The sun., 1893-06-07
The Kaiser Accepts Advice.

| In his speech to group OF officers on tn
parade ground just after the dissolution o
| the Reichstag, Emperor WILLIAM usec
language which. ifit meant anything, signi
| fled that under certain circumstances he
might resort to n coup detdt. Ho was
understood to threaten that. II the peoples
representatives should again prove re-
caicltrant, he would either increase
| the army by imperial decree. or take
| measures to secure moro tractable
assembly by restricting the parliamentary
franchise. That tho latter alternative was
contemplated seemed more probable, be'
cause WILLIAM II. could not in time OF
peace add one soldier to the number OF men
serving under the colors. without encroach-
ing on tho rights OF the minor German SOW
ereigns, whose good will he Is anxious to
retain. On Monday. however. in the pres
ence of the Diplomatic Corps. the Emperor
distinctly disavowed any intention OF In
terfering with the existing method OF elect
Ing the Relchstag. which method amounts
substantially to manhood suffrage.
It is, doubtless. to tho counsel OF Gen.
Won CAPRIvI that we should ascribe the
Kaiser's tardy exhibition OF discretion and
good sense. The Chancellor has probably
warned his sovereign that the voters In the
non-Prusslan States OF the empire cannot
be bullied, and that the dear-bought unity
OF Germany would be shaken by threat
to exceed tho strictly limited powers OF the
Federal ruler. The appearance In Bavaria
OF an avowedly anti-Prussian party. under
the leadership OF Herr S1GL. is q
danger signal which no statesman
would be likely to overlook. 1t Is bad
enough to see Guelph party still linger-
ing in Hanover, and to have the Alsace-
Lorrainers send to the Reichstag. year after
year, fifteen so-called autonomists. who
really represent the protest Of the annexed
provinces against their separation from
France. Far more ominous would be the
revival in Bavaria and Wdtemberg Of tho
traditional antipathy OF those Kingdoms to
Prussia. and OF their traditional sympathy
for France. The mischief that might be
wrought In this way would immensely out
weigh the gain in military strength ex-
pected from the Army bill. The Kaiser has
been made to SEQ this. and the statement
which he made on Monday In Berlin. is q
frank acknowledgement that the legislative
powers conceded to the masses OF the peo-
pie by the Constitution OF the German En-
pire are indefeasible.
In other words. the electoral campaign.
which Is now drawing to a close. has at last
been placed upon a proper footing. The
Government confines Itself to proclaiming
the absolute necessity OF a larger military
establishment for self.defence. and 1t ap-
peals to the patriotism by which all po!it-
ical parties, with the possible exception Of
the Socialists. arc unquestionably ami
mated. It is by no means certain that
the appeal will be made In vain. OF
the canvass now nearly over. there are
several features which the Chancellor would
be justified in regarding as auspicious. In
the letter. which we published on Monday
from our Berlin correspondent, it was point
ed out that no fewer than eighty seats will
be contested by the Unlonist Radicals. who
are willing to accept tho Army bill. II modi-
fed by tho amendment proposed by Major
HINzR. II this new party should manage
to carry half OF the seats which 1t con-
tests. it could give CAPRIvI twice as
much help as its representatives were able
to offer in the last Reichstag. Then. again.
the secession from the Centre party organ
lied by Baron Won SCHoRLEMER-ALsT, has
resulted in tho nomination OF candidates IA
vorable to q modification OF the military
project In thirty Catholic constituencies In
Westphalia. the Prusslan Rhneland. and
Silesla. At least half Of these candidates
are thought likely to succeed. But. OF
course. gains In the directions mentioned
may to some extent be counterbalanced by
the reduction OF the number OF tho National
which Is looked upon as inevitable.
The election Is now but eight days dis
tant, yet all that can be foretold, with n
close approach to certainty. Ia the refusal OF
the new Reichstag to pass the Army bill in
Its original form. From this point OF view
the dissolution seems to have been mis-
take. and the blunder would have been
greatly aggravated II the Kaiser had con-
tinued to attempt to browbeat the cleo
tors. The utmost that can be hoped for
rom the representatives OF the people to be
chosen on Thursday OF next week. is that
thoy may consent TO mako the Same mod
erate concessions which CAPRrvI would
gladly have accepted month ago. but
which were then repudiated by the Emperor