New-York tribune., 1884-02-19
BLSN1PCK IND CONGRESS.

The seemingly incredible TumOr that Prince
Bismarck had returned the Lasker resolution
| to Congress has been fully confirmed The
German Minister at Washington has received
official advices from his Government directing
him to inform the State Department that the
resolution cannot be received. The American
Minister at Berlin, who requested the Foreign
Office to place the resolution of coincidence IN
the hands of the presiding officer of the
Rechstag. has been passed over in silence.
The German Minister at Washington is charged
with the responsible duty of returning the
rejected address and expressing the Chancelior's
disapprobatiOn. Ii is TO be hoped that the ex
plantations will be definite and explicit. 1t will
be interesting 70 observe whether the Chancel-
lor objects 10 the procedure as irregular in FORM
and lays stress upon the inexpedency Of such
an exchange of cOurteses between national
legislatures, or whether he assumes to exercise
a direct censorship over the opinions OF Con
gress respecting a prominent German states
mans position and patriotic service.
Whatever may be the nature Of the Chancel-
lOr's remOnstIanCe, Congress ought not 10 be
drawn into any controversy over this
matter. The return Of the resolution
should not be made the occasion of
indignant rhetoric or heated debate. The sud
den death Of one of the most distinguished
political leaders Of the Fatherland while hc
was making an American tour called out from
thousands OF Germm-Americans expressions
of sorrow and respect. These expressions were
echoed in the resolution passed by Congress.
The action of the Houses may have been
unusual but it was sincere and well-meant. il
was not calculated to give offence to German
legislators or to the Imperial Government but
tended to promote good feeling between
the two nations. The return Of the
resolution simply indicates that the cour-
tesy was not appreciated. SO rude
repulse, so unnecessary an atfront, ought not to
be seriously, much less angrily discussed. No
effort should be made either by the State De-
partment or by Congress to prOlong this inter
national incident. The best answer to the
ChancellOrs curt message is silence. 1t will be
at once dgnifed and contemptuous answer |
1t must not be forgotten that in intercepting |
a communication addressed by one national |
legislature to another the German Chancellor |
has divided the afl'rOnt between the two bodies. |
The return of this resolution of coincidence is not
)ne whit more insulting to the chambers where
t originated than to the chambers to which it
vas addressed. That the German people feel
10Th humiliated and irritated by the Chancel
or's action is evident from the remonstrances
# the Berlin press. In his dealings with the
Ieichstag he has given many positive indica
ions of his contempt for the principles of Par
amentary government. He has desplsed the
ldiyidual Deputy, and steadily deprecated the
elective functions of the Reichstag. In his
wn phrase, "any stick is good enough to beat
dog with" This has been the principle on
,hich he has acted in his fantastic campaign
gainst Parliamentary government Certainly
{ could have afforded the Fatherland no more
riking illustration of his contempt for a Par
ament elected by universal suffrage than by
from it a letter of coincidence from
ne National Legislature of that free and self
)verncd land which hundreds Of thousands
Germans have made their adopted country.