The morning call., 1893-05-07
CAPRIVI is DOWN.
Crushing Defeat in the
ReiChstag.
THE KAISER STRIKES BACK
He Will Have New Parliament and a
New Chancellor for the
Empire.
Special to TUE MoRSrNs CALL.

BERLIN, May 6.-The Army bill was re-
jected to-day in the Reichstag by vote of
2l0 against the bill to 1S2 in favor Of it.
A rescript signed by the Kaiser, dissnlv-
ing the Reichstag, was Immediately pro-
mulgated and the Reichstag is now dis
solved
The Social Democratic members displayed
the widest enthusiasm over the result, CIV
ing cheer after cheer, and great confusion
and uprOar prevailed. Public excitement is
al the highest pitch in Berlin. The elections
are set for June 10. and the new session will
open within ninety days.
The result of the vote on the bill caused
no surprise to the Government. Capriyi at
tempted Yesterday evening to rally waYer-
ing members to support the measure by
Offering to reduce the peace effective even
below the number proposed in the amend
ment offered by Won Huene. Tbs offer,
however, did not gain a single vote. This
last attempt at compromise having failed,
Caprivl refused to sanction proposition to
make the two years active service clause
permanent. The Kaiser then became inn
patient of further delay. and pressed for
a decision by the Reichstag to-day. Hence
the vote was taken at once, instead Of being
postponed until Monday.
The failure of the army bill makes it
necessary for the Kaiser to defer for the
present his projected reforms of the higher
military commands and of the posts in the
War Office. Chancellor Caprivi has gone
to Potsdam to offer his resignation TO the
Kaiser, and the Kaiser has summoned
Count Won Eulenburg, the Prussian Pre-
mier, to Potsdam. Eulenburg took the
place when Caprivi resigned that Office
owing to the decision of the Kaiser to
withdraw the educational bill from the
Prussian Landtag.
The most striking feature of the closing
debate was the resurgence of anti-Prassian
sentiment. especially from the speakers of
the Center party. DR.. Lleber, after attack
ing Capriyi for having. as he put it. re-
sorted to the worst form Of Bismarckian
methods to secure the passage of the bill,
said: The Center party fights to-day
against the ambitions of a centralizing
cfesarism. We protest against a militarsm
which translates itself in persistent en-
deavors to extend the principles of the
Prussian State into the domain of imperial
legislation. in the interests of the empire
we demand that the Ptussian policy be
confined to the Prussian Diet, while the
German policy prevails in the Reichstag."
Neither Caprivi nor Manteuffel at
tempted 10 respond to this attack. and all
the speakers for the Government side
simply ignored the expressions of Anti
Prussian sentiment. The Chancellor COM
mented vaguely upon the Democratic ten
denotes recently developing among the
Centrists, and suggested that the policy now
pursued by that party had its in spiration in
the Vatican which. he said, was now the
friend of republican France, aud trying TO
draw the whole Catholic world in the same
direeiian.
"The German Government" the Chan.
celiOr added. 'has hitherto appreciated the
support of the Center party on social ques-
tions, but it has now learned a lesson. The
Center party is Catholic first and German
afterward. The party stands ready TO
commit itself to whatever democratic evolu-
tion foreign Influences may choose to die
tate"
DR.. von Bennigsen, leader of the National
Liberals, gave moderate tone to the debate
in long speech, urging the Reichstag 10
accept the concessions offered by the
Government. He deplored the inability of
the Reichstag to sink party difficulties in the
face of questions involving the external
safety of the Empire ana its prestige abroad
1t was bad contrast TO the Parliamentary
lie OF other countries, notably England,
where the most violent party antagonism
never initiated against the continuity of
the imperial policy. Emperor William has
sent Bennigsen special thanks for the tone
of his speech.
Hurriedly convened meetings are being
held in Berlin and other populous centers
tonight. The promptnes5 with which the
Reichstag was dissolved Immediately after
the defeat of the Government was an
nounced has taken everyb body by surprise,
and the Social Democratic leaders alone
are ready for the electoral campaign. Bebel,
Singer and Liebknecht will leave Berlin to-
morrow and begin at once to stump the
country In behalf of the Socialist candidates.
In every district IN which the Socialists
have fighting chance candidates will be
nominated, and the party expects, with
reason, to have an increased represen tation
in the next Reichstag.
The Emperor will not allow the dissolu-
ton of tie Reichstag 10 interfere with the
programme of his coming tour.
Count Hoensbroeeh. formerly mem Der
of the Society of Jesus, has been excom-
muncated by the church in consequence of
disclosures recently mads by him. and
which are held to have been breaches of
the confessional.