Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1890-03-01
THE ELECTION IN GERMANY.

Inc result OF last thursdays German
elections is of significance in many
respects, but the central, towering fact
that makes capitalism tremble and labor
rejoice all over the world is the stu
pendous vote brought out by our Social
list comrades. The official counters who,
on Thursday night, sat down at the green
table ready to cover the tally sheets with
evidences of their youthful rulers
popularity soon stopped aghast at the
portentous figures accommodating before
them. What they saw was not the
anticipated tidal wave of loyalty from a
grateful " working, class easily bam-
boozled by imperial promises. The
figures that marched up before the star
tied world marked the firm footsteps of
a self confident workingmen's army that
knows the road to victory and is deter
mined not to be swerved from 1t by
frown or favor.
Since the first batch of figures was sent
out the German officials seem to be hest
tating and holding back the returns, as
II by giving them out in driblets they
hoped to lessen their direful meaning.
Thus the official bulletins of Sunday were
in respect to the Socialist vote behind
the private dispatches sent here on Fri
day, the latter giving the Socialists 20
seats, as against II reported two days
later by the official agency. OF course,
the private dispatches were correct.
But even in Imperial quarters it had
to be conceded that the total Socialist
uote reached 1 100000 lone million, fire
hundred thOuSdnd.)
The number of ballots cast for Social.
list candidates at the previous election
QSSO was 763, 600 out of total vote of
1910, 900. The Socialists, therefore, have
exactly doubled their vote, and, as the
total number of ballots cast for all
parties has probably increased to 9,000,-
900 the Socialists have carried one-sixth
of the total vote this year, as against
one.tenth in 1887.
Were the Socialists to get one-sixth of
the representation they would be enti
tied to 66 seats in the Reichstag. But
the bulk of their vote is cast in the large
cities and in the populous manufacturing
districts of Saxony and on the Rhine,
where the unit of representation is large
ly in excess of what it is in agricultural
districts Thus the 1853, 900 electors who
voted for Socialist candidates in 1887
were represented by but eleven members
in the last Reichstag, whereas 500, 1876
voters of the Imperial party enjoyed a
representation Of forty-one.
1t will be owing to the same gerry
Wandering arrangement of the districts
that the Socialists may not have more
than IS seats in the new Reichstag, or
about one half of the number they
would be entitled to under an equitable
electoral system.
The districts so far reported as carried
by the Socialists are 20, namely: Berlin
QV), Singer; Berlin (VD, Liebknecht
Hamburg U, Bebel; Hamburg CID, Dietz;
HamburgQlD, Metzger; Altoona, Frohme;
Magdeburg, vonVollmar; Barmen. Elber
field, Ham; Solingen, Schumacher; Leip.
zig suburban district, Geyer; Chemnitz,
Schippel; Zwickau, Stole; Glauchau.
Meerane, Auer; Stollberg, Seifert; Greiz,
Forester; Nuremberg, GrilIenberger;
Munchen (D, Birk; Muhlhausen (Alsace),
Hickel; Leipzig suburban district, Horn;
Mittweida, Schmidt Braunschweig,
Bloss.
The increase of the Socialist vote is
surprising in all and truly marvellous in
some of these districts. In Chemnitz
the vote increased from IL, $50 to 90, SAT.
In the third Hamburg district, where
the wealthy shlp-owner Woerman, per
sonal friend of Bismarck and one Of the
most influential National Liberals, was
running, the vote increased from II, 500
to $4,000. In the two other Hamburg
districts the Socialist majorities are re.
ported to be overwhelming" In Bar.
men Elberfeld, the home of Emperor
Williams friend Won Eynern, the So,
cialists have for the first time carried
the district ON the first ballot. The most
remarkable victory was won at Null.
hansen, in Alsace. This is an important
manufacturing center and renowned
throughout Europe as the seat of Doll