It could only become rich through manufactures, and manufactures had no opportunity of growing unless they had some moderate protection from foreign competition.
The effect of Bismarck's attention to finance was not limited to these great reforms; he directed the whole power of the Government to the support of all forms of commercial enterprise and to the removal of all hindrances to the prosperity of the nation.

To this task he devoted himself with the same courage and determination which he had formerly shewn in his diplomatic work.
One essential element in the commercial reform was the improvement of the railways.

Bismarck's attention had long been directed to the inconveniences which arose from the number of private companies, whose duty it was to regard the dividends of the shareholders rather than the interests of the public.

The existence of a monopoly of this kind in private hands seemed to him indefensible.

His attention was especially directed to the injury done to trade by the differential rate imposed on goods traffic; on many lines it was the custom to charge lower rates on imported than on exported goods, and this naturally had a very bad effect on German manufactures.