San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-03-04
1T is DESTINY.

|
limited constitutional monarchy in
Germany has come. When the en-
pire was proclaimed, about twenty
years ago, and took the place of the
confederation of which Prussia had
been the head after the battle of Sa-
dOwa, its foreign policy dominated
all other questions. The settlement
of matters with France, the eastern
question, the Kulturkampf, all were
unsettled, and while these were being
adjusted the conflict of parties and
policies, and the necessity OF present
| ing an unbroken front to all her enc
mics gave Bismarck such prestige as
raised no question of constitutional
| government. When the army sup
plies were demanded and the indie
pendence of the crown asserted in its
| government of military levies the
national pride was called into ques-
ton and the Fatherland cry silenced
all opposition. When the Kultur-
kampf struggle came and the fight
waxed bitter between the Roman
pOntif and the old emperor, the
protestant traditions of the country
and the mad dog cry of Jesuit
were relied upon, and not unsuc-
cessfully, to keep the disconnected
minds of the nation and the opposing
members of the reichstag in line with
the policy of the administration. In
each successive battle waged by the
people for their constitutional liber-
ties and a real voice in their govern
ment, Bismarck has found new diff
culties and increasing opposition.
The general respect for the old Kaiser
was not lessened by the feeling that
the iron hardness of government was
largely due to the chancellor's DOM
ination, and that beneath the surface
the emp9ror's heart beat very warm
ly in sympathy with the welfare of
his subjects. Kaiser William has
gone and his grandson finds himself
met by determination on the part
of the people to bear an active part
in their own government. The dis
position OH the part of the emperor to
grant greater privileges to the work
ing classes and to take such meas
ures as will ensure them fuller rec
ognltiOn in the labor councils of the
nation has only whetted their appe-
tite for full enjoyment Of their man.
hood rights. The real parliamenta-
ry life OF Germany stopped more than
a score of years ago, when all else
was subOrdinated to the uuifiCatiOn of
the empire and the making Prussia
supreme in the north German cOnfed-
GRAFTON. The work of participation in
home government then suspended has
been suddenly renewed, and Bis
marck finds himself face to face with a
power that he cannot longer set aside
on the plea of foreign emergencies.
The people are the successors to that
power enjoyed by the old Emperor
and the new Kaiser does not inherit
the scepter to the full. How wise he
may be to measure rightly, accept
fully, and concede judiciously the
privileges Ofself-government demand
ed by the people, does not yet appear. |
Indications are not wanting that he
is inclined to a much more liberal
policy than his chancellor, but the I
late elections seem to have some
what dazed him and he surrenders |
the reins once more to Bismarck,
whose only hope now lies in cOnCes- |
sion to the Catholic party, with whom
for SO many years he was at war |
A combination between Bismarck and |
WindthOrst will be a very sug FESTIVE |
one and will open the doors for some
very robust attacks upon the chancel- |
lOr's policies and combinations by |
those socialists who were Wind
thorst's allies in other days. Nothing,
however, will avail to prevent the in
roads of the people upon the preroga-
tlves of Imperialism. The day of au-
tocracy for Germany is past. The |
rights of the people become para
mount and Bismarck will be COM
PEELED to develOpe more than his usu-
al fertile resources to meet the situa-
ton successfully. The change from
practical despOtism, the rule of "Iron