Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-10-07
tbs GERMAN ELECTIONS.

aa1 G-Rha an EL6OiicHS.
The elections for the Prussian Landtag
occur about the middle Of this month. 1t
is believed by many we'll, informed observ-
ers that they will result in decided Liberal
gains, and corresponding losses to the Gov
eminent party. Among the burning issues
which are now consolidating the Liberal
elements, the Church question, that of the
Cu'tarkamPf mainly, is the most exciting.
Since the Government surrendered in so
craven manner to Rome, since Bismarck,
notwithstanding all his previous boasts,
went to Canossa and did humiliating pen.
ance there-the Church party has grown
more insolent and audacious than ever.
Rome appears to have set herself to make
the Government eat dirt, for she has evil
IDENTIFY instructed the Catholic clergy to
defy the State laws, to insist upon the
supremacy of the Church, and to bear
themselves on all occasions as haughtily as
possible. The Government seems TO have
=" lost its grip on this question entirely.
Bismarck has surrendered everything, and
received nothing in return. The clericals
have done nothing for the Government, and
the probabilities are that they will not
do anything. Meanwhile the Liberals are
deeply incensed at thil base surrender on
the part of The Government They rep.
resen. tie Protestant feeling Of Germany,
which is unquestionably the national SEN
timsut. They will ros permit Bismarck
to barter off The religious liberty OF their
country for political support 10 his arbi-
trary and unpopular measures. They in
sist upon three points, viz The control of
the public schools by the Government the
maintenance of the laws OF civil marriage,
which the i1solcnt clericais have already
undertaken to trample under foot and
the unmistakab'e assumption of sovereignty
by the State, in way which will put
defnitive bounds to the Jurisdiction
OF the Church of Rome. On these points
the Prussian Liberals have the country
with them. They are also united upon
revenue reform, and in opposition to the
dangerous and reckless imposts proposed
by Bismarck under the pretense of extend.
ing German commerce and manufactures.
There is also strong demand for the ex.
tension of local self government, and upon
these issues the Liberals are about to 90
to the country with confidence which
appears to be well-founded. 1t is manifest
that the very best thing that could happen
at present would be such defeat OF the
Government as would convince Bismarck
Of the utter futility of his surrender to
the Vatican. In such an event he would
have 10 motive for submitting longer to
the insolence of the Prince Bishop
Of Breslau and the other Grrogaut clericals
who are now staggering 20 loudly, and
they would be compelled to moderate thei
pretensioEs, and submit themselves to the
State. Such an example also is calculated
to do much COOL throughout Europe,
where it is never we'll that the policy Of
Rome should be permitted to secure any
considerable successes, especially in cnuu.
tries like Germany. 1t is significant of the
ways of Rome that whereas she is behav.
ing with so much arrogance and i1solence
in Germany, where the Government has
yielded to her in so craven a manner, in
France, where she has received nothing
but kicks and blows for several years PAST,
and where she is treated by the Legislature
like q suspected tramp, she is all subser-
vience and smoothness and cancellation.