The sun., 1891-11-08

for . courageous candidate. and their su.
periority under ordeal to all corrupt com.
! binations. constitute a safer shield to the
purity and integrity OF the franchise than
red tape and ponderous statutes which are
designed to make men honest by law.
Tho Gefman Socialist Programme.
No one cantexamine the list Of demands
put forth at fSrfurt by the German Socialist
| Congress. and recently published by TIE
SUN. without being impressed with the
change produced in the attitude Of the 60
cial- Democratic party through the repeal OF
the laws by which BISMARCK endeavored to
stile their aspirations Not only has their
| agitation ceased to be incendiary and be-
come constitutional. but they have go mod
Grated their demands as to render it ex-
| tremely likely that they will absorb the
| whole shopkecpng and small burgher class.
On the other hand. by declaring In favor Of
FREQ trade they have paved the way for a
coalition with the Progressists. whose out
come may be the creation Of great Radi-
| cal party strong enough at no distant day
| to control both the Reichstag and the legis-
latures OF the several states composing tho
German empire.
The comparative moderation OF the new
programme Of .the German Socialists will
| be manifest when we point out two facts.
| In the first place. there is no explicit refer
ence to the cardinal doctrine Of KARL MARX
that the organization and employment Of
labor should be undertaken by the State. to
which all capital should be transferred.
Such purpose is only vaguely hinted at in
| the demand for efficient national and in
ternational legislation for the protection Of
the working classes" Most Of the other
| features OF the programme, as q survey Of
them in detail will show. contemplate either
| reforms which have already been carried
| out in Switzerland. the United States.
| or England. or would be looked upon
with favor by British Radicals and
| by a largo number Of the American
people. What may seem exceptions are
| the demand for female suffrage. for the
| gratuitous bestowal OF legal advice and
medical assistance. and for legislative
recognition that children attending the
public schools should receive not only free
education and free books. but free dinners.
As matter Of fact however. the advocates
Of female suffrage have several times come
near carrying the House Of Commons. and
are now said TO have made q convert Of Lord
SALISBURY. Again. tho claim Of the poor to
gratuitous legal and medical assistance Is
already recognized in principle In the
United States. although 1t Is imperfectly
| met. Nor. indeed. are there wanting In
this country or In England educational re-
formers who insist that midday meal
should 10 provided In all public schools.
When the Socialists ut Eriurt ask for uni
versal suffrage. for direct election by the
people through secret ballot. and for the &C.
ceptancs Of the lone man. one vote" prin-
ciple. they arc not thinking Of the Reichs-
tag. which is chosen under such condi-
tons, but OF certain State legislatures. and
especially Of the Prussinn Landtag. which
is elected in an indirect way. Their pref
erence for biennial parliaments is justified
by the experience Of the American House Of
Representatives. and 1t is shared by the
British Radicals. who desire like term for
the House Of Commons. Again. In as
serting the conviction that all local
public officials, including judicial off,
GERS. should be elected by the people.
the German Socialists have In view the ex-
ample of the United States. 1t Is American
institutions. also. which they would initiate
when they request tho repeal Of all Laws re-
strlcting the free expression of opinion. or
the right OF association or Of public meeting.
The same model ls evidently before them
when they declare that religion should be o
matter OF private opinion. that all payments
from public funds for religious purposes
should cease. and that all ecclesiastical or
religious communities should be considered
private associations. and as such be left to
manage their own affairs.
When. on the other hand. they inslst upon
the abolition Of indirect taxation and GUS
toms duties. and say that public expendi.
ture should be betrayed by q graduated tax
on property apd income. they do but carry
to a logical conclusion the doctrines Of the
Manchester school. which have exercised
for many years preponderant influence
upon English legislation. From England,
too. the Socialists have borrowed the idea
Of succession duty fixed on sliding scale !
according to the amount OF the inheritance
and the degree OF relationship between the
legatee and the testator. From the French
republic they have taken the conviction
that not only should national schools be
secularized. but that attendance on them
should be made compulsory for the children
OF all classes. For two other proposals 1t
may be said that they correspond to rsgu-
lations which have already been tried In
of capital punishment: the other is the So
called referendum or the direct participation
Of the peopls In legisistioa. including the
right OF the people % initiate ss.weu a. TO
regget tlays. HThe gs pdrm works well "A 4