The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-19
TIE NEW ERA IN GERMANY.
CIPRTVIs COURTESY PREFERRED TO
BISMARCK'S BLUATNESS.

Ct1Hight lehV, " lHE cuN fEWtHg uHu LuONWlHg
association.
DERLrN. May 1s.-The past weeks debates In
tho German Congress mark tho beginning OF a
now ora in her parliamentary life not simply
that members now sit for five instead OF three
years as formerly. or that the relative strength
of parties has altered since the February
elections These alone would markedly
modify tho course OF events, but not so much
rs the unusual sensation produced by n Prime
Minister who asks money OF the people with
out bullying and who, in short treats tho
remarks of his opponents as entitled to
respect.
Caprivi has opened his career by proposing
10 increase tho expenditures in east Africa
and add millions Of men to tho peace footing
OF tho army. both measures unpopular in SO
far as increased taxation always is, and defen-
siblo only on the ground of national necessity
As for tho African enterprise, Caprivi practically
admitted hat lie had no sympathy for any
such ventures but now that they were COM
mitted, thanks to his predecessor. he might
have said. OF course their honor, that much
abused word. would not allow them to retreat
Hamburger. one OF tho Liberal leaders, made
a forcible speoch against the Government
and Caprivi answered him with the courtesy
that parliamentary usage demands but which
DamDerSer had never before heard from the
aUht- AL IuSb bO uoou hdu bLlo
Liberals become to offensive language from
the clder Bismarck that to be treated without
insult,let aoncwith courtesy, quito embarrasses
them and we need not DO surprised II many of
them vote with Caprvi for his colonial eXpen-
ditures simply out of gratitude for his decent
language.
In spite OF Capriyi's weak support OF this
measure, however the Government have
fairly strong case in tho highly favorable re-
port made BY MAJOR Liebert. Of the gem
eral staff. n gentleman whom We may charac-
terae from personal knowledge rs well uuali-
fed to describe what he sees intelligently and
truthfully His report gives the most cheering
hope OF future prosperity in German Africa, not
merely from what no saw OF the Soil
and climate, but from the thoroughness with
which the municipal, military, and sanitary
questions had been solved Those who read
his report in full, however. must be on their
guard against manifest bias on the Majors
part. for he Is professional soldier, was
naturally shown about by officials anxious TO
produce good impression, and, so far rs We
know. has not an extensive acquaintance with
other tropical colonies for purposes OF COM
parison But all this is far from the suspicion
that he would seek TO convey q wrong i'm
preston.
The result OF his report was however. to give
tho Liberals the right to ask: If this countryi is
so rich. why do not private individuals go and
develop it Why must our treasury be saddled
with further burdens?" To this natural query
no satisfactory reply was made.
To the proposition for increasing the army.
Dr. Barth, whose two visits to the United
States have confirmed his dstrust Of military
rule. made q vigorous protest on the ground
that ever since 1874 the Government had been
screWing up the demands for war; always on
the same grounds and always promising that
this would be the last time Caprivi
here, as before, treated such objec-
tons. not as coming from personal enemies or
unpatriotic demagogues. but as proper sug-
gestioEs OF prudence and gave Barth rs well
us Bamberger tho novel sensation OF being an
swered without provocation to insult. Ono
Conservative member SO far preserved the
spirit Of the last Parliament as TO sneer at
Bauberger as being Jew, but, with this gross
exception. the tone ofthe parliamentary debate
has been so much that OF sweet harmony as to
quite startle those who have lived under the
iron regime.
These feel like the veteran corporals who
held that discipline in the army was lost when
hogging went out Of fashion. Aloltke. Nerdy.
Secretary Of War. as we'll as Capriv spoke in
support Of the increase in the army. and while
they all refuse to say why they want this in
crease lust at the time when the annual impe-
rial picniCs and kiss-in- the rings are being ar
ranged, there Is reason to believe that Russia
is the source OF trouble. The Gear Is an i'll
educated, bigoted, ana weak creature whose
sity has overgrown him to the point OF stiff
ing such little int diligence or will power as may
originally have belonged to him. So fat has he
become that at last years military review his
horse was unable to sustain his weight during
the whole OF it, and he had to climb upon an
other. When he spoke in Berlin last year ut
the Emperor's table his speech WAS but
mumbling OF feeble phrases. inaudiblo beyond
his next neighbour. No ono can count on him
to keep an engagement, and when he acts it
IL by tho caprice of tho moment. His
life. like that Of most unconstitutional
sovere.ns. is that OF an Oriental despot. toni
perod only by obesity and Ninllism. Such
man is better enemy than friend, and II Ger
many means to secure her position toward the
East she should lose no time in accepting tho
Russian challenge whllo this Car is alive.
But all this time whore is the great Bis
marck or, what would DO more to the point.
where is the bismarck party2 There is no
sign from FREDERICKSBURG yet except hero and
there the evidence That some newspaper report
or has given the retired statesman n chance
10 vent his dispeasure against the Emperor.
Herbert Bismarck. by the way. is having a
he is bent solely upon having Il good time. To-
night he is ut Lord Rosobory's country seat.
where he feels very much 1T home. although
no English newspaper as yet suspects that lie
has left his fathers house. Herbert. by the
way. is quoted as saying that tho Emperor sent
twice 10 Bismarck's palace on the day succeed
ing their final separation. desiring to know il
the Iron Chancellor had yet sent in his resigna-
ton. Herbert may believe THIS to DO the case.
but let him DO assured that such treatment
was not by order Of the Emperor.who is warmly
attached to his lato Minister personally and
who only separated from him on the question
US to whether ho or his subject was to run tho
imperial machine.
near kinsmau of Emin Pasha in Berlin in
forms us that his family arc taking every pos
slble means to gather together such material
as eau serve to Illustrate his work in Africa
either letters, memoranda, or pictures. They
arc daily hoping for something from him OF
complete nature, but these hopes are liable to
disappointment, for in letter dated April /