Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1885-12-31
A GERMAN ELECTION.

A GERMAN ELECTION.
An American Farmer Tells How the Re-
gent Of Brunswick Was Elected.
You have been having such exciting
times in the election of Governors, that
it may interest you to hear how they
elect Governors in Germany. True,
they call the Governor of Brunswick
the Regent, but his powers are similar.
I am, however, almost afraid to de-
scribe the election here, for it will so
commend itself to the party in power
at home that they may be inclined to
try it, to the very serious disadvantage
of the party that is out. Still, you have
as yet no Bismarck, and for the success
of this mode of voting he as requisite,
or one like him.
To see the need of this election, 1
must premise that year ago the Duke
died, and his heir, not being to Bis
marck's taste, was not allowed to sue
coed, but a Regent was appointed, and
the law requires that after the lapse of
a year the representatives of Brunswick
should elect Governor. They met in
their national chamber, the representa-
tive of Bismarck presiding, and the
proceedings for neatness and dispatch,
were worthy of Mr.. Tweed's palmiest
days of caucus manipulation. The
presiding officer read two papers which
stated the facts that rendered the right
full heir ineligible. Then the repre-
sentative of Bismarck arose and moved
that the chamber now proceed to-bal-
lot for candidate? By no manner of
means, but to elect unanimously his
serene most Royal Highness. Prince
Allrecht of Prussia, to be their Regent,
and e tremendous salvo of lebe hoch!!
followed from these forty or more rep
resen.atives. Could anything be neat
er OF more expeditions? What an
amount of bad blood and of printers
ink would be saved if every convention
could not only have all the delegates
vote unanimously for the candidate
proposed by the chair, but if these del
egates carried, in addition, the votes of
the State in their pocket!
The unanimity is particularly re-
freshing; it reminds me of the unani-
nous election of the hickory nuts to be
squeezed as they are put between the
Jaws of the nut-cracker.
But the succeeding steps in the COM
edy were taken with a seriousness that
greatly added to the effect. The cham
Der immediately appointed commit
tee to wait on his Royal Highness-tO
inform him that he was elected, you
think? Oh, no! You do not come to
Royal Highnesses in that manner.
They were to wait on him to beseech
him, in the tenderness of his regard
for these waits, graciously to conde-
scend to become their Regent-(the
salary, may mention, in parenthesis,
is $35O,OOO per year, and the schloss
thrown in)-hnmbly stating. though
with emphasis, that he was the unani-
nous choice of the people.
In few days the spirited and indie
pendent press of the country Informed
their readers that the committee were
graciously received by his Royal High
ness, described the carriage they were
driven in around the royal grounds,
and added that his Royal Highness
IIuIScH POluttu OuO tuC OCSt SiC"S.
They we're also granted the privilege
of making the acquaintance OF his
three children, the eldest eleven years
old!
But the acceptance was as original as
the election. The Prince announced
that he had received their communica-
ton and had laid it before the Kaiser,
who told him to accept, and 'as his
word to him was law" he hereby con-
veyed to the good people of Brunswick
the information that he would accept
and try to IVORY along" with $780,
600 year and pickings); but he
could not help referring, with real
pleasure, to the unanimous vote of the
electors!
The pleasure-loving people turned
out in crowds; all the streets the new
Regent traversed on his entry were pro-
fuscly and tastefully decorated; a tri-
umphal arch was erected; the school
children had lined his path; flags
streamed from every available point;
not sign of adverse sentiment; sere-
nades from the various singing societies
followed, torchlight professions and a
gala celebration at the theater.-Bruns-
scick Germany Cor. Country Gentle
man.