The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-09-24
But He Was Often Wrong

But He Was Often Wrong.
While was stlll prince OF Prussia
] often thought to myself: II hope
that the great chancellor will live
for many years yet, since | should
bo safe II could govern with HIM"
But my reverence for the great
statesman was not such as to make
me take upon my own shoulders,
when l became emperor, political
plans or actions OF the prince which
considered mistakes. Even the
congress OF Berlin In 1873 was, TO
my way OF thinking. a mistake, like
wise the "Kuiturkampf." Moreover.
the constitution of the empire was
drawn up 80 as TO fit in with Bis
marck's extraordinary preponder-
ance as n statesman; the big cuiras-
sier boots did not fit every man.
Then came the labor protective
legislation. / most deeply deplored
the dispute which grew out OF this,
but. at that time, It was necessary
for me to take the road TO cpmpro-
mise, which has generally been my
road both in domestic and foreign
politics. For this reason | could not
wage the open warfare against the
social democrats which the prince
desired. Nevertheless this quarrel
about political measures cannot les
sen my admiration for the greatness
Of Bismarck as n statesman; he re-
mains the creator of the German
Empire, and surely no one man need
have done more for his country than
that.
Owing TO the fact that the great
matter of unlfying the empire was
always before my eyes. | did not al
low myself TO be influenced by the
. a a.. tt. 4.
places OF those days. In like man
ner. the fact that Bismarck was
called the majordomo Of the Hohen-
zollerns could not shake my trust
in the prince, although he, perhaps,
had thoughts OF a political tradition
for his family. As evidence or this.
his son Bill felt no interest in politics
his Bill felt no interest in politics
and wished to pass on his power
TO Herbert.
His Grandfathcr's Successor.
The tragic element for me, In the
Bismarck case, lay In the fact that
! beca me the successor OF my grand
fathcr-in other words, that / skip
ped one generation. to certain ex-
tent. And that is a serious thing, IN
such case ono is forced 70 deal
constantly with old deserving men,
who live more IN the past than in
the present, ana cannot grow into
the future. When the grandson sue
ceeds his grandfather and finds a
revered, but old statesman OF the
stature OF Bismarck, II is not "A piece
OF good luck for him, ~ one might
suppose, and /, IN fact, supposed.
Bismarck himself points that out in
the third volume OF his memoirs (p,
40), when he speaks, In the chapter
about BOcttiChcr, Of the Oldish eau
tion Of the chancellor. and Of the
young emperor.
And when Ballin had the prince
cast a glance over the new harbor
OF Hamburg, Bismarck himself felt
that new era had begun which he
no longer thoroughly understood.
on that occasion the Prince re-
marked. in astonishment:
Another world n new world"
This point OF view also showed t.
self on the occasion Of the Visit of
Admiral Won Tlrpitz at Frledrichs-
ruh, at the time when he wished TO
win the old imperial chancellor over
to favoring the first navy bin.
AS for me personally, ] have the
satisfaction Of recalling that Bis
marck entrusted 10 me In 1886 the
very delicate Brest mission. and said
OF me: some day that man Will be
his own Chancellor" This shows.
that Bismarck must have had some
belief in me.
No Grudge Against Bismarck.
feel no grudge against him for
the third volume Of his reminis-
cences. | released this volume after
] had sought and obtained my rights
To withhold the volume any longer
would have been polntless, since the
main contents had become known
already through indiscretions; we're
this not true, there might have been
varying opinions as TO the advisa-
bllity In the choice OF the time for
publication. Bismarck would turn