The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1902-01-30
WHAT GERMANY OWES BISMARCK.
THIRD OF A SERIES OF PAPERS READ BE-
FORE THE PIERIAN CHAUTAUQUA CIRCLE.

the duchies Schleswig- Holstein into
her own territory, as she had already
tried to do IN 1849 This Schleswig-
Holstein question is very little under
stood, especially outside of Germany.
By treaty in the 18th century these
two duchies were declared undivisable;
the motto of them is up till today:
Sup eaoig Umgedeezt'- undi-
vlded. Hostein being German territory,
the King of Denmark as Duke of Hol-
stein belonged to the German con-
federation, but SchIeswig, being mainly
inhabited by Danes, had nothing what
ever to do with Germany. If the
King of Denmark had desired to
incorporate Schleswig in his territory,
Germany would have had no right to
resist this move, but as the two duchies
could not be separated, the fate of one
must necessarily be that of the other,
and Germany could not afford to let
any German land pass under foreign
sceptre. The German confederation
ordered execution against Denmark,
and Saxons and Hanoverians were sent
INTO Holstein, to hold it against the
Danes.
But Bismarck would not have it that
way. He said it might turn out again
as in I849, when, tho the Schleswig-
HOlsteinerS had been victorious in their
struggle against Denmark, they were
turned over to the tender mercies of
their enemies through the intrlgues of
Russia and England. He therefore
wanted Prussia to have it out with the
Danes, not as a member of the German
confederation, but as one of the great
powers. This of course did not please
Austria, who would appear sighted
and weak, and she therefore proposed
to cooperate with Prussia. This pro-
pOsal was accepted by B smarck, who
then probably had already formed his
plans for the ousting of Austria from
Germany. AS probably foreseen by
Bismarck it happened: After the
cessiOn of the two due les jointly to
Austria and Prussia, the latter two
quarrelIed, Austria, in order to curry
favor with the little princes, wishing
to establish another little independent
state, and Prussia, in the interest of a
united Germany, resisting this. In
passing, let me say that the pretender
to that little throne was the father of
the present German empress. Thus
the memorable war of 1866 began.
wish with all my heart that | were
abe to give you clear idea of all the
causes that led to this war, for know
ing from personal experience how
bitterly Bismarck was blamed in his
own country for it, l fully realize that
he is more bitterly blamed by
foreigners, very few understanding his
final aim. Bismarck could at this
period say of himself, as in fact he did,
that he was the best hated man in all
Germany. If the results of the war
had been different from what they were,
who will say what might have hap
pened? Bismarck certainly would
have been swept away to oblivion, just
as Washington, if he had not been
victorious in the end, would be called
an arch traitor, instead of "father of
his country" To say it in as few
words as possible: The cause of the
war was the unsufferabIe antagonism
between Prussia and Austria, which
prevented any unity of the common
fatherland And tho people very we'll
saw and knew that no salvation for
Germany would ever come through
Austria, they were very much averse to
give the leadership freely to Prussia
The people, and especially in south
Germany, feared the strict Prussian
discipline and order and did not relish
the idea of serving in the army, for in
south Germany there was at that time
no compulsion about it. The hatred Of