Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-11-24
GERMANY'S CONTEST
The Fight Over the Long
Looked For Military Bill
On in the Reichstag.
BISMARCK GIVEN THE LIE
By Caprlyi, Who Denies That the
Ems Dispatch Was Doctored.
THE WORDS THAT PRODUCED WAR
We're Not Those Of the Prince, but of the
Late mperor Himself
NEWS FROM THE EUROPEAN CAPITALS

BERLIN, Nov. 23-The long-looked-for
event of the present session of the Reich
stag occurred to-day. The army bill was
introduced by Chancellor Won Caprivi, who
made most important speech upon the re-
lalious existing between France and Ger
many. He said he did not intend to justify
the bill by referring to a war in sight or by
indulging in gloomy forbodings He added;
l will disclose the whole truth. We are
at peace with all nations and encounter no
difficulty in any quarter in maintaining the
dignity of the nation. His Majesty, the EN-
peror, has justly remarked that Heiigoland
was the last piece OF the globe we desired to
acquire. Germany will not provoke war,
for there is no prize to gain by victory; but
neither will she undertake to prevent war
any more than she did in 1870.
The Chancellor then referred to the al
legged forgery by Prince Bismarck of the
famous Ems dispatch, which precipated the
Frsnco-German war, and read the genuine
dispatch, which reads:
The King writes me as follows: "Beneditti
(the French Ambassador to Germany in
tercepted me on my promenade and finally
asked me in a very pressing manner to au-
thorize him to telegraph to his Government
at once that bound myself for all time
never to again accord MY sanction in the
event of Prince Leopold of HonenZollern
reverting to his candidature to the throne
OF Spain. / at length declined, somewhat
sternly, to listen to him further. as one
ought not and could not enter tout Jamals
into engagements OF this kind"
The Telegram to Foreign Powers.
The king has since received letter from
Prince Leopold. The King. in view of the
demand referred to, resolved upon the ad-
vice of Count vor Eulenburg and myself
not 10 see Beneditti again, but to merely in
form him through his adjutant that the
King had received from Prince Leopold a
letter confirming the news Beneditti al
ready had from Paris, and the King had
nothing more to say to the Ambassador.
The King leaves Your EXcelency to de-
eide whether Beneditti;s new demand and
its rejection should not be Immediately
communicated to the Ambassador and the
press
The Chancellor also read the draft Prince
Bismarck prepared, which appeared in the
North German Gazette of July 13, 1870 and
which read as follows:
kilograms addressed by the Prussian Gov
ernment to foreign governments: After the
news of the renuncia ton OF the hereditary
Prince of Hohenzollern had been officially
communicated to the Imperial French Gov
eminent by the Royal Spanish Government,
the French Ambassador at Ems further de-
manded of His Majesty. the King OF Prussia,
to authorize him to telegraph 60 Paris that
His Majesty, the King, engages for all future
time never again to give his consent if the
Hohenzollerns should again return to their
candidature.
His Majesty, the King, thereupon declined
to receive the French Ambassador again, and
had him told by the adjutant in attendance
that His Majesty had nothing further to
communicate to the Ambassador.
Where Prince Bismarck Prevaricated
The last paragraph of the above is what
Prince Bismarck alleges he forged with the
intention of woundirg so the amour propre
of France that she would declare war
against Germany and thus allow him, in the
event of Prussian victory, to bring about
the formation OF German empire. Chan
cellor Won Caprivi declared emphatically
that Prince Bismarck had not talsified the
dispatch, and that it was untrue that King
William was too conciliatory or had not
struck the proper note in dealing with
France.
King William. he said, even as late as
July l, 1871, had the dispatch sent to the
German Minister at Paris, intimating that
he was indignant at the Due de Gram
mont's demand addressed to him through
M. Benedetti, and reserved any further
steps. The whole of Europe was of the
same opinion as Germany at that time, as
shown by Mr.. Gladstone's declaration and
Prince Gortchakof's dispatch to the Rus
sian Ambassador. The Chancellor con-
tinued:
Irefer to these matters in order to show
that Germany did not play a provocative
part. The French love wars and glory and
the more complete their armaments the
stronger grows their self-consciousness and
desire to conclude an alliance, naturally not
for defensive purposes, but with view to q
revision OF the map of Europe.
Chancellor Won Caprivi's speech was
greeted with loud applause by the sup
porters of the Government.
The Chancellor Afraid of Russia.
Referring to Russo-German relations the
Chancellor said:
Friendship has existed between Germany
and Russia Tor centuries past, and the EN-
peror Alexander himself WAS an important
personage in the maintenance of these
friendly relations. The present Gar is one
OF the noblest minded and most peaceful of
monarchs and appreciates the peaceful and
in Russia, however, hostile cur
rents working against US, which |
since the successful achievement of Ger
the interests OF Russia. Yet it must not be |
concluded, because Russia is developing her |
army that war is imminent We must as
sume from her preparations that Russia's |
next war will be to the westward. These |
preparations arouse no anxiety at present; |
but while slow. their course has been steady |
and sure.
There is, undeniably, rapproachment be- |
tween Russia and France. We must think |
of war with the probability of having to |
present TWO fronts. Ii Russia wished TO go |
TO war she would be sure OF the alliance of |
France; but if France wished to go to war |
the alliance of Russia with France would be |
IA open question. In either case, Russia |
must occupy the attention OF portion of |
our forces. We are not prepared for such an |
exigency We would have to defend ourselves
AGAINST superior numbers. Our whole posi-. |
tion among the nations depends upon our |
military strength. We have the highest |
oninion of our allies, and the dreibund is |
nowhere so popular as in Germany, but even |
the drefbund is weaker in troops than are |
France and Russia: Germany must always |
take the chief burden upon herself, because |
sbe must watch two frontiers. Germany |
hs 9 lost her military supremacy since 1870 |
not by the FAULT of the Government. or OF the
con6ueror is less inclined to make sacrifices |