The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-03-30
The Outcome Of tho Prussian crisl

Since BISMARCK. after the triumphant
close Of the war Of 1866. asked to be for
given for having governed against the will
OF the people. there has been no more inter-
esting scene witnessed in the Prussian
Landtag than that which took place on
Monday, when the new President Of the
Council. Count EuLENBURa. announced the
withdrawal Of the School bill. On the
former occasion King WILLIAM I. promised
that an attempt to thwart the will OF the
be made: and now his grandson, only few
weeks after his defiant avowal OF arbitrary
purposes at Brandenburg. has had in his
turn to humble himself at the feet OF the
Prussian nation.
The eighteen million Professionals In Prus-
sia have made their ruler understand that
they will not suffer their interests to be
sacrificed to those Of nine million Catholics
in order that the imperial Chancellor may
find 1t a little easier to manage the
Reichstag. where the Ultramontanes are
relatively stronger than they are in the
Prussian legislature. The sharp discrimi-
nation thus enforced between the duties Of
WILLIAM H., in his capacity Of constitu.
tional King OF Prussia, and the exigencies
with which he must cope in his role Of Ger
man Emperor. will render the task OF Chan
cellor CAPR1v1 impracticable. as long as the
distribution OF party strength in the German
Parliament remains unchanged. For the
Chancellor can no longer secure the support
OF the Ultramontane contlngents from the
minor constituent States. as. for example.
from Bavaria, by promising concessions to
their co-religionists in the Protestant king
dom Of Prussia. He can no longer make
such q covenant, for the power Of fulfilling
it has been taken from him. and given to q
man who made the abandonment Of the
School bill. framed in the interests Of Catho-
lies. the condition OF his accepting the
office Of Prussian Prime Minister.
This revolution In the internal policy Of
Prussia is due primarily to the stand taken
by all sections Of the Liberal party against
the proposed scheme Of education. but
Conservatives. who are themselves Profess
tants. sympathize at heart with the feel
ing Of the Liberals on this subject. There
is no more infiexible Conservative. for in
stance. than Count EULRNBURa-he was
too conservative to suit BIsMARCK-and yet
In this matter Of the School bill he did not
hesitate to tell his master that the Liberals
were right. and that there was no room for
compromise or for anything short Of abso-
Lutte surrender to their demands. By this
move he has probably saved the Prussian
Conservatives from disastrous losses at the
next election for the Landtag. though he
cannot wholly check the tide Of popular con-
tidence now setting toward the reunited
Liberals. II the latter. indeed. remain
united. it Is possible that they may regain
their former position OF preponderance over
Conservatives and Clericals combined. It
is we'll known that many seats in the Reichs-
tag. now occupied by Catholics. were car
ried owing to the fact that the Liberal vote
was divided between Progressist and Ma
tional-Liberal candidates.
One political effect OF the soverelgn's
complete change Of front In Prussia was
shown In the Reichstag within twenty-four
hours. On Tuesday the Ultramon-
tanes. moved by vindictive pur-
pose, combined with other members
influenced by economical considerations to
reject an appropriation for a new cruiser.
whose construction the Kaiser is known to
desire. No doubt. in the face Of this rebuff.
CAPRIvI would like to resign at once. and,
LILO IupoLOI Au5l5Io upOA
ing Office. we shall probably witness
propagation Of the Reichstag. It has
been for some time expected that
tho Prussian Landtag would shortly
be prorogued. in which case this last-named
assembly would not be likely to convene
again. as the close OF its statutory term Is
not far distant. Something may happen
during the summer to entirely change
tho current Of mems thoughts. A war
with Russia. which Is always possible.
and which would inevitably mean a war
with France also. would weld together Ger
man Protestants and Catholics as they were
welded in 1870. Should. however. no war
break out. the meeting Of the Reichstag in
the autumn will probably be followed by
CAPRIvI's resignation: and the religious
antagonisms reawakened In Prussia will be
found to have stimulated the growth Of LAR
ticularist. and perhaps even secessionist.
sentiment In the South German States.
MIR. Story's Science Of Spelling.
The archives OF the Senate Committee on
Education and Labor contain q bill that