The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-02-07
| IHE OLD WORLD.
THE AGITATION AGAINST THE
PRUSSIAN SCHOOL BILL.
The Cleric0-ConSeryatiye Alliance
Resolved Upon the Passage of
the Obnoxious Measure.
An Official Admission of the Truth Of the
Charges Against Nou-Oommissioned
Officers Of the German Army.
The Reichstag Taking Steps TO Secure
Decent Treatment for the Privates.
The Kingdom of Spain Again Wis.,
tied by Disastrous FlOods-Ths
Northern Provinces of the
Peninsula Now Inun-
dated - General
Foreign Notes

BERLIN, Feb 6--Whatever may be the
intentions of the ministry regarding the
modifying of the Prussiau elementary edu-
cation act, the proceedings in COMMITTEES
show that the Clerico-Conservative ma
jority is not disposed to assume a concili-
atory attitude. The clauses containing
the most arbitrary provisions have already
been passed by vote OF 10 to l. BY an
| unaltered majority the house committee
rushed through the successive paragraphs
of the act, needless of protests by the Lib
erals.
The stories published in the papers
about direct intervention by the emperor
and relative to his majesty's promising
! Won Bennigsen, member of the National
| Liberal party. to so shape the bill as to
! prevent Herr Miguel, the Prussian minis
ter of finance, and other ministers, from
| resigning, seem like so much gas, The
committee asked Herr Miguel for a de-
tailed statement of the annual expendi-
| lures under the measure. The Conserva-
| tlves got thorough setback when they
| found that the new education law would
| involve an increased outlay of 5000 900
marks annually, which it Is proposed
shall be raised by an income tax. The OPP
position hold that this estimate is not suf-
fciently large, as the provision enabling
any sixty families living in one district TO
claim the right TO have separate school
at the cost of the state will multiply
schools and burden the treasury. The
Conservatives have almost decided to drop
the measure unless the financial clauses or
the bill are nodded to suit them.
1t the mean time the popular agitation
is spreading throughout the empire. The
Liberals in every state, recognizing the
fact that victory for the Clericals in
Prussia will enable them to triumph else
where, are organizing demonstrations
against the proposed new law. AT con-
ference of Catholic bishops held at Fulda
resolution was adopted approving the
proposals and rendering the congratula-
tions of the conference to the government
upon its action.
The Saxon military pienipotentiary Col
onel Won Chloben and General Won GoSSler
of the Prussian army have admitted before
the commission appointed by the reichstag
to inquire into the charges that certain
non commissioned officers have been guilty
of treating the men under them with
brutality, that the allegations are founded
on fact. General Won Gossler stated that
the position of the men had been greatly
improved recently. Under special instruc-
tions issued to the non-commissioned Off
GERS, he had caused regular reports TO be
sent to him of the punishments TO which
the men were subjected He declared that
the soldiers would be better treated il the
non-commissioned officers were Of better
social material.
In the debate in the reichstag on the
subject Herr Ressin9er announced that he
would call attention to the systematic
degradation of the soldiers in plenary
session of the house. All the speakers
concurred in expressing sympathy with
the men, and finally motion was passed
advising that greater publicity be given to
courts martial and that freer access be
afforded to privates who desired to lay
complaints before their superior officers.