Huntsville gazette., 1890-02-08
THE KAISER AND THE woRklNeMen
His Plans to Ameliorate the Condition OF
the German Laborer.

His Plans to Ameliorate the Condition OF
the German Laborer.
BERLIN, Feb. Emperor William,
IN rescrtpt to Prince Bismarck, refers
to his desire to ameliorate the position Of
the workingmen. He desires that the
ambassadors of France. England, Belgi-
um and Switzerland shall be officially
asked whether their governments are
disposed to come to an international
agreement with Germany, with view
to meeting the needs and wishes of
workmen revealed in the recent strikes
and labor disputes. When the principle
of the enperor's proposal is accepted,
Prince Bismarck is empowered to invite
all the nations interested to attend q
labor conference.
In the reseript addressed to Baron Won
Berlepsch, the emperor says that how
ever valuable or important are the meas
ures now in operation for improving the
condition of the working people, they
are not to be compared with what q
proper performance Of the duty before
the new ministry will require. He then
specifically directs an extension in the
application of the system Of working
IlCA AAoutoAACCy 1hI C1iC ORCulAk O I'LL
inquiry into all trade laws affecting fac
tory labor. The emperor affirms in the
rescript that it is the duty of the state to
SO regulate the duration and she nature
Of labor as to insure the health, the NOR
ality and the supply of all the economic
wants of the workingmen and to pre-
serve their claims to equality b,fore the
law.
! For the promotion Of peace between
vorkingmen and their employers legal
measures must be taken toward the es-
tablishment of regulations empowering
workingmen to appoint delegates enjoy
ing their confidence to represent them in
the settlement of affairs The delegates
should safely guard the interests of the
workingmen whom they represent, in
all negotiations with the employers or
with the government. Such a system
would enable the workingmen to express
their wishes and grievances peaceably
and freely, and would give the authori-
ties of the state an opportunity to in
form themselves in q very direct way of
the condition of the working people,
thus keeping in touch with all their ac-
ivities, sentiments and impulses.
Referring to the state Of things in the
mines, the emperor says, owing to his
anxiety for the welfare of the men, he
wishes to see the mines developed into
model establishments, and desires that
measures shall be taken to that end.
The council of state will meet to con-
slider preliminary questions involved in
carrying out these ideas. Experts will
be called to testify before it, and the
emperor himself will preside.
Caused . Sensation.
: The rescript and order to Minister Won
Berlepsch have caused a great sensation
in parliamentary circles. They are com
pared with Herr Won Boetticher's state
ment in the reichstag that further legis-
laJion Of the kind could have no better
success than the previous legislation
had had; but when Won Boetticher made
that declaration he was talking to the
reichstag only, the elections were not
precisely on the carpet, and nobody was
in the presence of an immediate neces-
sity to persuade the working man away
from the Socialist cause by pretending
an astonishing regard for his welfare
It is observed that neither document is
conntersigned by q responsible minister.