The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-11-19
HOW GERMANY BECAME PRUSSIA
Rismarck's Stand For Abso!utism Prevented
the Forming Of Confederation Of States
Similar to the American Union.

OF VIII. N11ldIn SalU II WAS 'Ite SlFuS
gle of Charles | and Buckingham, and
repeated that the people demanded Bis
pparck's head as the English had Buck
inghams. 1t was not am encouraging
prospect, but Bismarck replied, saying
he was in the fight to die and would
/ gladly die as did the great English
minister. The King loo6ed at him, gave
him his hand, declaring they'd both fight
! the Parliament as long as they Were
| alive or win in the struggle. When the
two arrived in Berlin it was a mutual
| feeling of assured success they felt, says
Bismarck; and victory is meant be
cause never since then has PrussiaI
monarch talked of abdicating ON account
eff the opposition of his people Bis
marck held the reins of government
! from THAT day ON and his policy became
that of the King of Prussia, of Germany
itself in a few years.
1t was not the ministers hand alone
that shaped Prussia's destiny and Ger
many's Since 1640 two German grand
dlchies, Schleswig and Holstein, had
been united to the crown of Denmark
The democratic monarchy that succeed
cd to the government II Denmark in
1868 advocated a permanent union of
dom; but all Germany opposed this
most vehGnently. 1t was this question
that came up for settlement in 1854
that turned the peoples eyes and IL.
lowed the Prulssian CROWN under BIS
marck's shrewd leadership to regain all
it had lost in 1913 and was still further
losing in 1868.
Gcr1nany-the German people-dt :
manded the liberation of the two duchic'
and wished Them then left alone to
govern themselves as they wished; Aus
tria asked the same at first, while
Prussia (the government kept its deslgas
carefully concealed Bismarck encouIag-
ed the people to agitate, to enlist even
against Denmark, but refused to COM
init his government till Austria had
been won to AN alliance, which had for
its object the regulation, rather than
settlement, of the then burning question
Of European politics, viz: the SChleswIg-
Holstein question. Austria and Prus-
STA demanded Jointly the giving up Of
the duchies and when this was refused
en- the part of Denmark, troops were
marched into the disputed terrific y. Inc
result was war and Denmark was con!-
PEELED TO give UP its claim Of sovereignty
III favor of the two dominant German
nations. In the treaty Of alliance b?
tween Austria and Prussia there was no
fixed arrangement fer the final settle
ment of the aSehleswig- Holstein position
in Germany, and that was the eause
of the war Of 1865 and the terrible
defeat of Koeniggratz To leave the
two newly wen. countries. independent
meant that much against Prvlssia's SUI
prenlacy in Germany-just what Austria
wished, eff course. Bismarck knew that
Austria would never submit to his
policy annexation by Prussia of the
two duchies, and this was just what
Bismarck demanded; the result was
war and the utter humiliation of A 1s-
tria.
These events kept the people occu-
pied and, of course, the war ON PIus-
sia's part, for the liberation of two
ancient German tribes, won the much
hated Bismarck miniStHy great popu-
larity amongst the masses OF the p9o.
pie. They who saw further were rot
so enthusiastic and when the goveen-
ment's call f0r the army appropriation
came, Parliament was ready to nagin
anew the old fight against the army
the cardinal point in the PrIssian con-
stitution. Bismarck was determined to
have it arranged once for all that the
army budget should be made out by the
King and voted by both houses for
seyen-year periods and besides the hous-
eS were to be to a great extent deprlv
ed of the right won in 1913 of voting ali.
appropriations; they were henceforth 10
be allowed to object only to increase Of
the army budget beyond certain limits;
on the then proposed army arrangement
the. were to vote ONCE for all. 1t was
an suspicious moment. for the Deoplt
were already going over to Bismarck:
he felt himself growing stronger every
day. The final decision did not come
till after the Austrian war. The mir.-
lister did, though, get his army supplies
as demanded and went 50 far as to de-
clare to the houses that the government
would seize the necessary money and
supplies if they were not granted The
Parliament fearing the people could no
be brought to returns the same mem
bers If 1T were dislocated. finally we'd
ed. Bismarck and the King. were then
free and victorious, with the great mass
of the nation coming to their support
The Austrian question was to be d.
cided in the near future (1S65) and the
sword alone could decide that question.
Bismarck was for war: the King for
peace on procrastination, If war must
come. 1t lis not possible to doubt, aIr,r
reading Bismarcl's papers and his rem
inisceIees. that the minister had brought
on the crisis with Austria and that he
alone was responsible for the turn Prlls-
sian politics had taAen. Certainly the
King had not done it: in fact he felt
a genuine love for ancient Austria
Bismarck kept boldly ON mis- own way.
however, and forced the King to 70 low
The war of 1866 came and as all tie
world knows, it was a glorious yctocy
to Prussia. Bismarck was recognized
from then on as the first Statesman
of Europe
In 1863 Bismarck began with kind of
a forlorn hope; but in that short time
he had defeated Denmark and Austria.
outwitted all the diplomats of Europe
and defied Prussia's great enemy beyond
the Rhine Napoleon III became uneasy
about his rival Of the North and came
in after the battle of Koeniggraltz IN Il
haIf-begging. half-dictating way, asking
for certain stipllations concerning Prus-
Sia's policy in South Germany to these
Bismarck yielded, not being in po-
5aex, Ie,.op,na gI,},o tYaoty rf