New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-02-21
BISMARCK.
Gkmpses of a Statesman IN Retirement

If posterity does not know all the more 90
vious characteristics. opinions and habits Oh 'he
architect of United Germany. il will not be 'he
fault of his admirers. Few statesmen nave peeh
discussed in print with more persistent partlcu-
laritv. and few, let US add, could have survived
the process with little loss of dignity Eve"
the trivialites which Mr.. Whitman seems 10
consider necessary lights OF his portrait of the
man cannot make that stately figure ridiculous.
1t was during Bismarck's last years that the
Englishrnan admitted to his Acquaintance
and these chapters record the events ana coii-
versations Of a series Of visits at the prince
country estates Those conversations were APP
parently frank and the visitor has SET theih
down with discretion. He shows us an old man
of lofty nature. dominant but kind, worshlppeu
by his family. dependents friends, and ever ar
irving crowds Of pilgrims, and meeting 'hat
worship with refreshing simplicity and good
sense Nowhere in these "reminiscences 90 we
see evidences Of a destination which might
have been pardonable in so great man. ne
was certainly conscious Of what he had achleNeu'
says Mr.. Whitman. but ito listen to MN WAS
10 gain the impression that he ascrloed ms sue
cess as a statesman not to the work OF genus
hut TO the force Of circumstances to that COM
,o, sense which is so ittingly illustrated by the
story Of the egg Of Columbus more than 10
adroitness: to the fact tha- he saw at least with
wrongheaded. He not at all impressed by
his calling as a politician. and was far more
proud of his status as a Prussian officer than
Of that of a minister of State" 1t was the
standard Of conduct of the Prussian officer with
which he liked 10 be identifed-he had no pas
sion for warfare. He was anxious, we are 1oid'
that his country should not engage IN another
war unless it were TO awaken all It's en-
thusiasm This great student Of national char-
acter felt that the Prussians might perhaps pe
trusted 10 go ahead in almost any cause they
were ordered to fight for whether it appealed
70 +heir svrnpathies sr not-witness 1876 But
he was not so sure 4 the other Germans" The
au1bor quotes the prince deploring lack OF
character. Of backbone" among his country
men. and saying that sometimes he fancleo ne
WAS partly 1, blame for it-that the nature OF
his task in strengthening official and regal au-
tboritv had like every other earthly thing
brought disadvantages in its train" 1t was dur
ing this interview that Bismarck said;
Yes. I found royalty a bad way; it was
too weak for what is required unaer our a mo
,,ar,hical conditions. Now and then l fancy
have. been the means OF making 1t little TOO
powerful al least for time. Have you hearu
the story Of the rider who could NOT get on ms
horse. and called upon his patron saint 10 heip
him into the sadCleE
/ pleaded ignorance. ,
We'll" he continued, the patron saint came
10 his assistance and gave him such q powerful
gift-ul' that he vaulted clean over the sado!e on
10 the other side of his steed. Gently; con ne
ca vehement cried the rider. That, you see,
was something like my action with resaIp ~
royalty now and then fancy may nave Oe0
too vehement (he1tlS)-
A curious phase of the Princes character
mentioned by his admirer was his lack OF inter-
ee+ in individuals-.his dspassionate attitude
toward events even of great Importance an ap-
17arent Indifference in regard to his own share
in then-no feeling Of satisfaction connected
with their memory" He showed perfect free
dom from every sensitiveness in discussing SUD-
iects which must have been fraught with pam
full memories &c him. He had been so long &C
custorned to deal. and that successfully, Win
questions involving tremendous issues that IN
cidents and persons connected with thenn-a REL
e,e,ca 70 which the outsider might have ex-
pected to be most annoying or at least exciting
scarcely interested even affected him at
al" The teropestuous passion Of which his
visitor had often heard he saw no trace OF IN
,,fe intercourse with the old statesman. Meas
,lra and moderation were in everything he said
even in his references to those with whom ne
had most imperlously contended We gather
that il was only Socialism and Socialists that
stirred at all the passionate temperament that
undoubtedly existed below his disciplined con-
troll As Tor his life ir his own home II was one
of beautiful gentleness and refinement of feel
Lei n.
that during all he twenty years he had known
the Prince he only remembered one occasion on
which he had ever heard him speak sharply, let
alone say an unkInd word, to any one "A
man servant in leaving the room had carelessly
slammed the door. This evidently had Jared on
Rismarck's nerves for he rang the bell ana
when the man appeared told him in curt tone
that he was 10 leave at the end Of the month
Aro7,+ = quarter Of an hour afterward he rang
the bell again and said in a modified voice
You may stay That was all 1t is worth
while remembering, too, that his heart was
,,.arv, j., his dealings with his peasants and
that as a landlord he often got the worst OF a
bargain. His wife complained that he was per
fectly ..incor14gible' in his good nature to
strangers coming to Friedrchsruh-a good
nature which they often abused.
bismarck had great liking, Mr.. Whitman
tells US for the Russian national character De
lieving that the conditions of life in that coun-
try are Of a nature 10 mould character on
broader lines than is the case in more highly
civilized countries" He often spoke to his Wis
itor OF the great North
He said: Russia is not moved by sentiment;
she Is guided solely by what she believes 10 De
her paramount interest, which fortunately is
peace. Thus decorative journeys, toasts ana
talk do not go for much with Russian poll
1icians" In order TO be in touch with the trend
of Russian affairs il is necessary TO know well
what type OF man exercises for the moment
dominant influence with the Car Some tune
prior 10 the outbreak Of the Russo-Turklsh
War in 1871 he himself had been in doubt as
10 which way things were tending But as soon
as he discovered that certain-I think he said
a Count Peter Aderberg, was IN the commence
OF the Car. he able TO form a correct estl-
mate of the situation The Emperor Alexander
II was strongly attached to old Mllhaln, ana
move or less open TO Western ideas, besides
being au fond soft nature. Alexander III
- an exaggerated notion of Russian dignity,
o1f1f al Wit han hiC