Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1899-01-11
Bismarck the Man, the Statesman
The Inner Life.

It is book Of confessions. conscious and
unconscious. There is nothing like it in
literature. We have all, when bewildered
in state problems of their times, wished
for the private notebook of Caesar or Of
Richelieu, as the true source for a solu-
ton. But the greatest men have almost
always been too reserved for the curious
interest of pOsterity; and when. like Fred
erick II. and Napoleon, they have been
eager and lavish in giving information,
we must be glad to accept it, not as what
we wish for. but as what they would have
US see. The curtain is lifted, but scenes
are set to shut off most Of the stage Bis
maTck on the other hand gives Us an unre-
served sweep Of vision, Il reckless thor
Oughness of exposure, which seems to neg
atiye all concealment. If he is msreDr9-
senting facts, if his story is partial and
misleading, if his structures on others are
unjust, then the semblance of perfect can
dor is assumed with such art that the
illusion becomes more complete the more
it is ScrlItiniZed. The revelations here
given Of the secret springs of many events
momentous in the history of Europe will
long afford themes for investigation and
controversy and will be of even greater
value when the partisanships of today
shall have been silenced than they are
now. But the interest they have for
the general reader lies most Of all in the
new light they undesignedly throw upon
the person and character of their au-
thor.
Yet IN all his career no trait of MS char
acter is more conspicuous than his mod
Grafton. In every victory he f0rbore to
exact from the vanQuished that which
might in any way embarrass the victor
When the King himself wished to dis
member Austria, Bismarck resolutely in
sisted on keeping her strong enough 70
become useful friend. When the crown
DrlDcH was rn16V To do yio1nDnn TO tnn
south German states, ne relied on con-
citation and the encouragement of Ger
man brotherhood. Even towards pros
trate France, in 1871, he showed himself
the most fOrbearing and cOnsiderate of
her foes, limiting his demands to the
guarantees he deemed essential to the
safety of the new empire. But be makes
it plain in his records of his own mind
that he was wholly incapable Of being in
Huenced by a sentiment of generosity
towards defeated enemy, or of regard
for the welfare of mankind. Such an
impulse as a motive for political action
was to him but 4 weakness, which, if
found in smaller minds, rendered them
easier to play upon, but had no place in
his own. We must not aScribe to him
or to any man such superhuman powers
rs could in some of these instances have
fOreSeen how subsequent history would
vindicate the wisdom of moderation: nor
does he claim to have discerned the fut-
ure. Let it be granted that his controll-
ing motive in each instance was to avoid
Outraging the pubic opinion of the world,
and preparing faral enmities. Yet it re-
mains true that he alone, of all men vino
ever won such dazzling triumphs and
swayed such resistless forces, was in
toXicated by success, nor ever tempted
''the envy of the gods by extremes
From Bismarck the Man and the States
man, by Charlton L. Lewis, in Harpers
Magazine.