The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-07-27
The Coming Election for the German
Parliament.


BY the dissolution Of the Rcichstag for
which the attempts Of HoEDEL and No
BELISG to assassinatc the Kaiser supplied
pretext, the German Chancellor meant not
SO much to insure a political reaction as to
further his economical projects He wants
to complete the work Of German unillcation
by concentrating all the railways under
the hand Of the State and to make
the empire sclf-supporting by a heavy cX-
else tax upon tobacco il not by Govern
mcnt monopoly 81 its manufacture. or late,
moreover, he has abandoned free trade
ideas and ovinccd a willingness 10 adopt the
views OF the protoctionists Hitherto his
programme has been frustrated by the re-
sstance Of that particuarist spirit which
corresponds substantially to the American
feeling for States rights, and by the condi-
tioual. half-hearted support Of the National
Liberal party.
Il is not easy % predict the results Of the
election which will take place on Tuesday
next So far as the mauifcstoes published
by the different parties are concerned, we
observe no material change of atti-
tudc. The National Liberals point out the
urgent necessity Of reforming the Govern
mcut in a constitutional sense, which Of
course means the creation Of a responsible
ministry. As 10 other matters, they
would promote the financial indcpend-
encc Of the empire by supprcssing the
contributions Of constituent States, and
substituting new fiscal resources, not
such, however, rs would ruin important in
dustrics This qualification plainly implies
opposition TO a Government monopoly Of to-
bacco. On the whole, the party guided by
Mcssrs. LAsKER and BENNIGsEN accept in
n general way the economical plans Of the
Chancellor, but differ with him as to means
and even in all cases make their adhesion
hinge on the bcstowal Of constitutional guar
Rntccs Ii, therefore, the National Liberals
should secure the larger part Of their former
seats in the Rcichstag, Prince BISMARCK
will be likely to find himself in the old EN-
Larrassment.
The Progresslsts in their published plat
form occupy their old ground, They pro-
nounce themselves in favor Of all measures
likely to raise the material, intellectual, and
moral level Of workingmcn; they demand
political and economical freedom ior the
empire, and reject the proposed imposts, the
tobacco monopoly, the State control Of rail-
way in n word, all Of BISMARCK S pet ideas.
As for the Socialists, while they rcpudiate
with Indignation the charge of connivance
in the criminal assaults upon the life Of the
venerable Kaiser, they reiterate with pecu-
liar emphasis their characteristic declara-
tipus and protest against the extraordinary
attempt now making TO crush out their
political organization. When we consider
that the number of Socialists arrested
reaches seven or eight thousand, and that
these include nearly all tho active and
influential members Of the party, we
Shall naturally expect signal falling
off in the vote for Socialist cnndi-
dates, and TO see the small number OF
seats hitherto secured by them considerably
curtailcd. 1t is extremely improbable, how
ever, notwithstanding the formation of the
so-called Agraran party that the Conser-
yatycs will obtain any portion Of the So
ciallst vote at the coming election. On the
contrary, large accessions from this source
may determine the success OF Liberal or Pro-
gresslst candidates in some OF the large
c.tios.
The Chancellor has decided to look for sup
port in the next Rcichstag from the so-callco
German Conservatives, from tho members
Of the party Of the Empire tRoichspdrte0
and under certain conditions to be dictated
In some measure by themselves, from Tho
Catholic members Of the Centre In theiI
platform the Conservatives demand that
tho old trade guilds shall be rcor
gained that the old system Of The
Zoltrercbl shall DO revived, and that
Indirect imposts shall be substituted
for direct taxes. They express no opinion
as TO the proposed tobacco tax, or the still