St. Paul daily globe., 1892-03-19
The Primary Education Bill
Forces a German Minis
terial Crisis.
Kaiser Wilhelm Sorely Per-
picked by the Dilemma
Facing Him.
Chancellor Won Caprivi Will
Stand or Fall on the Bill
as Presented.
The Situation Is Grave and
the Outcome Doubtful in
the Extreme.

BERLIN, March 1s.-The report of the
chaneellor's resignation has excited the
greatest sensation throughout the city,
and crowds throng Inter den Linden
discussing the ministerial crisis. Ca
priyi offered his resignation at the cabi-
net meeting today as the result of the
pr0tracted contest on the educational
bill which the chancellor, as Prussian
premier, has championed from the first.
At this moment there is no def
mite information as to the action of the
Kaiser on the premier's resignation. 1t
is known that the kaiser has apprehend-
ed for some time movement OF the
kind on Capriyi's part, and has also
been much disconnected by the trouble
which the educational bill has aroused.
The kaiser got out of his bed against
the advice of his physicians in order to
confront the approaching politi-
cal storm. In the cabinet meet
ing yesterday the kaiser ap-
peared to be sustained by the
excitement of the occasion, and the
necessity of keeping determined front
in view of the probable disruption of
the ministry. The kaiser himself has
earnestly desired to see the education
bill become law. and was prepared to
strain every cord of his influence as
King of Prussia to effect its adoption.
But the storm of opposition has been
gathering in force with every day, and
from nearly all of Protestant Prussia
has arisen
Loud and ResOlute Protest
against the concessions which the bill
proposed to the Roman Catholic faith.
The kaiser has been reminded of the
devotion of his house to the Lutheran
faith in the early struggles OF Branden-
burg. in the cause of the reformed re-
ligion, and of the more recent contest so
bitterly maintained between the Roman
hierarchy and the Prussian govern
. ment. These protests have been
brought to bear with even greater force
upon the diet and members after
member had deserted the cause of the
government. Within few days it has
become question whether, in order to
drive the bill in its present form through
the landtag, the kaiser and Caprivi
would not have to ALLEVIATE the whole
liberal party.
lignation is said to be that, at the cabinet
meeting To-Day the kaiser substantially
stated that he favored a material modi-
flcatiOn OF the educational bill. AS
Caprivi had substantially stated in
the landtag that he would stand or fall
by the bill as it was, he felt bound in
honor to resign. Caprivi is known to
have, in high degree, the soldiers
sense of honor and fidelity to his word,
and he Is not likely to eat his words, as
Minister vO GoSSler did. The kaiser'S
choice now is either to force the
bill through as it stands or to
accept Caprivi's resignation. He is
known to be deeply attached to
Caprivi, and it is thought that he may
insist upon the chancellor remaining
and call upon the Conservative and
Ultramontane combination in the land
tag to pass the bill.
The resignation Of Minister ZeidlitZ-
Trutzschler is necessitated if the bill is
seriously modified or Withdrawn, by
the fact that he created the
education bill from beginning
to end. and submitted it
to the cabinet in the form in which it
was to be presented to the house with |
out any previous consultation with his |
colleagues, as is customary.
If Caprivi'S resignation should be ac-
cepted his successor would probably be |
Johannes MIGUEL. Prussian minister of |
finance, who for more than two years |
has stood in the highest favor with the |
emperor, and who has all along been |
iukewarm if not positively hostile to |
the education bill