St. Paul daily globe., 1890-02-09
SKEPTICISM CROWS.
Kaiser williams Propositions
Are Termed Political
Moonshine.
European Powers Not Likely
to Participate in a Con-
ference.
Switzerland Endeavored to
Initiate Such Proceeding
and Failed.
The Socialists Themselves
Hope to Gain Largely by
the Rascripts.

altogether improbable that the Euro
pean powers, if ever invited. will assent
to take part in such an international
conference as that upon which the EN-
peror addresses BiSmark in his first res
cript. England, France, Belgium and
Switzerland are named by the emperor
as involved in-his scheme: but this use
of the names of those states has been
made without any understanding with
any one OF them. His majesty says
that he desires that the ambassadors of
those nations be sounded on the sub
1ect, but he does not even direct the
opening of negotiation. and. in fact.
none has been opened. Not single
step has been taken toward learning
whether those powers approve of such
O conference. 1t has hren published
that Switzerland accepts the project,
but this is apparently an Inference
based upon the fact that Switzerland
herself formerly Pniravored to initiate
such proceeding. The report is not
based upon the existence of any official
document. 1t may bp
ALSO a MISUNDERSTANDING,
the Swiss convention actually Ia he held
being confused with the Ct Inference of
Williams scheme. On the contrary,
the probabilities point to the summary
refusal of the powers 10 join IN the
scheme. if even they are ever invited,
The Marquis of Salisbury declined the
Swiss invitation tn the labor conference.
1t does not follow that he would refuse
an invitation from the emperor of Ger
many because he refused one from the
EelVetian republic. hut il Indicates at
a9aSt that in Downing street just now
Aey do not take kindly to political
lOonShine. The French press, as a
whole, treats the mere hiea of the con
ference as an insult. The Swiss. even,
do not seem 10 like the notion that the
move may Interfere with their cunven-
Son to be held ia May. and are eXclainI-
a. against any such interference.
size obvious futility of the general pro-
positions touched in the rescripIs has
led to the report that the conference
will ignore the subject of minimum
wages and limit itself to The cuuSidera-
tiOn of the industrial employment of
women and children: the economic and
other aspects of labor, and tha eight
hours for day movement. There is no
authority for this report, which implies
that the project of tile reScripts has got
20 a point where a regular programme
has been drawn up. That is not the fact.
But even il the scheme should get this
far and be restricted as thus suggested,
1t Is considered that no practicable end
can be reached. The Semi-utfieIal press
admits that this agreement upon the
Agenda of the conference, upon the
true basis OF negotiation and
THE LIMITATION OF INQUIRY,
will, in consequence of The differences Of
system in various countries, bp the
really difficult point: but The private,
opinion in all official circles is that no
conference will ever MEET If any i'm
pOrtant fact is to flow from these de-
creeS, it viii be from that part of them
which proposes internal changes. new
tabo legislation and the reform of the
relations existing between employers
and workers. The first fact will be the
special commission which will he con-
Vened here TO prepare bills for the next
Seichstag. This is to be composed in
equal parts of wurkingmen aud em-
plOy ers. Baron Stumm, who next to
krupp Is the largest employer of
labor in Rhineland. is likely to
preside over this commission. It's
'Nrojects will be examined by the coun-
Oil of state before they are submitted to
the reichstag. The council of state is
not body that POSSESSES in any great de-
gree the confidence and good will of the
pOpulace, and wOrkingmen murmur at
the notion that 1t il first to sit in iudg-
ment upon the laws that are to initiate
Sheir new utopia. 1t is said. therefore,
that the emperor will renrganize this
body. Ii is now composed of eighty
members, fifty of whom are officials or
generals, and there are only eight men
Ia IL. of whom Herr Miguel is one, who
have any knowledge of industrial sub
IectS. 1ht emperor proposes TO appoint
on this body a certain number of work
tngmen to assist in these deliberations.
For this
HE HAS A GOOD PRECEDENT
IN the PruSSian economic council. or
lks-Wirtschaftrath fifteen members
of which are wOrkingmen. The effect
of the DEGREES upon the electoral cam
vass is:that they actually tend to help
the socialist party. This is a surprise.
because at the first moment it did not
look that way. Indeed. the theory that
the decreeS were played as a great
stroke in the game for votes seemed to
be confirmed by The staggering effect
they had at the fTSt moment upou the
socialist propaganda. for they seemed
to make socialism itself unnecessary.
But the sober second Thought is TO the
effect that the DEGREES are an imperial
recogniLlol5 chat socialism is right and
wise, and that what it proposes is neces-
sary for the country, and thpreupon
people say "If this Is what we need
1t is better 10 have this great reform
carried out by its friends: and why
should we now abandon them to put
Che goodaeanse into the hands of those
who hithetta have always been itseue-
mics" Hence the socialists accent the
emperof'S DEGREES as the monument of
their victory over the chancellor, whose
repeated :depunciatiOn of the ideas as
purely chHnerical are now fOrcibIy
quoted against him: Herr Vollmar.
speaking at Munich, said that the party
hailed WITH rejoicing the prospect of
improvement and progress revealed by
the emperor's attitude, but insis ted upon
the necessity that socialists must close
up their ranks in order to make sure
the realization of the emperor's prom
ises. Herrea Bebel, Singer and Lieb-
knecht held consultation before per
mitting the authorized criticism that ap-
peared IN the Berliner VOlksbIatt. They
agreed upon ali article in the same vein
as VOllmar's speech. and advised the
Worklngmen to acceptwith welcome the
APPROACHES FROM THE THRONE
that approved and justified their own
theories; but to accept all this with an
ultimate Reliance upon their own
strength; to trust the emperor. but to
keep the party together. The first
practical conclusion drawn from re-
scripts is that labor candidates will take
the place Of Importance lately assigned
10 the Cartellers in political cOmbina-
tions; and the Carteilers are uneasy at
this prospect. The KolinSche Zeitung
takes a Good view of the facts as they
stand now, and is also of the opinion
that the immortal n3uuDVpr will Mt
have the slightest effect in reducingthe
socialist vote: and other papers predict
an inevitable large socialist gain.
Since the publication of the decrees,
the socialist central committee has
increased the number of its candi-
dates, and now contests 2l0 districts.
The campaign; all worked by this COM
mittee from B .rlin, is a display of
marvellous activity, energy and intelli-
gence. Through its perfect Organiza-