The record-union., 1891-11-28
GERMAN AFFAIRS.
CHANCELLOR Won CAPRIvI DE-
NIFS THAT HE IS TO RESIGN.
No Need for Uneasiness That the
Peace of Europe Is to be
Disturbed.
Special 10 the REcoRp-uNroN.


BERLIN, Nov. q. = Chancellor Won
Caprivi was present at the session of the
Reichstag this morning, and in a speech
referred to the rumors that he intended
to resign as ridiculous. Won Caprivi
refuted the reproaches uttered against the
Government on account of the so-calIed
vacillating policy. The Kaiser's journey
to Russia established a friendly inter
course between the two monarchs, but
no political matters were discussed be-
tween them.
The press indulged in too much trum-
peting in regard to the visit of the French
t1eet to Cronstadt, which engendered on
the other side a wish for more drum
ming. The position of France and Rus
sia toward the dreibund was not changed.
All that happened at Cronstadt was that
the existing condition became manifest.
There is no need for uneasinesS The
| Cars Intentions are most pacific. Only
care must be taken to avoid clumsy err
rOrS, and the Cars Government was in
position to make its will prevail. Its
increased confidence in the French con-
stltuted no danger to Germany.
Referring to the state of the general
| armament in Europe, the Chancellor said
this would continue much longer, unin-
f1uenced by resolves adopted by the Peace
| Congress. 1t was, however, a matter of
satisfaction that the general preparedness
for war had increased the desire for peace.
In East Africa, Germany still had a long
task to fulfill. She had been obliged to
have recourse to the doubtful plan Of a
lottery. But Germany's possessions in
Africa were ten times more important
than those of England, with which ma
| ton Germany had not made a bad bar
gain. .
He said the abolition of compulsory
passports in Alsace-L Lorraine had been
regarded as an act of weakness, but a
continuance of that system as a perma-
nency was impossible. The assimilation
of Reichland with Germany was pro-
crossing slowly. The best connecting
link was the army. After few genera.
l>tions the Reichland question would be
settled. There was no cause for uneasi-
ness on account of the army. although
certain military pessimism had lately be-
come apparent. The worlds habit of es-
timating the worth of an army according
| to its numbers was wrong. Germany
never before possessed so many capable
military leaders, and no other nation had
such chances for the next war.
referring to the movement of trooDs on
the Russian and French frontiers, the
Chancellor said Germany, as well as
Austria, had in this respect probably
exceeded her duty. Too much anxiety
prevailed because Russia had dispatched
an army corps to place near the Ger
man frontier. Newspapers, m oreover,
ought to be better employed than in
alarming readers by publishing reports
calculated to interfere with commerce and
damaging to the country.
The Chancellor, referring to his Journey
to Russia with Emperor William, said he
knew the interview between the two EN-
perors had given great satisfaction to
Russia. Nothing, he said, could shake
his conviction that the personal inten-
tions of the Gar were the most pacific in
the world. "The existing Govern
ment," he said, g has sufficient
military preponderance to induce it to
provoke war with light heart. The
stronger the Government is the more
easily will it avoid dangerous contre-
temps. it is a source of satisfaction to
know that Russia possesses this strength.
France would not have sought Cron-
stadt had she doubted that Russia was
strong enough to be relied upon"