Los Angeles herald., 1892-11-24
THE LONG-LOOKED-FOR EVENT.,
Caprivi Introduces the German
Army Bill.
He Backs 1t Up With Most ElO-
quent Speech.
The Famous Ems Dispatch Read in the
Reichstag to Show Exactly How
the Franco Prussian War
Came About.
Rv the Associated Press |

reichstag occurred today, when the
army bill was introduced by Chancellor
Won Caprivi. He said he did not intend
to Justify the bill by referring to war in
sight, or by indulging in gloomy fore
podings. He added: ~ will disclose
the whole truth. We are at peace with
all nations and encounter no diff
Guilty in any quarter in main
tanning the dignity OF the nation.
His majesty, the emperor, hasjustly re-
marked that Heligoland 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 che did in 1870"
The chancellor then referred to the
alleged forgery by Prince Bismarck of
the famous Ems dispatch, which pre-
cipitated the Franco-German war, and
read the genuine dispatch sent by Privy
Councillor Abeken to the Prussian for
eign office from Ems, July l3, 1870, two
DAYS prior to the declaration OF the
Franco Prussian war. The dispatch
reads:
1.-The king writes me as follows: Ben
edetti, the French ambassador to Ger
many, intercepted me Oh my promenade
and finally asked me in very pressing
manner to authorize him to telegraph
his government at once that | bound
myself for eli time never to again accord
my sanction in the event of Prince
Leopold OF Hohenzollern reverting to
his candidature to the throne OF Spain.
I at length declined somewhat
eternly to listen to him further, as one
ought not, and could not enter tout
jamais into an engagement of this kind
Naturally told him l had, as yet, re-
ceived nothing, SIS he got the news
earlier by way OF Paris and Madrid
than did. He must see my govern
ment was again left out
eThe king has since received q letter
from Prince Leopold. The king, in view
of the demand referred to, resolved upon
the advice OF Count Won Eulenburg and
myself, not to see Benedict again, hut
merely to inform him through his adju-
tant that the king had received from
Prince Leopold letter confirming the
news Benedetti already had from Paris,
and that the king had nothing more to
say to the am bassadors.
''The king leaves your excellehcy to
decide whether Bendetti's new demand
and its rejection should not be immedi-
ately communicated to the ambassador
and the press"
The chancellor also read the draft
Prince Bismarck prepared, which ap-
peared in the North German Gazette of
July 13, 1870, and which reads as fol-
lows:
GA telegram was addressed by the
Prussian government to the foreign gov
ernments after the news OF the renunci-
alton of the hereditary prince of Hohen-
zollern was officially communicated to
the imperial French government, by
the royal Spanish government. The
French ambassador at Ems further
Prussia, to authorize him to telegraph
to Paris that his majesty, the king, en-
cages for all the future never again to
return to their candidature. His maj
esty, the king, thereupon declined to
receive the French ambassador again,
and had him told by the adjutant in
attendance that his majesty had moth
ing further to communicate to the
ambassador.
The last sentence of the above is what
Prince Bismarck is alleged to have
forged with the intention propounded to
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 for
nation of the German empire. Caprivi
declares emphatically that Prince Bis
marck had not falsifed the dispatch,
and that it was not true that King Will.
liam was too conciliatory, or had not
struck the proper note in dealing with
France. Kind William, he said, even as
late as July Is, 1870, had diapatch
sent to the German minister at Paris,
intimating that he was indignant at the
Due de Grammont's demand, addressed
to him through M. Benedetti, and re-
served any further steps. The whole
of Europe was of the same opinion as
Germany, at that time, as shown by
Glads tones declaration and Prince
Gortschakoff's dispatch to the Russian
ambassador.
II refer to these matters" said Chan
cellor Won Caprivi," in order to show
that GERMANY did not play the provoca
tive part. The French love wars and
glory, and the more complete their
ornaments the stronger grows their
self f-consciousness and desire to conclude
an alliance, naturally not for defensive
purposes, but with view to revision
of the map of Europe"
Referring to Russo-G German relations,
the chancellor said:
"The present CZar is one of the
noblest-minded and most peaceful of
monarchs, and appreciates the peaceful
and loyal policy of Germany.
In Russia, however, hostile currents
are working againstu US ; but it mustnot be
concluded that because Russia is devel-
oping an army, war is imminent. From
her preparations, we must assume that
Russia's next war will be to the west
ward. There is undeniably a reap
proachement between Russia and
France, in the face of which
we cannot yield Alsace-Lor-
raine nor break off our relations with
Austria. The strengthening Of our arm
aments constitutes no threat to Russia.
We only want to repel a possible attack.
We must think OF war with the posi-
bility of having to present two fronts.
: "We are not prepared for such an
exigency. We would have to defend
ourselves against superior numbers. We
have the highest opinion of our allies,
and the dreibund is nowhere 80 popular
as in Germany, but even the dreibund
is weaker on troops than France and
Russia"
The chancellor then proceeded to ex-
plain the proposed reforms in the mill
tary service, and, referring to the meas
4