Omaha daily bee., 1884-01-07
EDWARD

The sudden death OF Edward Lasker
caused a profound sorrow among Ger
transporting people on both sides of
the Atlantic. Edward Lasker has been
a power in Germany for nearly twenty
years. He was eminently a great politi-
cal leader, fearless, aggressive, and near
ly always a champion of the masses as
against the aggression Of t%yrranical aris-
tocracy. His relations to a large faction
in the German reichstag were similar to
those held by Charles Stewart Parnell
towards the home-rulers and Irish repre-
sentatives in the English parliament.
Edward Lasker's career is very re-
markable. Born in 1929, In the pro-
vince of Posen, in Prussia, he received
a liberal education iu the schools of his
country. He entered the university and
engaged in the special studies of iuris-
prudence and mathematics. After leav-
ing the university he spent three years
In England studying tho English consti-
tuition and law, which laid the founda-
ton for his knowledge of parliamentary
government.
Returning to his w country and To-
eating at Berlin he was appointed in
1856 to his first office under the Prussian
government. Being of Jewish descent,
his creed stood in the way of his promo
ton, and several pamphlets setting forth
his constitutional views, which he pub
lished about that time, were regarded as
revolutionary and put him in disfavor
with the Prussian officials. In 1865 he
was elected a member from Berlin to the
Prussian house of deputies. This was
the beginning of his eventful career in
public life. In 1868 he was elected from
Magdeburg, and subsequently, when his
fame became national, he was elected to
the North German diet, and finally, after
the union of Germany and Prussia into
the German empire, he was elected to
the German diet. While he was serving
in the public capacity of representative
he became quite eminent in his profess
sion as an attorney.
AT first Lasker's political conviction
allied him with the progressive party,
but when the Franco-P russian
war broke out, and it be-
came evident that Bismarck's policy
| aimed at the establishment of a united
Germany, Lasker became n of the
founders of the national liberal party,
which still has the majority in the par
lament. In the internal development of
the empire he always championed the
cause of the people. He was a strict con-
structienist of parliamentary law, and in
resisting all arbitrary exercise of power
by the government. When once he had
taken position on any measure he main
tanned it, regardless of all opposition.
Even when he agreed in the main with
the government he often took issue with
it on questions of public policy. On all
important laws enacted within the past
ten years, especially on those concerning
trade and traffic, usury, imprisonment fol
debt, he exercised a decisive influence.
What made him most popular in his
early parliamentary triumphs was his at
tack ON the ministry of commerce il
1873, when he directly attacked Emper
or Williams cabinet and some of thsprin
ces. Since that memorable event Laskel
has crossed swords with Bismarck on sew
eral occasions and sometimes to the dis
comiture of the great chancellor. Ii
these contests Lasker frequently sacri'
feed his personal and professional inter,
ests to what he considered the publ,
good. And this fact, coupled with hi
tact and mastery ability in handling
great questions, made him q formidable
leader with a very large popular follow
ing. His visit to America was mainly
for the purpose Of acquiring a persona,
knowledge of American institutions.
While in Washington he received marked
attention at the hands of cabinet officers
and members of congress. His sudden
and premature death in a foreign land ii
a sad ending to a brilliant career.
THIRTY days ago there was great re
joicing among the ''strong-minded" il
America over the safe return of Elizabeth