New-York tribune., 1873-03-15
CORRUPTION IN PRUSSIA.

COUNTERPART TO THE CREDIT MOBLIER INyEs-
TIGATIoN-sALE OF RAILROAD CONCESSIONS
THE PRUssIAN CIVIL SERVICE.
lFRoM A REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
BERLIN, Feb. 20.-I may properly begin this
letter by giving expression TO the profound Joy WIN
which Americans at Berlin have received the news OF
reawakening of the public conscience in America Ihe
downfall Of PomerOy the exposure OF Caldwell, the IN
vesgation into Credit Mobilier symptoms of new
era which Americans abroad welcome more heart
lily than their compatrots at home 1t is the fashion to
ridicule the great body OF countrymen who " DO
Europe The satire is often just and can hardly be TOO
seyere but il is to be said the other hand, that II
our nerant cOuntrymen poorly represent what Is good
in America they have also to.bear personally inc re-
proach Of what is bad Credit Mober makes the posi-
tion Of every American American less inviting In
Europe During the whole Winter you have sent us by
cable nothing but res generally the result OF official
careessness railroad accidents generally the result OF
criminal negigence scandaous perversons OF justice IN
the courts and pecunary scandals at Washington Inc
foreign press gloats over these things sensitive and
rejecting Americans abroad suffer the penalty But the
general demand is for the most sweeping exposures
without fear OF publicity favor for persons. fester
day we received the report the case OF Caldwell ana
that Of the Poland COmmttee; and our joy s tempered
only by the fear lest trick may cheat justice OF Its
due and that the general indignation may relax
To pass from corruption in America TO corruption In
Prussia il rather an agreeable duty Those children OF
the West whose first idea Of national glory Is blgness
will take genuine delight in hearing that fraud In Prus
sa falls in respect arithmetca grandeur amentaby
behind the same thing in America. The whole Kingdom
OF Prussia is profoundly stirred by series OF frauds
which any active city politician in Hew-York would
despie To search and punish the authors OF pecua
tons amounting to half million thalers, or say S5OoOo
the whole machinery OF Government Parliament Minis
try and Crown, is set in motion, and tremendous ex
ctement IL caused There is something paltry about
this something trivial to Americans that your Credit
Mobiier people will doubtless be invited to banquet
for having yindcated the superiority Of the Republic
The ridiculous sensitveness OF the Prussans Ia due,
ppose to the fact that in this country the false mon
archca love for official integrity still survives one OF
the qualifications exacted Of officers that they be hon
est Another is that they be capable Another Is that
they be educated. BY applying these arstocratic tests
10 the public service Prussia has been led to nrust her
fortunes to such soldiers Motke and such statesmen as
Bismarck to win such battles sadowa and Grave
otte and to work way to the leadership of Europe
At the same time she has maintained such civil service
as no other nation in the world can show depart
ment clerk who must as an indispensable condition be
a graduate OF some university, and who may
be able to write dispatches in half dozen
languages receives perhaps a salary OF 1900 thalers.
Profound scholars, who fare familiar with science
with philosophy, with literature, with law, and who
might f professOrships in any OF these departments,
work faithfully in a Government bureau on salaries
which barely their families from actual want And
they do not steal They do not dabbe In stocks They
do not attend caucuses stuff baOtbOxes, nor make
combinations" lie and cheat and bear false witness
They are honest by education by instinct by patriotism
They work faithfully year after year on their meager
salaries, prouder of their spoess names than OF all the
treasures world and spending their leisure In the
consultations of pure philosophy"
The superb qualities OF the Prussan have been
maintained too in spite OF political and social system
which does not offer the best facilities for detecting dis
honesty. Prussia has not like America, an active om-
nipresent and reOrseess press following uD the steps
of public men, has not that democratic facility for
changing public servants at the baotbOx. Until 1913
there was not even a legislature and late as 1896
Bismarck carried the affairs OF the Government with
out parliamentary appropriation. The King interferes
personally the most minute affairs, and Ministers are
responsible only TO him. In such system it would be
easy for corrupt officials to hide their practices at least
from the people and the legislature but the mar
yeous economy OF the Government goes on year
70 wear without any scandalous interruption, and
faithful officials, after q lifetime in the service
of their country, die in poverty and even want
This haterng picture OF the public service of Prussia
may seem curious introduction TO an account OF alleged
frauds in the same country but it will best explain tho
excitement which caused by reported theft OF half
Million The event startes the country precisely because
IL IL furnishes the fair reputa
op OF the service and because it disgraces man who
with the exception OF honesty possesses all the qualities
which monarchca prejudice eXacts or those who serve
their country in official stations Priyy-Counellor
WAGNER is good specimen Of the old Prussan Junker
man of fine scholarship and acute intellect, and good
literary powers-he once editor of the herz ZeunG
and has written a number OF books-a devout church
man. anda bitter conservative he stood, seemed TO
stand for all that is clear proud and bigoted in the old
Prussian school. The favor of Prince Bismarck and
powerfu friends gave him official position which was
Almost a sinecure Instead however, OF devotng himself
f those occupatons which leisure offered culture, he
began TO speculate He was high IN the confidence OF
Connt stzenpitz Minister OF Commerce, and sup
ported by the prestige of Bsmarcs favor and he used
his advantages with much skill. Like Mr. Oakes Anes,
he went into the railway business with the patriotic
purpose Of encouraging the development OF his country
about the facility with which fraud might be committed
i'm Prussia The concession Of railway charters IN this
country practically in the power OF the Minister or
this Minister'S authority. Whether road was to DO
built by private enterprise or by the state the conces
the one case OF charter the other OF contracts
were distributed according TO his unrestrained youon
Wagner simply took advantage OF this circumstance lie
entered into arrangemenwith some noblemen IN the
Eastern PROVINCES notably Princes Bron and Putbus,
according which, IL is alleged he Obtained the cOnces
eons from his friend, the Minister OF Commerce, and
pased them over for consideration to the second par
ties year ago the Landtag passed an act limit
ing somewhat the Minister'S discretion in such cases. It
was to effect certain day. Now four days be-
fore the fatal date the Minister issued two valuable con-
cessons 10 Herr Wagener and ms colleagues AFTER the
concessions had passed through variety OF vesstudes
In order 10 eyade laws and IN the course Of which, Is
charged Judge bribed for "a favorable decision,
Herr WAGNER disappears and Princes Bron and Putbus
appear the stage. Now comes in transaction which
recalls, on painfully small scale the Credit Mobilier
tactics. The similarity is indeed striking.
As holders OF the concessions these nOblemen were
bound TO grant the subordinate contracts To distribute
tile state FUNDS in the economical manner and 10
receive fair OF profits. They organized themselves
aud some OF straw into the required Committee OF
Administration" Then they proceeded TO organize
Committee Of Construcuon;" aud at tins point the
istradon was BrOn and Putbus the Committee Of Con-
struction Putbus and Bron. Tne Committee or Ad.
uinistraton was very generous To the Committee OF
Construction. The gentlemen comprising the latter COM
Inttee grew enormously rich without at all impoyersh-
ing gentlemen composing the former. The State was
sliIereI. and mght be eNpected the roads were