Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-07
Por1rIcAL LIFE IN GERMANY.

POE1TICAL LIFE IN GERMANY.
The form of government and the political
life Of people have reflex action upon eacn
other, and to know the one is to understand
the other.
The German empire is union OF twenty
six states-tWenty-two monarchies, three
republics and decentralization mas
no independent form of government. The
imperial government has three branches
executive, legislative and judicial The eX-
ecutor. the emperor, is also king OF Prus-
STA. The legislative branch is divided into
two bodies; ]. The bundesrath, some
what like our senate, consisting OF fifty
eight members appointed by the various
states, Prussia alone furnishing seventeen,
and presided over by the reichskanzler. z
The reichstag (house of representatives.,
elected representatives Of the people, a
Candidate for the reichstag need not be a
resident of the district in which he Is
elected and, indeed, may run in more than
one district The third branch of the I'M
serial government is the reichsgeritch tsu-
nreme court) located at Leipsic, where only
ofenses against the imperial government
such as treason. counterfelting, ETC., can be
tried. The emperor can declare war ana
conclude peace with the consent OF the
bundesrath, and has no veto power over a
measure passed by the bundesratn and
relchstag; in other respects ne is absolute
and is accountable. to no authority for his
actions, and cannot be impeacbed. The
bundeSrath passes on all financial questions
and determines what measures shall be
submitted 10 and considered by the reichs-
tag. Fourteen negative votes in the
bundesrath will kill any proposed amend
ment 10 the present constitution, so that
Prussia alone can dictate in such matters.
On other questions the majority of votes
govern, but each state delegation must vote
as a unit.
The state governments are like smaller
wheels in the one large wheel-king, land
stag 1.-TWO bodies) and landsgericht.
The city governments consists OF mayor
and councilmen, without the Judicial
branch.
The members of the reichstag, of the
lardstag and Of the city councils are the
only officers in the empire elected by the
people. More, there is no such thing as
universal suffrage. 1t is therefore apparent
how small figure the people cut in the
government OF Germany. 1t IS also easily
understood how it is that elections in Ger
many create so little excitement in compar-
iSon with our own turmoil on such occasions,
for there is not so much to be gained on
lost. The easy-going German IS almost
frightened for US at our excitement and
confusion, and thinks we are going all to
pieces once every four years. Indeed, we
afford all Europe national spectacle Such
rs an individual with dellrium tremens al
fords his fellowmen.
Party Esprit is felt in Germany also,
but they have an advantage over US in
having their attention divided. There are
so many parties that each Individual voter
feels sure beforehand that enough OF the
other parties are going to be elected TO pre-
vent him having everything his own way.
Again, the few officers who are elected by
the peopls have no say in appointments,
which are never made from the rank and
file but are made after examination, accord
ing to civil service; hence there is never a
hope of political reward-ln TACT no such
idea animates the German voter as ito the
victor belong the spoils.n The energy OF
individual voters is not eXerted for the
success of party with any hope Of obtaining
some fat Office
Electioneering is done differently from
our way. Public speaking IS conducted
deceutly and in order, without noise or
disturbance for the police are there as
everywhere in command. No incendlary
orator is allowed to mount the rostrum.
The social Democrats, who feel that they
have grievance and wish TO be heard,
often come into conflict with the police.
The instances are numberless where their
meetings have been broken up by the
police. Again, the censor of the press pre-
vents the passionate editor rushing into
print with flaming invectives and epithets
under pain of confiscatiOn of his establish
ment and appurtenances and perhaps OF
serving term in prison for SANDER OF the
nobility, officers, king or emperor. SANDER
of candidates and private individuals IS
punished by heavy fines. Handhills
distributed from house TO house are the
most effectual means of party communica-
ton with the voter.
Bribery is severely punished and, indeed,
is almost impossible under the German
system Of balloting; and repeating, irreg-
ular voting and coloniZing could not pos
~ r4n1r TON
ping . keg of beer, would make a candi-
dates election null and void, if 1t should
ret entail severer punishment. The police,
who are amenable to no candidate, would
make II very unhealthy for anyone at
tempting such Irregularities.
The German Catholic (the Centrum), the
Thinking (lNraisinnige) and the So
hated by Bismarck. The Jesuits were eX-
PEELED and their property confiscated: the
law against the Socialists, making their
life miserable; protective tariff and cen
traliz2tion, autOcracy, hateiul military
service and burdenSoIue class legislation,
arraying against him the Freisinnige, so
that they were finally classed by him with
the Socialists as enemies of the empire
(Reichsfeinde); all this and much more has
the great iron chancellor done in his dotage
TO disunite the empire, which he in his
manhood united. The people were in cop-
Sldnl JutllOl Is lpASs d. DlSAudICh SICSlS'l
the ship OF state. The present emperor
could not be 4 willing tool of Bismarck,
and differed essentially with him on the So
cial question; and it VIII remain one of the
greatest services to the people of Germany
that Bismarck was dismissed from power.
The young emperor hes had the hated So
Cialist law repealed, has raised the unjust
prohibition OF American pork so that the
people might set cheaper meat to eat, and
Is doing by kindness and concession what
Bismarck could not do by compulsion.
Half the cial-Democratic element has
swung back and become loyal subjects, the
Freisinnige stand by the government on all
good measures. The German Catholics are
hopeful of reinstatement. With internal
discord almost healed, the present emperor
has bright future ahead of him, and his
reconciled and always obcdient subjects
will follow him into the mouth of the can
non. Social and tariff reform has been iu
Rugurated, and the present outlook in Ger
many IS better than ever before.
EDGAR L. BRAMLSTTE,
Ex-Consul to Germany.
College Station, Tex.