BISMARCK AND HIS DESIGNS.

Press, Volume XLVI, Issue 7258, 14 March 1889, Page 5

BISMARCK AND HIS DESIGNS.

THE "CONTEMPORARY" ARTICLE. The Contemporary Revieio for February publishes an artiole entitled " The Bismarck Dyn •sty," by an anonymous author, who, from internal evidence, has probably drawn his information from very high quarters, which has attracted much atten. tion. It contains a vigorous and uncom. promising attack upon Prince Bismarck and all his plans. The writer (at first supposed to be Sir Jlorell Mackenzie) commences by giving a clue to Prince Bismarck's policy, which was the necessity of finding a successor to whom he could hand over the Major domoship, which he had spent his life i n creating. He selected as his heir his eldest son. To the determination to secure the succession to the Chancellorship to Count Herbert BUmarek is due the recem events which have scandalised Europe. Before Herbert wa» taken up for this position he was looked upou as * rather disreputable member of the family, having been mixed up in several brawls with women. After the Franco-Prussian w*r, iii whitfh he was wounded iv a cavalry fight, he again figured in a disgraceful scandal which served to accentuate his views with regard to women. Shortly after this he began to develop mi aptitude for official duties, and became Minister for Foreign Affaire. Wheu the Emperor William died it seemed desiraole to Prinre Bismarck that hie grandson William should succeed forthwith. Bismarck made sundry important biuding agreements on the p iuciple of duties. The Emperor Frederick, on the other hand, was not Biamarckian; he represented civilisation, culture, peace, and, above all, he represented the hateful principle of the rights of women, the re* cognition of faculties regardless of sex, and he paid homage to the genius of his vvite without stiuttug the measure of hie devotion because she wa* only a woman. The Crown Pnnce and Priucess probably regarded with tue utmost aversion the coarse brutalities of Count Herbert Bismarck. It is easy to imagine the measure of the temptation suggested by the cancer which was eatiug into the throat of the invalid at San Jttemo. His opponents suggested that the Chancellor summoned the Emperor Frederick from San Rerao to Berlin in the depth of winter, hoping that he would eitiier refuse, in which case Bismarck might have proclaimed a regency, or else if he did take the journey he die en route. Either alternative would have suited the Chancellor. The influence of the Empress Victoria was now paramount, and the Emperor frequently showed his aversion to Count Herbert by refusiug to transact business with him aud by sending for his father. Here was the Kaiser, with one foot in the grave, practically controlled by an English wife, presuming to dream of overthrowing the Bitttnarck dynasty. Who then could be surprised if Bismarck wished that the cancer make baste? That such evil existed in Bismarck's mind is shown by the malignant slanders poured out by the reptile press, which ehowed the various phases of the Chancellor's thoughts like a magic lantern. Bismarck at this time was unable to make up his iniud wh'ther the necessity of strengthening his own position justified him in declaring a regency. The difficulty was that he could not certify the incapacity of the patient, ao the Chancellor decided to wait for bis death, which the accident with the canula showed was nob far off. The last great obstacle to the Chancellor was removed after the reign of ninety days, when the grave closed over the coffin of the Emperor Frederick. The way seemed clear for the attainment of the Bismarckian dream. No more petticoat influence now in Ger.i an politics. Bismarck was left free to establish bis dynasty in peace. It was now necessary to punish all who had been associated with the Emperor Frederick. First and foremost came the widowed Emprese ; upon her fell first the vengeance of the offended Chancellor. All the blows aimed at Sir Morell Mackenzie f ell on her who had.always supported him, as the envenomed attacks of the reactionary press never ceased to show. She, whose position ought to have commanded universal sympathy, found herself isolated, de» uouucec, and slighted. The doctrine of vce victue was never more ruthlesely enforced. So little did Count Herbert care for others that he treated the Prince of Wales with such discourtesy as to render ie difficult for him again to meet him. The publio was made aware of this fact when both visited the Emperor of Austria, but carefully avoided meeting each other in their host's capital. Count Herbert, outheroding Herod, forced the Prince of Wales to take the extreme step of breaking off all relations with those who received the Count as a friend. With regard to the Morler incident, the writer points out that the real offence of the English ambassador has been hie persistent anxiety to put England and Russia on good terras, and so destroy the German hegemony of the Continent. As long as England and Russia are at cross purposes Europe disappears; there is only Germany and a Mayor of the palace at Friedricbaruhe or Varzin; but with a good understanding between London and St Petersburg, Germany resumes her natural and proper place as first among the European Powers.