The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-02-23
DEFEAT OF THE KAISER.
THE VICTORY OF THE SOCIALISTS
THE TALK OF THE HOUR,

the bureaucratic system are pulling together
to delay the official returns of the election,
and to attenuate the Importance of the sue
cesses of the socialists at the polls. Last
night an independent and entirely re-
liable authority gave figures show
ing that the socialists had actually
elected twenty members, and had a good
prospect to capture more seats on the Sec
ond ballots. The semi-official press records
to-day the election of sixteen socialists.
Other papers say that nineteen socialists
are elected. A slight divergence such as
this in the result will not alter the leading
and dominant fact that the Cartel combi-
nation is destroyed.
The composition of the Reichstag will in
volve almost revolutionary notifications.
The most sanguine of the Cartellers do not
expect that the second ballots will make
such change in the result as will seriously
modify their defeat. The supreme question
is how far will the socialists success ulti-
mately reach. On Thursday their total
record of votes reached nearly 1,500, 600
against a record of TIA, 129 in the election of
1887.
MAY GET 40 SEATS.
No combination of their opponents seems
and thus we have before us the prospect of
seeing thirty-five to forty socialists seated
in the Reichstag. This party held eleven
seats in the last Reichstag. Another result,
suggestive of the growth of the popular
movement, is the temperance of the Volks
partei, or democrats so-called. In the
Reichstag of 1884 this party held eleven
seats. 1t vanished completely in the par
lament of 1887 for as 1t stood in the border
land between the German liberals and
socialists its efforts became absorbed
respectively in these, 1t has now captured
three seats, and has fair prospect of gain
ing eight on the second ballots.
The position of the German liberals is
doubtful. though Eugene Richter, its leader,
predicts that it will have fifty seats. 1t
now has thirty-five. AS this party is in
German politics one that might properly be
called the Liberal party, using that word
without qualification as it is ordinarily
used in the discrimination of parties, this
increase is to be hoped for. Formerly,
however, the strength of this party was
much greater.
THE CHIEF SUFFERER.
The chief sufferer, however, now and
prospectively, is the national liberal party,
the party of Bennigsen and MIGUEL, and
the backbone of the Cartel combination. 1t
is doomed to reappear in the Reichstag
with a certain loss of thirty seats. in the
last Reichstag it had ninety-three seats.
Taking the whole result together as it
stands in actual results, and as it is likely to
stand after the decision on the second bal
lots, the prospect is that the opposition will
have 224 in the House against 173 for the
government groups. This opposition
will be made up as follows: Centerists
or ultramontanes 100, German liberals or
liberals properly speaking 45, socialists 81,
Volks partei or democrats z. Poles IL, AL
satians 8, protestors IL, Gueiphs and Danes
together II. This is very Heterogeneous
opposition, held together by no devotion to
common purpose, but only by the mega
tive tie of objection; yet it is bound to give
the government some lively times and to
play momentous part in the history of
Europe.
NOTABLE INCIDENTS OF THE CONTESTS.
Some incidents of the contest are 80
strikingly notable that they are likely to
figure in an historical record of the caprices
of selection. One of these is the defeat of
Prof. Virchow, q famous and popular man
of science and distinguished liberal He
was defeated by Janiszwoski journeyman
bookbinder and Pole, a very old man and
extremely poor, who speaks broken German,
and yet the Second district of Berlin put
him at the top of the poll because he has
been victim Of repeated prosecutions.
Woermann, Prince Bismarcks friend, the
great Hamburg ship owner and a candidate
of the national liberals, was defeated by
Dietz, a socialist. This astonished the
socialists themselves Hamburg is now in
tirely in their hands.
The opposition press comments freely
upon the fact that after twelve years of the
operation of the law for the suppression of
the socialists the great populous centers of
the country have become hotbeds of soci-
alism. 1t is argued that since the law ex-
pires in September next, the government
must abandon its attempts to repress this
movement by legislation or dissolve the
reichstag and appeal to the nation on this
special issue.
SOME OF THE PRESS COMMENTS.
The VoSsische Zeitung attributes the de-
tion, to the increased burden of taxation
upon poor people, combined with the recent
imperial rescripts.
The GeTnldnia holds that the condemna-
ton of the government is irrevocable, and
that the dissolution and election of new
Reichstag would only confirm the result.
1t says that with the socialist vote far be-
yond 1,000,0 the emperor should separate
himself forever from the opportunists and
create body of serious social legislation.
The KrelLz ZeitWng traces the defeat to
the abandonment of religious ideas as the
basis of party union, and urges the parties
concerned for the maintenance of the exist
ing order of things to combine for joint
action on the second ballots.
The Post and the National Zeitunq also
urge union, while the North German Co.
zette declines to discuss the results until
they are complete.
OFFICIAL FEELING NOT DISCLOSED.
The press generally, in so far as it might
give any reflection of official feeling, re-
trains from comment, but progressist papers
recur to their predictions that Prince Bis
marck will Immediately resign the presi-
dency Of the Prussian ministry and that he
will be succeeded by Herr Boetticher. OFF,
cial opinion on this subject favors the view
that Prince Bismarcks position has been
strengthened by the result of the election.
The emperor was confident that the
rescript would check the successful
progress of the socialists, and is
consequently enraged at the discovery
that this was an illusion. Officials
of the chancellerie quote Prince Bismarck's
saying that "the rescripts would assist the
socialist candidates, andcould not weaken
them.n It Is thought likely, therefore, that
the emperor will return to che guidance OF
Prince Bismarck This attributes to him
capacity 20 take a brOad-minded view. 1t
is very difficult for a sInall-minded man TO
admit In the facs Of the world that he has
made a great mistake.
THE LABOR CONFERENCE.
Acr.crdiror IN a raxarf In the Ns1eh7.fnhfe..