The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1890-04-22
THE SOCIALIST v1crpRY IN GERMANY
by HERMANN KUTNOW.

land. The young Emperor, Wy
ing to show himself as a protector
of the working classes, calls an In
ternat:onal Labor Conference Tor
the amelloration of the condition OF
the masses. But, instead OF arous-
ing the enthusiasm Of Germany S
worklngmen, he and his party are
badly beaten by the socialists IN
the rectn mt elections to Parliament.
What does all this mesn Ii the
Kaiser really is the friend of the
lower classes, as our leading daily
conte mporaries so enthusiastically
proclaim, how could his party ex-
perience such a dreadful defeat?
Enthusiasm covers the eyes OF the
observer with rosy veil. which
makes one easily misjudge the true
meaning of important events. Let
| us therefore briefly review, in a
cool and impartial manner, the his
tory of German socialism from the
regeneration of the German En-
pire up to the present time, and we
will soon understand the present
victory of it's followers, which was
by no means surprise to those
acquainted with the home politics
of the Iron Chancellor.
To keep up the glory of Ger
many's rulers, gained in the French
war, increasing demands upon the
marrow of the German nation had
to be asked for from year to year
The immense and still growing
standing armies in Europe, which
at the present time cost per annum
over three times the amount paid
by France as war indemnity to
Germany, :re bound to exhaust
and to ruin every country on that
continent. The old Roman princi-
pie, Isl Wis pacem, para bellum, "
eff you wish peace prepare for
wary, carried out to the extreme,
means nothing else but a so-called
Greece out" game played by the
different Governments at the ex-
pense of their people.
! Socialism in Germany was in it's
earliest infancy before Bismarck S
power commenced, but with the
growth of the Iron Chancellor's
emnipotence the entant terrible
grew in proportion. And quite
naturally so. When, after the re-
turn of the glorious armies from
France in 1871, thousands of men,
discharged from military duties.
were thrown upon their own re-
sources, many of them, breadless,
homeless and unable to find salts
factory employment, soon became
acquainted with the dire conse-
quences of so-calIed glorious
war. But this was not all. The
strength of the standing armies had
to be increased to keep peace, and
for this the same poor men had
also to pay their shares. Taxes of
all kinds had to be levied, and each
successive Legislature had to grant
new demands, placing new burdens
upon the shoulders of the people.
Therefore the socialistlc party was
bound to grow, and soon had over
twenty representatives in Parlia-
ment, and became very obnoxious
to the Reichskanzler by opposing
every new demand upon the purses
of the nation. Although they were
not strong enough to check his do
ings, yet they enlightened the
masses upon the same. The party
grew too mighty, and therefore
had to be crushed.
Luck favored Bismarck; the luck
which followed him and his ilIustrl-
Gus master, William l., until it be.
came proverbial. The two idiotic
attacks of Hoedel and Nobiling
upon Emperor Williams life gave
Bismarck terrible weapon against
his antagonists. Although neither
of the assassins belonged to the
socialists, veto use phrase OF
the Reichskanzler = they were
pinned to their coat-taiI." The
indignation of the whole German
nation was most cleverly aroused
against that party, and the So
called Socialistengesetz Gan ex-
ceptional law for suppressing social
ism) was introduced in and passed
| by the Parliament for the duration
of two years. This absolute power
was given to Bismarck against his
growing enemy, the socialists, and
he apparently crushed them. All
their newspapers were suppressed,
their political societies dissolved,
and their leaders dispersed by ex.
pulsion from their homes. Over the
German capital and other large
cities the state of minor siege was
declared, and all socialistic public
utterances in these places were
most severely punished. Even up
to this day Berlin is under state
OF siege, although there is no COM
prehensible reason for it whatso
ever.
ITO be Continued.)
|
Supreme COurt-April Term.
BEFORE BICKERTON, ].
| HFo~,x.u