The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-03-20

4uSSlAOASbAy LILO RAO0NOS VI 00toS-
racy. His ruthless policies would
not be tolerated for q minute in a
democracy. The INSCRIPTIONS king
OF high finance who hasn't any code
Of ethics but cleverly manages to
keep out of Jail. is Americas mon
strosity and nearest approach to Bis
marck.
THE worlds greatest empire
builder" is the phrase often applied
to Bismarck, and it may be true.
The old statesman and diplomatist Of
blood and iron" fame was certainly
an imperalist with brains. But the
things he did. his receptions and
intrigues, his tyrannical acts, his
ruthlessness and inhumanity, utterly
condemn him in the light of modern
democratic ideals. He was always
the humble servant OF the crown,
believing in the divine right of kings,
and considered representative gov
eminent but the rule of chatter" to
use a phrase of Napoleon's.
Bismarck sprung from an ancient
and honorable family in Germany,
whose seat was Schonhausen where
the future prince first saw the light
of day April /, 1915. He was born
an aristocrat, and was chiefly known
in his youth for his revelries and
escapades. While in the university
at Hanover he did not distinguish
himself for brilliance or scholarship,
but figured prominently in duels and
drinking parties.
He gave little promise in his early
life Of the abilities which we're yet
to distinguish him, although even
now he was naughty. ostentatous,
ver-bearing and Indifferent to
friends. 1t was true that throughout
his life that he did not aspire SO
much to be loved as to be feared.
He held the common people in utter
contempt. He seemed to care more
for dogs than for men" The moving
principle of his life from the begin
ming was "an immovable belief in
the feudalistic right Of royalty to
rule its subjects"
1t was in the national diet of
1S47 that Herr Won Bismarck made
himself heard. His first speech was
far from a brilliant effort, but it
revealed man who was determined
to support the crown, who had
mighty little use for the people"
He had weak voice despite a huge
frame: he hesitated, and coughed,
and fought the air for words. His
maiden speech was not a success
from the standpoint of oratory. but
it revealed positively where he stood.
not with the people but with the
crown. an ultra-imperalist. From
this time on he gained in power
though not in popularity. He con-
sistently opposed every democratic
measure or reform, even the eman-
:, s<1, 20
him the favor of the monarch. He
was conservative. even medieval in
his doctrines. A bigot and a tyrant,
him, but the king saw possibilities
in the implacable defender of the
government.
1t was lucky thing indeed, for
the king, that Bismarck arose just
at this time. He saved Prussia from
a democratic tidal wave that was
beginning to form and gain momen-
tum and might have swept the coun-
try, as did the recent revolution
Bismarck set himself invincibly
against every democratic influence.
Prussia had enjoyed thirty years or
more of peace, and the growth of the
universities had stimulated thought
time seemed to be ripe for revolu-
ton. 1t probably would have come
had it not been for the rise of Bis
marck. He saved the day for autoc-
-acy. If the car had had a Bis
marck, 1t is likely the Russian revo-
luton would have been averted in
the same way.
The king, approaching the abili-
a. s~E III cd ~
his future usefulness to the crown,
gave him plenty of opportunity 20
gain experience and prepare himself
in 1851 as first secretary of the
Prussian embassy to the diet of the
various German states which con-
vened at Frankfort. In 1859 he was
appointed Prussian ambassador to
Russia. He travelled widely and
stored his brain with useful informa-
ton. He paid visit to Metternich
the retired statesman and diplomat
of Austria, whose tyrannical and
monarchial ideas were the same as
his. While unlike Bismarck in tenn
permanent, being refined and suave,
he cherished the same outrageous
views of government, and these two
men at that time represented an
autocratic ideal the supremacy of
which meant the prolongation in
Europe of tyranny and injustice and
militarism. Progress was a difficult
matter with such men as these at
work fighting the universities and
all enlightened thought and plotting
against the rise of democracy and
the people.
In 1861 Prince Regent, William I,
assembled the throne of Prussia He
was every inch soldier and an i'm
peraiist. He made Bismarck his
president of the ministry. Here
really begins the great career of the
diplomat. Government at once felt
his iron hand. and the effect of his
implacable will. Conditions were
somewhat chaotic, and there was
real danger that the people might
rise up and do things that would
prove disastrous to the imperial
throne. Bismarck was equal to the
situation; figuratively, he took off his