The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-08-25
LEADING PAR WHICH EMPRESS
FREDERICK BORE THEREIN.
The Iron ChanceIIor's Bitter Animos-
ity for the English Princess-HOw
She Triumphed at the Last.
San Francisco Post.

which she filled in Germany during her
widowhood that it may be well to offer a
few notes for the construction of an as yet
unwritten chapter of German history.
If the Empress, whose death by a strange
coincidence has occurred during the Cowes
week, like that of her sailor brother Alfred,
Duke OF Coburg. just twelve months ago,
succumbing to the same fell disease, was
the principal agent in bringing about the
overthrow of the Iron Chancellor, and his
withdrawal into private life, it was not
from any motive of personal animosity
and Of revenge, although she had ample
cause. both for the one and for the other.
Throughout her married life, and during
her w~idowhood, she was an object of un-
disguised and openly acknowledged enmity
of the bitterest kind on the part of the
prince, who feared her more than all his
masculine rivals and opponents put to-
gether. She was a political foe, worthy In
every respect of his steel. For she repeat
edly checkmated those OF his moves which
she regarded as reactionary and unconsti-
t%utional, and if Bismarck was wont to
speak of her with brutality and a degree of
vehemence altogether out of place, this
must be regarded as having been more of a
compliment than as a mere piece of dis
courtesy, as it was a virtual admission of
the fact that her opposition to his project
was Of altogether too masculine and virile a
character TO admit for one moment of. ac-
cording to her, that forbearance and chiv-
alrOus Difference which men as a rule, es-
pecially when they are strong. mentally anc
physically, are wont to concede to woman
as a tribute to her sex.
Possessed of extremely liberal views in all
matters, especially in those political, and
brought up by her father, the enlightened
and progressive prince consort of Great
Britain, to consider a regard for, not mere
ly the letter, but likewise the spirit of the
constitution, as one OF the most sacred OBJ
legations on the part of reigning houses in
these modern times, and as indispensable to
the safety of the throne. the late Empress
found herself from the very moment when
she took up her residence at Berlin as a
bride. more than forty years ago, an object
of the animosity of Prince Bismarck. The
latter, as is we'll known. entertained the
most profound contempt for parliamentar-
ism. cared nothing for constitutional OBJ
archical despotism of the most medieval
kind, on the understanding, of course. that
the tyranny be exercised by the sovereign
through his prime minister-that is, him
self-and at his instigation. He did not
hesitate to express the fear. thoroughly
justified, that the English princess would
Undue her husband with her English no
tons of liberalism and constitutionalism.
and Immediately commenced a warfare up
on her which lasted without interruption
until his death.
ASSAILED HER FIERCELY.
He used every weapon against her that
his ingenuity could devise. He assailed her
both in her public and in her private life,
and in his "reminiscences, as published by
his Boswell, DIR. Busch, he acknowledged
that he caused her to shed many a bitter
tear by his interference through her father
in-law in her domestic affairs. Not only did
he induce old Emperor William TO appoint
as gentlemen and ladies in waiting to the
then crown prince and crown princess peo-
pie devoted to Bismarckian ideas. and
therefore thoroughly out of sympathy with
their master and mistress. but he likewise
compelled the latter, through the sovereign,
TO yield to his. that is to say. B!smarck's
views on the subject of the. education of
their sons. None of those who enjoyed the
personal acquaintance of the late En-
press. and who knew what a strong-minded.
high-spirited and extraordinarily clever
woman she was, can appreciate what ii
must have cost her to feel herself sur
rounded-save for two notable exceptions
by gentlemen and ladies i'm waiting, human
shadows, who were not the friends. but the
them, and to know that her boys were be-
ing brought up In a manner OF which she
disapproved. under the influence of peo-
pie who diSliked her. and whose one OBJ
ject in life was TO destroy the sympathy
and love which her children would natural
ly feel for her. Lest this description of Bis
marcks attitude should appear i'm any way
exaggerated. | would merely mention that
in the early COS, prior TO the war with
AuSlfld, Wnel the CONSTITUTION WAS being
violated In the most fiagrant manner by
the chancellor, he actually went to the
length of causing the arrest of one of the
officers Of the crown princes household on
a charge of being the means through
which the crown princess communicated
her views on Prpssian politics to the Lon
don Times. and inspired its attacks upon
his unconstitutional policy. The officer in
question was Major subsequently generaD
Won Schweinitz, who died a few weeks ago
as a son-in-law OF Mrs. John Jay, of New
York. and as br0ther-in-law of Col. William
Jay, of coaching celebrity.
Won Schweinitz was able 10 clear him
self OF the charges In an interview with the
Emperor In such a way as to win the high
favor and warm regard of his sovereign
and the respect of the Iron Chancellor.
Bismarck, with the object of prejudicing
people against Empress Frederick and
thereby diminishing her influence, stopped
at no calumny and even went so far as 10
publicly charge her with treason i'm betray-
ing to the English, and through them to
the French, military secrets which had
been impaired 10 her by her husband dur
ing the war of 1870, declaring that the con-
fict was unduly prolonged thereby. He
did everything that lay i'm his power TO
prevent her consort from succeeding to the
object of preventing her from sharing the
throne as Empress; and, after having
grossly insulted her in the presence of her
dying, voiceless and helpless spouse, by
refusing to transact any state business or
to communicate any confidential reports TO
the latter as long as she was i'm the room,
A1 ~ ~ SAAt&N tOif W AAOot llAlAl lC
had done his best to poison against her, TO
take steps. subsequently regretted, which
could only intensity the sorrow of the
grief-stricken woman Immediately after her
so fondly loved husband had been taken
from her.
HER FINAL TRIUMPH.
Yet she carried the day in the end, and
her son is now the very first to acknowl-
edge his mothers cleverness, and the fact
that she showed herself more than a match
in statecraft for the man reputed as the
Greatest statesman of the nineteenth CEN
fury. namely, Bismarck.
The manner in which she brought about
the fall of the chancellor was, perhaps.
the most clever OF the many clever things
that must be placed to her credit. She was
too shrewd TO dream of exercising any di-
rect pressure on her son, the Emperor. in
with so much diplomacy that William never
dreamed at the time he dismissed the Iron
Chancellor that he was playing the game
of his mother. with whom, thanks entirely
to Bismarck. his relations were then most
strained. Abstaining from any open stems
toward an understanding with her son. she
took advantage OF his visit to Westphalia
TO place in his path one of his old tutors.
Professor Hintzpeter. a pedagogue of whom
William had been very fond. and whose
teachings had left a deep impression upon
the mind Of his imperial pupil.
Empress Frederick knew the professors
characteristics. his fads and his views.
She likewise recognized and understood as
only a mother can do the complex charac-
ter OF her son and foresaw the effects that
were likely to be achieved by bringing the
Euro man ma r,AnA fVA