582 IN THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE-VII 



monetary standard, both of which were just then burning 

 questions. I told Mr. Kelly that it was much easier to 

 present him to the Emperor than to the chancellor, but that 

 we would see what could be done. Thereupon I wrote a 

 note telling Bismarck who Mr. Kelly was the senior 

 member of the House of Representatives by term of ser 

 vice, the leading champion therein of protection and of the 

 double standard of value; that he was very anxious to 

 discuss these subjects with leading German authorities; 

 and that, knowing the prince s interest in them, it had 

 seemed to me that he might not be sorry to meet Mr. 

 Kelly for a brief interview. To this I received a hearty 

 response: &quot;By all means bring Mr. Kelly over at four 

 o clock.&quot; At four o clock, then, we appeared at the pal 

 ace, and were received immediately and cordially. When 

 we were seated the prince said : &quot; I am very sorry ; but the 

 new Prussian ministry is to meet here in twenty minutes, 

 and I must preside over it.&quot; The meaning of this was 

 clear, and the conversation began at once, I effacing my 

 self in order to enjoy it more fully. In a few seconds they 

 were in the thick of the tariff question ; and, as both were 

 high protectionists, they got along admirably. Soon rose 

 the question of the double standard in coinage; and 

 on this, too, they agreed. Notable was the denunciation 

 by the chancellor of those who differed from him; he 

 seemed to feel that, as captain of the political forces of 

 the empire, he was entitled to the allegiance of all honest 

 members of parliament, and on all questions. The discus 

 sion ran through various interesting phases, when, notic 

 ing that the members of the Prussian ministry were gath 

 ering in the next room, I rose to go; whereupon the 

 prince, who seemed greatly interested both in the presen 

 tation of his own views and those of Mr. Kelly, said : &quot;No, 

 no ; let them wait. The new ministers therefore waited, 

 the argument on the tariff and the double standard being 

 more vigorously prosecuted than ever. After fifteen or 

 twenty minutes more, I rose again; but Bismarck said: 

 &quot;No, no; there s no hurry; let s go and take a walk.&quot; 



