Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1888-12-06
ELECTIONS IN 9 ERMANr.


They are Conducted In a ph,er,-
naatsc Way, a.ndLgsebody ssets "a, soIa
Excited.
To q German thn hurly.buriy OF an
American election Is eHi,e inconprehep-
sibie. As the subjset,ot n eupstituiinnel
government, under which the right Of
suffrage is general, he thinks he kno VS. q
thing or two about the tactics of a p-,iiti-
cal campaign bsfdre coming to America.
He has, however, everything to learn
about brass bands, torches, and oil cloth
uniforms rs Instruments OF political war
fare. When the German prime minister
appeals TO the people for verdict on his
measures o slight ripple of excitement
passes over political circles. The news
papers discuss, in an abstract manner,
the issues at stake. Correspondents write
vague generalitiss concerning Mr..
Schmidts or MIR. Meyers ability TO carrv
his district. Careful calculations and
thorough oanyssses are unknown, or, if
known, ere not communicated to the
newspapers. Campaign committees are
not constantly appealing for money.
Mutual ordinations aud recriminations
concerning colonization and bribery are
never heard. The German citizen in
PbAhANc ~ NAAo NfGAhAlNh otAtLs Itt tBluhlQS
the phlegrnatic, deliberate, conservative
student. de wears no badges or buttons
before election. We're he to wear btoom
or rooster on his lat after election the
police would promptly lug him off to
jail.
AS election day approaches few quiss
meetings are held. The officers linger
longer over their coffee in the cafes to
tell each other "Bismarck's all right
But they don't say it that way. They
ahy IL in sororous topsy-turvy sentences
OF classical German words eiP lit sy iiables
long. In the beer restaurants radical
tells q conservative Bismarck ID all
wong. The conservative de.nuTa. The
difference of opinions ia d1a@ned in q
clatter of mugs and losg draugh,sp Of
beer, and the conversation turns 70 the
latest opera or prospective bowling
party. HI 37lg r
When German gentlemen do discuss
politics wi IN American ardor they mot in.
fr quently conclude TO settle the matter
with pistols EARLY in January, 1857,
Wilhelm Hiilennerg. IN East PIuseian,
heard man speak Of Bismarck ae ras-
cni in the Lpewenbrau restaurant, Berlin
Mr.. Hislenberg was an sdmirsr of Biz.
marck. He challenged tbs stranger who
thought the chancellor rascal 10 fight
with pistols. The duel was fought in che
Grnnewald, near Bsrlin Biamarck's de
famer got o bullet III the leg. Bismarek's
defender got on scot free. Such sffairs,
though exceptional, are Of too common
ocearrenes toFxeite moon cbmtaents
The general and Intense baspsnss.
whicb prevails IN the fUhitsd kssate s ION
election evening has no parallel tnlsGer-
mst,v. For instsnos, earlyoin 1887, ne.
menjeuaintsresis were az etaAsYon she,
contiHienS AsdeclRratinu OF .wAr,b stsyeen
France utid Genaspy dHas expected dan =. j,
In view OF Franos'e threatening attitude,
Bismarck had appsRled 10 the country to
return men 10 the Reirhstes who would
vote TO increase the standing army. Yet
on election evfning BerlinaFs we're little
excited. A few more men walked unter
den Linden. A few more liautenants
than usual oRled women from the win.
doWs of Cafe Bauer. Occasionally man
ran down the street shooting Extra l''
but Gs the extras were very mssRre and
cost four cents apiece, hardly any one
bought them. Otherwise Berlin was as
qaiet as usual. By midnight the slight
ripple OF excitement was entirely past,
AND the liberal as'wsll as the Conservative
citizen bad gone home happy in the CON
hdencs that the good emperor and the
great Bismarck would allow no harm to
come to the beloved fathsTiand.