, 1889-12-29

The Foreign Budget.
Copyrighted. 1889. by the n. Associated Press
BERLIN. Dec. 2S.-Prince Bismarck is
under the weather, but is apparently not
one of the victims Of influenza. His con
dition does not occasion any alarm, but
he is i'll enough to compel him to give up
almost entirely the effort to transact off.
cial business and to prevent his appear
ance at court on New Years day. His
doctors oppose his desire to reapDear in
the reichstag and take part in the debate
on social law or military credits or any
subject likely to ~irri.ate him.
In responding to compliments Of the
diplomatic reception on New Years day,
the emperor will make a short pacific
declaration, the presumption being that
the royal and imperial word on this occa-
sion gives a key note for Europe for the
year.
On Christmas evening there were as
sembled in the new palace Prince and
Princess Leopold of Russia. The duke
and duchess of SAKE are at Potsdam. The
Princess Fedora, their only child. pre-
vented their attending the family party.
Each one of the emperor's five sous had
a large Christmas tree all for himself
placed on a table, the tree of the emperor
and empress being on another table in the
enter hall. The emperor passed the
greater part Of Christmas evening assist
ing in decorating the trees and irOlicking
with the children and left the party to go
TO the theatre for Banay's revival of
Hamlet. On Christmas day the emperor
and empress and Grand Duke and Ouch
ess of Baden dined with Empress Angus
ia and her family. To night Empress
Augusta gave a reception TO Mr.. Phelps,
U. s. minister. in the presence OF her
full court. The empress in the course OF
a cordial conversation with Mr.. Phelps
expressed her life long interest in Amer.
can affairs and her desire that the people
of the u. 5. should use their resources
always in the interest of the peace of the
world.
ALI society is now intensely interested
in the coming fancy dress ball which the
emperor is to give at Schloss, where every
one OF the guests must appear in oriental
costume.
An exceedingly interesting discussion is
carried on in private life everywhere, and
not without much heat over the queer
proceeding of the emperor IN RENTING a
fine of 400 marks inflicted upon DR..
Bachelor of the Stddtsburger ZeituRg,
a conservative sheet which libelled Herr
Singer, the socialist. Ii attacked him
vigorously because he posed publicly as a
socialist and a friend OF the people while
in fact he is the head OF a factory for
making woman's cloaks and similar gar
ments in which the sweating system is
pracuced at the expense of many girls
employed by him. Bachelor appealed to
the courts. The editor was condemned
and paid his fine in August. This fine
was returned by the emperor on Monday
last. Such use OF royal power naturally
surprises the people. Hitherto the exer
else of social clemeocy has been restricted
to state cases. For the emperor to thus
interfere and stand between Justice and an
accused person in a mere case of private
interests is so plain a substitution of
royal cavriee for the law of the land that
everybody can understand it and there
fore everybody is profoundly moved by it.
The journals cannot ignore the subject,
but they are obliged to touch it with the
greatest caution for fear of prosecution.
Liberals OF all shades discuss it in private,
however. and it is the universal theme.
The Nationalists intensely regret the in
cident as it plays into the hands of the
PTogresslsts and Socialists on the eve OF
an election with a clear demonstration of
great abuse of power. This incident will
confirm the National Liberals in their in
clination to refuse to vote as it stands for
the expulsion of claims if the application
of that clause is limited to Socialists as
proven to be engaged in conspiracy
against the state and if it shall not apply
to mere a ADVOCACY OF Socialism in the press
or on the rostrum. 1t is improbable that
Bismarck will accept this compromise and
the immediate political future will take
shape from this as a sterling point. The
liberal spirit Of the National Liberal party
quickened by the Bachelor incident. will
make it impossible for that party to yield
on this expulsion clause. Without this
party it can't be carried. Prince Bis
marck will. therefore, withdraw the bill
and dissolve the reichstag.