.
paigns and drilled and disciplined the army
until it was the most perfect death dealing
l machine Of fIn q Esnr ca,,o,,J ,o... n.
marck devoted himself to the consolidation
of the North German confederation.
Napoleon looked on with a Jealous eve
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 fut,,r.
Not only WAS his personal pride hurt bv
Bismarck's refusal to let him in ut the
death. but he persuaded himself tina: France
had been insulted and that her prestige
was threatened by Prussia's success. His
modification spread to the people. and a
bitter hatred sprang up between the ma.
tons. The public journals gave voice to
his sentiment, and when the question of the
Spanish succession was cunninply cont rivod
by Bismarck to give mortal orense IN
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 tho
world is familiar. Paris was besieyed and
Tell after a prolonged struggle, and the
German empire, of which William of pr,s.
STA was declared emperor, was proclaimed
IN the palace Of Versailles. The title ~
Prince Bismarck Schoenhausen, chancellor
OF the German empire, was conferred unon
MIN at the close Of the Franco p RUSSIAN war.
Bismarck's fame was now at its zenith
Recognized everywhere as the diplomatic
giant OF the century, he was really tho
handspring and ruler of united Germany.
The emperor was as clay in his hands.
Wnlle protesting the utmost LOYALTY and
obedience, Bismarck coolly regulated vii
liam's conduct in the affairs OF state for tho
general good and consolidation of the EN-.
plre. 1t seemed meet that it should be ~
with all his virtues, the kaiser's hand was
not steady enough nor his mind strong mr.
broad enough to direct the ship of state in
salety through the political breakers. B;s
marck, who mapped out it's course toward
unllcation. was needed to keep Il firm hold
on the helm and steer it amid the rocks and
snoa!s which at times threatened danger
and destruction.
For ~ years he ruled the empire with a
rod OF iron. He was the same ~forceful char.
acter that kept the Prussian parliament
In no water when William assembled tho
throne. He roared and bullied and bins.
tered TILL the nation ~reverberated in sym.
patty. Now he was fighting the ultramon-
n with all his noisy vigor; again he
o force rough measures down the
tbroats OF clamorous socialists. Amid ali