Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-05-22

A CApITAIIsTIC movement in conse-
ouence of the May-day agitation is already
observable in Germany. A number of
Berlin manufacturers and representatives
of various industries at Chemnitz Friday
decided to form an employers protective
nnion. which is to he developed into a
league embracing all the industrial centers
of the empire Its object will be the pro-
lection of mutual interests against the en-
croachments of the labor power, which
these employers are glad to believe recelv-
ed a serious rebuff in the failure of the
May-day demonstration to materialize In
accordance with the predictions of the ex
tremists The German manufacturers,
however, should not be deceived. At this
distance the socialistic movement, as di
rected 10y Bebel and Liebknecht, the former
himself manufacturer, seems to have
more vitality than ever before. The cap
ita;ists have simply accepted the logic of
the situation in beginning counter COM
,inations, which long since were developed
In America as the result of the continued
onslaughts of the masses. Their develop
ment in Germany, too, is a significant
fact because it indicates that the capitalists
will no longer rely wholly upon the i'm
perial power to sustain their interests. In
short, the liberal attitude of the young
emperor has taught the lesson that the
government will not as heretofore be so
thoroughly identified with the interests of
the classes against the masses whom Bis
marck despised.
THAT Bismarck was deposed because his
young sovereign was determined to rule
rather than be ruled is an accepted conclu-
sion. But there is more in it than that.
Bismarck was the master of the cabinet;
the other ministers were subject to remov-
al at his will Their advice reached the
emperor and their conclusions reach the
Diet through him, so that to both ministry
and Diet he stood in the place of the en-
peror. The inevitable tendency was to
creased the Importance of the chancellor
and the power of the Legislative bodies.
The process was in kind like that by
which the growth in the power of the
English ministry and the English Com
mons has taken place. If Bismarck should
be followed by other chancellors eXercis-
ing his power over the cabinet, the emper-
or uld have been put farther and farth
er into the background Probably no such
result was contemplated by Bismarck,
whose characteristic was that he firmly up
held the authority of the crown. Never
theless if we can Judge from English ana
logy this was the probable outcome of the
system William must have realized this
tendency, and possessing the will to
govern and ample faith in his own capac-
ity, he would not voluntarily put himself
in the situation of an English ruler. Ac-
eordingly Caprivi while minister in chief,
does not occupy Bismarck s position As
he informs the Chamber, hereafter there
will be mn intermediary between the
cabinet and the emperor. Each minister
will be hereafter directly responsible to
the crown and William will be his own
prime minister In this way each minis
ter will have greater independence and
greater individual prominence than before
The growth of the power of the popular
branch of the imperial Parliament will
however, be fastened rather than retarded.