Year: 1879

THE SILVER QUESTION-HIS PERSONAL AP-


PEARAEcE.


Congressman Kelley. OF Pennsyvania, in Berlin
letter. dated July TO- to the Philadelphia Tunes gives
the following account OF his interview with Prince
Bismarck


AS the clock struck two the carriage Of Mr.. White
entered the courtyard OF Prince Bismarcks official
residence. which, fronting Wilhelm strasse. sur
rounds three sides OF triangle. AS We entered his
room, Bismarck advanced and put by
the cordaliy of his greeting His personal appear
ancc was surprise to me. Portraits, busts and
statues had made me familiar with his face and head
but had not told that his height is than six
feet three and that his frame is broader than that
of General Scott to whom III all physical respects
cept in the contour OF his face and head. he bears
closer resemblance than any man have ever seen
Having turned his back upon the broad table.
Oh which, from the papers spread upon IT,.
IL was evident he had been ut work. he
remarked that he was not SO vigorous formerly
and could work but FIVE hours day at his desk.
though he ought to work sixteen, and proceeded
with the easiest familiarity to tell how his habit
OF working far into the morning and the preoccupa
ton OF his thoughts by practical questions had
made it impossible for him to sleep in the quiet
hours Of the night. 1.-The silence that follows mid
night is, said he. terrible. 1t wakeus all the evil
spirits of my mind; they lead me into phantascs
and to escape them get up and walk read
write. On many such occasions have anticipated
debates. and supposed what would be said in oppo-
sltion and what would say in reply aud fearing
that would not remember my thoughts and words,
which seemed so effective. have risen and carefully
written them out. But have never once found
them of use. They were always too fine to be avail
able among practical men. and the paper and pen
which were always beside my bed have been useless
and wasted When the noises OF the day begin fall
asleep and sleep till eleven o'clock sometimes till
twelve and even one o'clock. at my home in the
country would not, think, sleep any but that the
great burden trains. with three engines and moro
than one hundred wagons. pass each other on rail
road about three hundred feet from my house, ana
during this time. soothed by the noise. 60 to
Sleep.


THE TARIFF.


To these illusions Mr.. White made appropriate re-
joinders and in q few minutes Bismarck, addressing
me directly said:-"You doubtless interested in
our action on the tariff. We can, he proceeded TO
say, "produce what need well our neigh
bors, but cannot do it cheaply they especially
as Hungary and Russia can raise cattle and grain
almost without cost. and to relieve famers OF
part OF the land tax, which is oppressive, it proper
that We should make those who corlpete with them
for our market pay something for the privilege he
then gave most interesting account or how vast
tracts OF land in those countries cultivated by
people who neither own nor rent the land and who,
therefore. need not. as he said. pay taxes in
terest capital On parts OF these free lands their
herds of cattle range. and at the proper
son hundreds of horses and ploughs are brought
there, and land outside the cattle ranges is
prepared for seed. This service is paid with
cattle, and when the grain is ripe the same
horses come to cut and thresh it, their owners
receiving u percentage of the crop. "To raise and
gather POO kilos OF wheat in that way" continued
taxed on the quantity OF land that would yield the
same amount of grain, and the experience of few
need such duties as protected them from unequal
competition under The Zoll-veren.


Nothing in the interview surprised me much
the freedom with which Bismarck spoke OF men still
in positions of influence. His contempt for the
rogant pretenders who regard the doctrines OF the
British school free trade as absolute and indspu-
table propositions is intense. He characterized them
as doctrinaires and closet men and said doctors,
clergymen and lawyers. but few of whom know
anything of the details OF public affairs generally
on that side, and they led by those who
know nothing on the question but what they
have learned from the books OF men who have
plausibly formulated impracticable nonsense. I
have, said he, ''had much annoyance from block
heads who askim possible answers to irrelevant ques-
tlons; and, as the Trench proverb says, Go about
seeking for noon at two o'clock. " Fearing that
might be trespassing we proposed to leave. when
saying, "But You will look at the garden" he
arose, took his and cap, and swapping his
fingers to the large black dog that had lain quietly
his side moved toward the door; but, as if upon
sudden impulse. he turned and said. "But must
introduce you to these friends of mine," pointing
to the two sides OF the room on which hung few
one OF them indicated that the subject other
than u private citizen, although they included his
wife and daughter. the Earl of Beaconsfeid, "Aly
dear friend, Moltke and several other notablties.


THE SILVER QUESTION.


But in view OF the grave international significance
OF the conversation which followed. must omit
what he said about them with his account of the
garden, with it's arcade OF trees. illustrating the
growth of Berlin. and his response to my remark
upon his striking personal resemblance to General
Scott In the garden Bismarck, recurring to the
subject of customs duties said that each govern
ment should regard the welfare of its people.
you have done this by your tariff. and your
tional progress is unparalleled You compete
Ill manufactures Wltn England IN many mar
kets. and by means OF your ingenious machinery
and cheap transportation send food even
into Germany" Here I found my oppor-
OF US believe that by your demonetization
OF silver you have arrested our progress,
and by restricting trade, have driven bankrupt
traders and unemployed artisans into agricultural
pursuits and by thus reducing prices have increased
the composition with which you have to contend"
The frankness of the response to this challenge
seemed as much of "a surprise to our Minister, who
is evidently on the easiest possible terms with Bis
matter have gone fast and too far. We have
not been WISE As each State had its own monetary
System. the Empire found many conaGes within its
limits and must unity them 1t also found itself
in condition to use gold. and it seemed wise to
do so. One man cannot understand every specially,
ard men must select those which they would
master. I had not male finance q study, and
had to choose agent TO conduct these Changes.
Herr Delbruck had great reputation as financier
abroad and at home and 10 him the matter was con-
6ded. But great ~ was hts reputation, results have
shown that. AZ the country people say, he carried
only water il his kettle (which provcrb signifies that
workmcn whose poverty is such that they cannot
obtain meat broth carry kettle OF water in order
connscors aud make a speciality OF the subject. 1t
is clear that did not need TO abolish silver
money-we should have supplemented il by goli
coinage. The sale of silver has reduced the price Of
that metal, has cost the empire immense sum aud
cannot be continued without rninous loss. Won
Dechend, President of the Reichs- Bank, has shown
aud have therefore prohibited further sales"


BISMARCK on rBE PROPOSED CONVENTION.


AT this point suggested that our government was





nations to fnee. in joint convention tor the purpose
of determining the relative value Of gold and silver
and providing for the general recognition of silver
q money metal. With an expression of mingled
surprise and gratiicaion he quickly asked lis the
measure definitely determnedY' / replied atlrina-
lively, saying tha( had my information from Presi
dent Hayes and oS Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr..
Evarts, and that Congress had appropriated 10000
marks with which to deray the expenses OF our CON-
missioners Turning to Minister White with an
earnestness of manner which caused to think no
would be pleased IL the remark should be trans
M WaSliinutOn. af
will not need protracted consideration. Its accept
ance will be immediate The publication of these
facts may impair the mysterious value of future
formal diplomacy. but is justified by the freedom of
the interview, which imposed restraint upon my
pen. .


Moving toward the door by which we had entered
the garden my steps were arrested by the question
from BisinarcE. ''Wha, will you probably do if tile
governments you address do not respond favor
ablyY Promising that could give hut my personal
views on that question said that was confident
that our people would in less than two years npor.
ativcy demand the full and unqualified rcmonetiza-
tion OF silver, which measure ardcnty supported.
'But, said he, 'can you do that? Will not all