The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-12-27

were q new election to take place to-mor-
row. would increase the number OF their
representatives to about fifty, and that the
Fresnnige or Independent party would
make considerable gains. mainly ut the
expense Of the National Liberals. who. in
spite OF the prestige derived from their
late association with Prince BISMARCK
seem likely to sink out OF sight. The Clerl-
calls or Centrists would be expected to re-
tain about the same number OF seats as
they now control. but the members Of that
party from South Germany would return
more uncompromisingly opposed TO the
Army bill than ever. while tho Pr,issian
Catholics would Insist still more peremp-
torily on changes in the measure which, as
the Chancellor declares. he cannot accept.
The Conservatives. doubtless. have no rem
son to apprehond any material loss Of
strength from O new general election, but
they no longer constitute homogeneous
party. They have been split into two sec
tions by the anti-Scmitic movement. and
the small fraction OF twenty Conservatives
who still applaud the Kaisers refusal to
countenance tho agitation against the
Jews, is expected to shrink to ten when the
constituencies arc heard from.
This means that the mass OF the Con-
servative voters consider the enactment Of
severely discriminating laws against the
Jews matter Of much more moment than
the enlargement Of the German army. AS
similar opinions are rapidly gaining ground
among the Clericals. tho danger is that
new general election would not only render
the passage Of the Military bill moro inn
practicable than 1t is now. but would force
the anti-Semitic question into the fore
ground of discussion and legislation. Out
side of the very small section of the Conserv-
atives who have already seeded from their
former comrades in disgust at their exhibit
ton of religious prejudice, the only resoluto
opponents Of a crusade against tho Jews
would be tho Freisinnige party and tine
Socialists. TO engage in tho anti-Semitic
agitation would be peculiarly ridiculous
for the Socialists. because their first
great organizer was the jew lERDG-
EAND LAssALLE, and the propounder
OF their economical system was the
jew KARL MARX. Az for the FIeisin-
nige party. 1t not only reckons among its
past and present leaders such 1sraciltes as
LASKER and BAMBERGEE. but it depends
principaliyupon Jewish writer's and Jewish
speakers for the propagation OF its views in
the press and on tho platform. 1t must.
however. be acknowledged that the Frei-
sinnige party and the Socialists both to-
gethcr constitute only weak minority OF
Germany's voting population. and that they
arc chiefly made up. not Of course Of Jews.
who contribute only about half Of one per
cent. to the inhabitants Of the German en-
,,,,+ .>rv ,bc OF bar ornvol
nostics or have no definite religious opin-
ions. AS the Catholic voters are concen-
trated in the party Of the Centre. so the
jealous adherents OF the Lutheran or Of the
Evangelical communions are 1nassed in the
Conservative. the 1mperialist. and the
National-Liberal parties. If. as some re-
cent events have portended. Protestants
and Catholics should combine against the
jew, it might be difficult even for so SELF
willed sovereign as the Emperor WILL
LIAM II. to avert the revival Of medieval
anti-Semitic legislation.
1t Is the fear that a coalition OF Catholics
and Protestants might be formed for such,a
purpose which deters the Emperor and his
Chancellor from risking. even for the sake
Of the Army bill. new appeal to the peo-
pie at this juncture, when. as the triumph
ant election Of Pastor AHLwARDT has
shown. large number Of anti-Semitic can
didates might be returned. Time. discus
sion. and reflection are needed to dispel the
present feverish state OF the German mind
upon this. the anti-Semitic question.
Sensible Germans will ultimately recognize
that no special odium or suspicion ought to
fall upon tho Jewish race because. in 1886,
LoEwE Il Co. offered through Gen. BoULAN-
GER. then French Minister Of War. to supply
France with the plant needed for manufac-
turing Lebel rifles. Similar offers have
been made by German Christians at equally
critical conjunctures. In 1868. only two
years before the outbreak Of the Franco
German war. KRUPP T. Co. proposed to
supply NAPOLEON III. with cannon; and
again in 1886 the chemical factory OF the
Alessrs. SCHERINa at Berlin did actually
furnish the French Government with large
quantities OF the picrio acid used in the
manufacture OF melinite. When the direc-
tor Of the SCHER1NG works informed Prince
BISMARCK OF the transaction. the Prince
answered: go ahend. and get all the
money you can out Of the French" The
reasonable view which BISMARCK took OF
such matters must. in the end. be shared by
all his sober-minded countrymen.
The Transferred Brain.