The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1890-03-29
LEAVE 10 RESIGN

Cause OFT BlsllarCkg Request
to Be Allowed to Resign
the Chancellorship
Emperor Williams Opposition
to a Cabinet Order the Rea-
son Of the Resignation.
BERLIN, Special.-The North German
Gazette tonight supplies some much de-
sired light on the causes leading to Prince
Bismarck,s resignation, seizing the occasion
to contradict the statement Of the Hamburg
Correspondent that before the late crisis
reached its climax the chancellor
had already made application for
leave t resign, and had Withdrawn
it and endeavored to reconcile
himself to the situation, but without suc-
cess. The North German Gazette says that
this, like the reports regarding the princes
opposition to the labor programme, Is en-
tirely roneo What has happened Is
this: The chancellor did not wish TO depart
from the cabinet order Of 1852 relating TO
the intercourse between the Prussiall min
listers and the sovereign. but desired to re-
tain his control and right Of co-opera-
ton. The intercourse between the
emperor and the secretaries OF state
is regulated by the law OF 1852. 1t was only
within the last few weeks that Bismarck
felt it necessary to refer to that regulation.
He considered its execution and observance
indispensable, and did not wish TO be .
party to its a~brogation. The opposition he
encountered in this matter finally brought
clearly home to him the necessity for his
resignation. The negotiations between
Prince Bismarck and DR.. Windthorst with
II. erence to the Guelph fund and the
attitude of the Clerical party in
the reichstag were only connected with the
crisis so far as that the chancellor refused
to subject his intercourse with the deputies
to any control. No steps have been taken
by the emperor personally or by the sover-
eigns OF any of the federal states to induce
Bismarck to remain at the head of the
ministry Of foreign affairs. The tone of the
Gazette only feebly indicates the
1 s~MouLpERINo ANGER
which exists in the Bismarckian circle. The
papers have hitherto avoided touching the
dangerous and delicate subject of the en-
peror's interference in ministerial response
bility, but the Gazette's frankness will lead
to a discussion which may awaken h en-
peror to the fact that o personal. direct
system of government has not yet obtained
a supreme. hold upon the German people.
The complacency with which Bismarck'sf re-
tirement is now generally regarded may
soon be replaced with regret that the
country is lett at the mercy Of q selfwilled
autocrat. The cabinet order of Sept. s.,
1852, has always been held by Bismarck as
interpreting the Prussian constitution to
mean that the president of the ministry
ought to appoint his own cabinet, choosing
men having political opinions and princi-
pies In harmony with his own. The em.
peror re used this reading, and maintained
the right of the monarch to APP
point ministers having q direct responsible
ity, not to the president, but to the crown.
The appointment of Baron Won Berlepsch
as minister of commerce was the thin end
of the wedge. The direct instructions that
the emperor gave to Berlepsch affecting the
economic policy Of the empire evoked .
warm remonstrance from the chancellor.
The emperor, in q written communication,
sent by Kim to Bismarck early. last week,
explained his views OF monarchical prerog-
atives, his conviction that the chanccllor's
claims were an encroachment on the rights
of the sovereign, and finally. his determine
ton to exercise q general and absolute con-
troll. About the same time, direct overtures
to Windthorst n other leading clericals,
from persons. in the enlperor's encourage,
aiming to take the guidance of negotiations