The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1921-02-26
Germany's Ruin Was
Predicted by Bismarck

the document to Bismarck, and asked
his opinion.
May l respectfully ask your royal
highness to throw the draft you have
| so kindly sent me into the fire with
| out delay?" was Bismarck's answer.
When the prince came into author
| ity Bismarck was retained as imperial
chancellor, but now found that he had
a group Of opponents to deal with in
| the new government. The grand duke
| of Baden. Waldersee and Botticher all
| canspired against him both at court
and in parliament. Bismarck In the
memoirs scores these men and the new
circle of friends that the kaiser had
gathered about him. He speaks, for
example. of Heyden, "of whom poll
ticianS say that he is Il painter. and
painters say that he IS n politician"
Botticher, who owed his place to Bis
marck, won great influence over the
kaiser at Bismarck's expense, and the
young monarch gave less heed to the
older mans counsel. The time was
slowly approaching for the dropping
Of the pilot" who had stood so long at
the helm of Prussia and the empire.
Many of the kaiSer's policies at this
period show creditable amount of
enlightenment. although Bismarck did
not believe them practicable. William
III at this time expressed sympathy for
the working classes and dreamed of
better labor laws and class reconcilia-
ton. Bismarck. on the other hand,
thought that the workers ought TO be
kept down. The kaiser had his own
way and better labor laws We're
passed. despite Bismarck's opposition.
Such defeats weakened the chancel-
lor's power and he even wondered
whether he ought to send in hiI res
ignation.
Bismarck Considers Resignins.
Thus the storm gathered in January
and February. 1890. and was marked
by scene In the imperial palace at
Berlin. Tempers had risen on both
sides over the matter in dispute. and
at last the chancellor put the direct
question:
at appears. then, that am in your
majesty's way?"
1.-THE kaiser" adds Bismarck, "said
nothing and therefore assented."
After this Bismarck again consid-
cred offering his resignation, but he
did not do so. In fact, he became OBJ
stinate and ultimately decided to make
1t as difficult as possible for the kaiser
to dismiss him. Meanwhile, however,
the kaiser was growing stronger in the
government. The ministers in the
cabinet turned against Bismarck and
he felt his grip weakening. Once he
asked for an explanation Of why the
ministers favored the kaiser against
him. and one replied confldentialiy
"We must do something to please
him" (meaning the kaiser). Bismarck
answered ironically that he was glad
to see the monarchy so firmly estab-
monarchy that was so
shaken when he became chancellor.
Chancellor Def1es Kaiser.
end of March. Bismarck had received
Windthorst, the leader of the Center
party, at his home. and the kaiser re-
scented this act. Bismarck claimed the
right to receive distinguished poll
ticians whenever and wherever he
pleased. The kaiser asked:
seven IL /. your sovereign. forbid
you to-"
Eyes. even then" Bismarck an
swered.
William then talked about the new
reichstag and about insurance. both
subjects on which he knew the chan
cellor's views were opposed to his own.
He spoke of his great wish to visit the
car as soon as possible
Bismarck did not approve of this
and the kaiser knew IT. The chancel-
lor's answer to the suggestion was to
take a document from his portfolio |
and warn the kaiser against the visit
saying that Prince Hatfield, the Ger
man ambassador at London, had made |
notes of some very unpleasant things
the car had said of the kaiser. These |
notes were contained in the document
which Bismarck exhibited. but would |
not show to William. The kaiser In
sisted that he read them, but Bis |
marck said that such distressing state |
ments could not very we'll be read |
aloud. The kaiser snatched the docu-
ment from Bismarck's hands and be-
gan to read for. himself. His face
grew pale with anger. for. as Bis !.