Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-24
GERMANY'S POLITICS.
Editor Kaufman, of Cleveland, Dis
courses on the Subject.
NO DANGER FROM THE SOCIALISTS,
Germany Drifting Toward a Parliamentary
Government.
A BENEFIrTO THE WORKING CLASSES

CLEVELAND, February 23.-Major Will
helm Kaufman, editor OF the Ar,zeiger, has
been lifelong student of German politics,
and when in Europe last year he spent con-
siderable time in looking into the political
situation of his native country. Major
Kaufman was found at his home this after
noon and asked what significance the vic
tory of the Socialists had upon the future OF
Germany.
1.-THE great victory of the Socialists, %
said he, sis due to Prince Bismarck and the
anti-socialistic law, which was first made
in 1876 and which has been renewed every
two years since Its law expired BY limita-
ton at the end Of two years and has been re-
enacted by the Reichstsg from time to
time at the request of the Governments The
German Reichstag cannot make laws as
does our Congress by agreement OF the two
houses and the signature of the President
| In Germany the Bundesrath, which is
formed by the representatives of the govern
ments of the different municipalities of the
empire, submits law to the Reichstag, and
the latter can only accept or reject it. If it
saws No. the law will not stand, but the
Reichstag cannot create laws If the Bundes-
rath does not agree to them. This anti
soeialistic law gives the police authority
| to suppress meetings of Socialists and their
press Under it the police may expel ad
libitum any Socialist from the city in which
he resides Singer, who has just been
elected to the Reichstag from Berlin dis
trict, had to leave Berlin when the sessions
of the last Reichstsg. of which he was
| member, were ended.
THE SPREAD OF soC1ALIsTIc IDEAS.
"The natural consequences of such law
! followed its enforcement. Men expelled
from their homes went from place to place
agitating, and this expulsion clause OF the
law helped spread the socialistlc ideas.
Every two years since 1876 this law came
up before the Reichstag, and on each occa-
sion Bismarck managed to get a majority
for it by concessions made to different
parties. At last the Government demanded
that the law be made perpetual. Then
several of the great German parties which
had always voted with Bismarck wanted to
strike out the expulsion clause. The Chan
cellor would not do this and at the last ses-
sion of the ReIchstag there was long fight
over it. The old law will expire by limita-
tion on October 1.
"In Germany the common lot ofa common
man is to pay taxes, serve as a soldier and
keep the mouth shut The Socialists want
if they get in power there will be no more
war, but an international brotherhood of
peaceful men. It's easy to imagine how
such an argument will work upon the class
who furnish men for war and who always
live under threatening rumors of war. By
this argument the Socialists have won
thousands and thousands of votes. In Ger
many they have a new gun that will kill at
halt mile and will send bullet through Is
men placed in a line.
AFRAID OF WAR.
"In France they have just as horrible an
invention. Military men figure that war
now between Germany and France with i'm
proved horrible machines OF murder would
kill five times and wound ten times the
number killed and injured in the war of
1870. The men who see these instruments |
of butchery and practice with them are |
afraid of war. A Socialist comes along and |
saws: Join our party and there will be no |
more war. All will be peace and you will |
have none of the hardships of war; The |
workingmen are told that when the Social |
lists are in power they will not have to work |
SO hard nor so long. A very cunning de-
vice to catch votes. In addition to this is |
added their wonderful organization.
"What will be the results of their vic |
tory ?" inquired the interviewer.
''The result will be important to socialism. |
The result will be that, instead of IL men,
bers of the Reichstag, they will have 35
The Reichstag has S97 members. The gain
they make entities them to representation on
all the committees of the Reichstag. The
anti-Socialist law viii, fall They will not
be so oppressed. They will have liberty in
organizing openly. and opportunity will be
given them to develop the programme of the
future. 1t is different thing to agitate in
secret than to walk up and say: Here is
our principle
THE COUNTRY PEOPLE CONSERVATIVE.
"The country population OF Germany is
very conservative. They have very limited
political education and generally vote as
the BurgOmaster or clergyman tells them.
Bismarck or the Emperor will try to get
majority by making concessions to the
Roman Catholics, and it depends upon what
they will concede, for the Romanists want
everything they can get 1t is very dam
gerous predicament The Emperor can dis
must figure on a new election, and think
that resuls will be that Germany will drift
more and more into a parliamentary
and the rights of the
Crown will be lessened. It is truly strong
indication OF great anti-monarchial move
ment in Europe. The Government must
rely upon the middle classes more and not so
much upon the bureaucracy and aristocracy.
There is no danger that the Socialistic party
will be the ruling one. These elections do
not mean the fall of the Empire or the di-
vision of property, but mean that Germany
will be mole literally governed country.
In so far it is victory for the people. 1t
promises to benefit the working classes. The
rescripts provide for a pension for aged
men, insurance for workingmen injured by
accident the sbolishment of night work, the
of child labor, the restriction
If woman's work and tie shortening of
hours of labor. The Socialistic party of
has expelled all Anarchists. They
Ire as bitterly opposed to anarchy as are
,ther people. The Anarchists are separate.
There is not an anti-monarchial party in
Germany, the so-called Peoples party.
They are democratic in principle and want
republican Germany.
A LOOK AT MI AUDIENCE,