The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-16
THE SUN, SUNDAY. April ls. 1908.

30 perfectly that his American guest In
qulred how much time the German Chan
oellor had spent in England. The reply
was. very httls-in fact, only two or three
days' Bismarck had made, he said, but
two short visits 10 England, one Of them
apparently, In Is49, and the other during the
exposition Of 1892. He seemed to have
been much struck with the scenic beauty
Of England, and said that II his lot had
been cast there he would have been very
happy a. an English country gentleman
that he could not understand why English
men are 80 inclined 10 live outside Of their
own country. On Mr.. Whites speaking
OF the great improvement which he had
noticed in England during the preceding
quarter Of a century, so that the Whole
country was becoming more and more IKE
a garden the Chancellor replied that such
a statement was ha dly likely TO please
thinking Englishmen, for they can hardly
be glad that England should become more
and more like a garden. because. he said
feeding a great nation from garden Il
like provisioning an army with Flum-cakes'
He then dwelt on the possible consequences
Of the fact that Great Britain had become
more and more dependent for her daily
bread on other countries, and especially
on the United States.
One day in the smoking room OF Bis
marok's house the Chancellor asked Mr..
White 10 explain the great success OF Carr
Schurz in America. His guest explained
that before the Lincoln Presidential cam
paign, In which Sohurz took so large part,
slavery had always been discussed either
from a constitutional or q philanthroPio
point Of view, orators seeking TO show either
that It was st variance with the fundamental
principles Of our Government or an Of
fence against humanity, Sohurz, on the
other hand, discussed II in a new way,
and mainly from a philosophic point Of
view, showing not merely It's hostility 10
American ideas Of liberty and the wrong
1t did 70 the slaves but more especially
the injury II wrought upon the country at
large and, above all, upon the slave States
themselves Bismarck heard what our
author had TO say, and then answered
AS a German, I am proud Of Carl Schurz'
This was. indeed a remarkable confessioni
for, as Mr.. White reminds US, 1t is certain
that II Bismarck could have had his way
with Carl Schurz in lS4s OF Is4s he would
have hanged him.
A story told our author by Prof. Rudolph
Won Gneist throws some light on the Chan
cellor's habits. 1t may be remembered that,
as the representative Of Emperor William
l. in the arbitration between the United
States and Great Britain on our north
western boundary, Gneist decided In our
favor. SO il came TO pass that when
Thanksgiving dinner was given by the
American colony he was present as one
Of the principal guests. Near him was
placed a bottle Of Hermitage, which, as
everybody knows, is rather a heavy, heady
wine. Shortly after taking his seat Gneist
said TO our author with significant smile,
THAT Is some Of the wine sent TO Bismarck,
and il did not turn out we'll. How was
that?" asked Mr.. White. well, said
Gneist, -one day met Bismarck and asked
him about his health. He answered: 1t
il wretched. can neither sleep nor eat
l replied, Let me send you something that
will help you. have just received a lot
Of Hermitage, and will send you a dozen
bottles. II you take a couple Ct 0ldSses
each day with your dinner, it will be the
best possible tonic, and will do you great
rood. Some time afterwaTd,' Continued
Gaeis,, L met him again and asked how
the wine agreed with him Oh said Bis
marck. not at all. 1t made me worse
than ever Why said 1, how did you
take it?' Just as you told me- replied
Bismarck, a couple Of bottles each day
with my dinner
Mr.. White adds his testimony TO the
weight Of evidence that, stern and per-
sistent as Bismarck was, and severe as he
showed himself at times, he had much
tenderness Of heart. OF the impossibility,
nevertheless, Of any nation, government or
press soaring or driving him, our author
noticed some curious proofs during his stay
In Berlin. It was we'll known that Bismarck
was not unfriendly to Russia. Indeed, he
more than once made declarations which
led some Of the Western Powers 10 think
him too ready to make concessions to
Russian policy In the East. His relations
to Prince GoTtohakoh, however, the Russian
Chancellor. we're not Of the best, and, after
the Berlin Conference, Russia's disappoint-
ment at her failure TO keep all that she had
gained by the Treaty Of San Stefano led to
various mfriendly actions by Russian
authorities and individuals Of all sorts from
the Gar down.
There was q general feeling that II was
dangerous for Germany TO resent these ac-
tions, and statesman Of another mould
would have deprecated the attacks or sought
TO mitigate them. Not 90 Bismarck he de-
termined to give as good as was sent. and,
for a very considerable time he lost no
chance 70 show that the day Of trucking
by Germany to her powerful neighbor was
past. This became at last 20 marked that
bitter and even defiant presentation Of
unpal atable truths regarding Russia, In
the press inspired from the Chancery,
seemed the usual form in which all Russian
Statesmen, and especially members Of the
Imperial House, were welcomed In Berlin.
One morning, taking up my copy Of the
paper most directly inspired by the Chan
oeIlor. found an article on the short
oominEs Of Russia, especially pungent-
almost vitriolio. II At once occurred to
me 10 look among the distinguished arrivals
TO SOC what Muscovite was In town, and
my search was rewarded by the discovery
that the heir to the Carbon, AftGrward
Alexander III, had just arrived, and was
staying for a day or two In the city Mr..
White Il doubtless right In thinking that
when Bismarck uttered his famous saying,