The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1899-01-31
OLD MEN In SERVICE.
Aged Statesmen Do Not Realize
Their Infrmities.
contanue to Serve the Public Until
Retired by the Governmental
Head-~some Notable Ia
stances.

It Ia rather strange coincidence that
at the very time when President Me-
Kinley was engaged In the exceedingly
painful task of insisting upon the res
ignation of his secretary of state, ex~
Senator Sherman, Emperor William
should have been similarly occupied IN
forcing a still more famous veteran 10
retire into private life.
With ordinary civil, military and
naval servants of the state, an age has
wisely been fixed by law, on attaining
which they are compelled to surrender
their Offices to younger men, who, while
possibly possessed Of less experience,
atone for that defect by superior men
tai and physical energy and activity.
But, unfortunately, there is no age
limit set for those statesmen and greas
commanders whose service to the ma
ton and eminence seem to exempt
them from ordinary rules and regula-
tons And the case of the German field
marshal, Count Blumenthal, constitutes
a striking illustration of this.
The old marshal, having reached the
advanced age of So, had become obvi-
ously untitled for the proper perform
ance of his important and exacting du-
tics as inspector general of the third
inspection of the entire German army
All sorts of hints and suggestions Of
the most pointed character were offered
to him, with view of calling his al
tention courteously and considerably
to the fact that it was considered de-
sirable to appoint younger man to his
place, in the person Of Field Marshal
Count Valdersee.
But he turned deaf ear to them, and
absolutely declined to tender his resig-
nation, partly because, like so many Old
men. he believed himself to be fuii s.
+ capable, physically as well as n-snta
TO fulfill his duties, and likewise /
| cause, having sustained financial
verses through unfortunate invess
ment, he did not relish the idea of sur
rendering full pay for relatively mea-
ger pension.
Finally, however, matters came to
such pass that the kaiser had to PEI
emptorily and directly demand his res
i-nation, with the result that he retire
into private life as soured and emf
tered a man as Prince Bismarck.
would likewise have remained il c
forever had not the kaiser been fc
to insist upon his resignation aftes
had refused all hints and suggestios-
that it was wanted.
In his case, too, old age and infrmi
ties, which made him so irritable anr
intolerant of contradiction as to rende
1 I. L = :
the extreme, were one of the ma
causes of his practical dismissal Q
the chancellorship of the empirs.
Yet another instance in pc
that of the old duke of CambridgS
when he received suggestion IEc
cousin, Queen Victoria, to the
that the duties of generalissiE-
entire British army were too
for man of his years, and
would do well TO resign, resp
pointing out to her majesty as
asmuch as the duties of goyelni
vast British empire must BE-
more arduous than the meTe comma
of the army, he could not ldr
shame's sake give up work Uu So
set him an example by abdicatlns
That proved an unanswerable argt
ment, and the queen declined 10 tai
any further steps in the matter, ~
deed, if he eventually was GO I'd
was through a species of trica 3
part of the Rosebery cabinet, a1G 3
particular of the then secret afy cl stas
for war, Sir Henry Campbell Eaaue
man, a trick which the cid duke ~
neither forgotten nor forgiven 10 "a.
day.-Washington Post.