The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1889-01-11
GERMAM EIECTIoNS.
They Are Conducted In Quiet Way, an
Nobody Gets Excited.


Nobody Gets Excited.
To German the hurly-burly of an
American election is quite incompre-
hensible. As the subject of a constitu-
tiOnal government, under which the
right of suffrage is general, he thinks
he knows a thing or two about the
tactics of political campaign before
coming to America. He has, however,
every thing to learn about brass bands,
torches and oil-cloth uniforms as in
struments of political warfare. When
the German Prime Minister appeals to
the people for a verdict on his measures
a aslight ripple of fexcitement passes over
political circles. The newspapers dis
cuss, in an abstract manner, the issues
at stake. Correspondents write vague
generalities concerning Mr.. Schmidts
or Mr.. Meyers ability to carry his
district. Careful calculations and
thorough canvasses are unknown, or,
if known, are not communicated to the
newspapers. Campaign committees
are not constantly appealing for
money. Mutual examinations and re-
ordinations concerning colonization
y
German citizen in politics is the Ger
man still. He remains the phlegmatic,
deliberate, conservative student. He
wears no badges or buttons before
election. We're he to wear broom or
rooster on his hat after election the
police would promptly lug him off to
Jail
AS election day approaches few
quiet meetings are held. The officers
Hnger longer over their coffee in the
cafes to tell each other ''Bismarck's s
all right" But they don't say it that
way. They say it in sonOrOus topsy-
turvy sentences of classical German
words, eight syllables long. In the
beer restaurants a Radical tells q Con-
servative Bismarck is all wrong. The
Conservative demurs. The difference
of opinions is drowned in q clatter of
mugs and long draughts of beer, and
the conversation turns to the latest
opera or prospective bowling party.
When German gentlemen do discuss
politics with American ardOr they not
infrequently conclude to settle the mat
ter with pistols. Early in January,
1887, Wilhelm Hillenberg, an East
Prussian, heard man speak of Bis
marck as a rascal, in the Loewenbrau
restaurant, Berlin. Mr.. Hillenberg
was an admirer of Bismarck. He
challenged the stranger who thought
the Chancellor a rascal to fight with
pistols The duel was fought in the
Grunewald, near Berlin. Bismarck's
defamer got a bullet in the leg. Bis
marck's defender got off scot free.
Such affairs, though exceptional, ar e
of too common occurre nee to excite
much comment.
The general and intense suspense
which prevails in the United States on
election evening has no parallel in
Germany. For instance, early in 1887
tremendous interests were at stake on
the continent. Declaration of war be-
tween France and Germany was ex-
pected daily. In view of Frances s
threatening attitude, Bismarck had ap-
pealed to the country to return men to
the Reichstag who would vote to in
crease the standing army. Yet on
election evening Berliners were little
excited. A few more men walked
unter den Linden. A few moro
Lieutenants than usual ogled women
from the windows of Cafe Bauer. Oc-
casionally a man ran down the street
shouting "Extrar but as the extras
we're very meager and cost four cents
apiece, hardly any one bought theEl.
Otherwise Berlin was as quiet as usual
By midnight the slight ripple of ex-
citemept was entirely past, and the
Liberal as well as the Conservative
citizen had gone home happy in the
confidence that the good Emperor and
the great Bismarck would allow no
harm to come to the beloved father
land.-N T. Sun.