Show r ff i > I AFTER BISMARCK What AV111 tiLe Next Chapter in Germanys Ger-manys History Be Germany considers herself fortunate in I having so great a man as Bismarck to guide her destinies He is undoubtedly I a marvelous rulor in his way lIe takes rank with the foremost rulors of all his1 j tory There is no mere minister of a I king that can compare with him for he j is the superior of even such masters of statecraft as Cardinal Richelieu but it j may be doubted whether the future of Germany would not be brighter had that nation among its rulers a half score or so of statesmen trained in public life but with no such commanding talents as the I groat Chancellor Bismarck dwarfs all the public men in Germany and when ho I i lets fall the reins of power there is no ono t to follow who will ommand the willing i obedience of tho German people England j I Eng-land is more fortunate in this respect i Her parliamentary system trains to public pub-lic life l party chiefs in whom the English people have confidence hence the death of oven Mr Gladstone would be no such I calamity to the people of England as the decease of Prince Bismarck would be to the German nation Any intelligent reader of the newspapers could name a I score of statesmen in England who would i make very creditable Premiers but Germany Ger-many would lose prestige the world over were her great Chancellor to be removed by death We have splendid material in this country out of which to make temporary rulers but unfortunately un-fortunately our convention system ostracises our leading statesmen so far as the office of President is concerned We do not elect distinguished Generals as Chief Magistrates but 01 most popular statesmen are always ignored i in selecting candidates for the Presidential office The best our public men can hope for after a brilliant Congressional career is to become Cabinet officers or foreign Ministers So far we have got along very well but it shows how curiously popular government works in different countries In Great Britain the governing power is always lodged in the leading statesmen of the country while in the United States tho highest position of honor and trust is handed over to some thirdrate lawyer or I nondescript politician But the point wo wished to make was that the very greatness great-ness of Bismarck may so dwarf his successor suc-cessor that Germany may lose her prestige prest-ige which she now possesses of being the foremost nation so far as military power is concerned of all the world Dcmorest Monthly |