New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-07-07
THE GERMAN ELECTIONS.
II.
THE PRESENT RESULT OF THE ENlPERORN
APPEAL TO THE GERMAN PEOPLE.

rich in surprises. II kept its secrets well befon
and during the elections all the better because
an electoral campaign in Germany is carried On
with so little publicity, and because journalism in
Germany takes little pains to enligh'en the world,
cycept in an argumentative and speculative way.
and even when the contest is over publishes tho
results In the most confused and confusing way.
One fact however, seems at last 10 be univcr.
sally admitted There will be majority in the
new Reichstag for the Army bill in some shape or
other That is the fact which makes the deepest
immersion abroad and that is doubt the fact
which connects itself most closely with practical
nolitcs: if the Parliamentary politics of Germany
can ever be called practical. The best Judges
expected different result. Their forecast is jusi-
fed if you count votes The German people have
nronounccl against the bill, but the division Of
Germany into electoral districts is uneven, and
mnortv Of voters are able to return majority
Of members of the Rrichstag. That Is very
considerable triumph for Count Won Caprlvi, and
still more so for the Emperor, and, as II Is tho
first either Of them has won for goon while' the
outside spectator iced not grudse them 'helr con-
ISOLATION victory.
There is a sense, moreover, in when tine oess
friends Of Germany may rejoice in 1t, quite irre-
noo,iyolv of the merits or dement's of the meas
ure conflict. perhaps a catastrophe mas Deem
avoded or has at least been postponed The menace
If rho Emperor will remain for the present mem
ace He told the fifty millions OF Germans over
whom he rules that if they would not send MIN
Reichstar to do his will, he should enforce 1t by
other means Nobody knew exactly what no
meant The threat was the more alarming ne'
cause il was so vague But he is headstrong enough
% ottomnt almost anything. He was supposed u
intend a fresh Dissolution, and then thrd.
should the second election also go against him.
The process would not be constitutional, Dut u
was calculated that the constituencies wouo
ultimately be tired ont and do as they We're DID,
On the other hand, the ineradlcahle stupporhhtUs
Of tile German nature might nave peen iou'eA
and, at BEST the result was uncertain. anu de
most anything might have happened
AGAINST this gain must be put the propaple
oIoction of William Second, who is likely forth'
with 70 forget all his previous mistakes and hu'
miliations and rely more blindy than ever on
Divine RIGHT. and on himself as the Viceserent OK
the Almighty and make another foolish sprccl',
and do nobody knows what. The Army Dill ltseii
will probably do neither so much marin hor :"
much good as its opponents and advocates eApeo''
The majority may even now accept 'he Hueno
comnromse Whether they do or not, the facs
that there is a majority strengthens the Empire
more than the Emperor. A great deal OF the ops
nosition 10 the bill was based on grounds "hio"
were anti-Imperal. The electoral strength OF iss
supporters lies in Prussia; OF It's opponents AA
South Germany. The German papers VIII ho'
,akn the trouble to classify the election returns
and the means of classifying them are wan',ns
bere But it seems probable that, OF the -3o
.,a,,hors balancing 10 PRUSSIA out of the 397 who
coupose the whole Reichstag very large mi'
ioritv is for the bill If the great cities, WITH
Rotln AZ their head have almost everywhere
| returned oppouents of the bill, 1t Is ior o'ner
| reasons than their hostility TO TINS particular
| measure: Socialistic reasons most OF ala
| The Socialists have gained dozen seats OF 30
"a was nr.dicted. but they bavc gained tnrough'
ont the Umpire, which they hate, much less 'han
| they themselves predicted. and perhaps eApcc"''
| Tho Socialists in Germany as elsewhere are III"
rar,,. of rho discontented Mr.. Phelps. our Iate
Minister whose knowledge or German Poil'''s
| must be spoken of with respect. Is r'Poi'e' ~
! saving that their success would not mean any
| thnc hurtful for the great German EMPIRE. Dun
| the Socialists themselves avow their hos'li''y "
| ,ho or.at German Empire - tie army, TO the
taxation by which alone the army can " Aep:
~ and in truth 10 the whole Imperial system,
az we'll as 10 the existing social system IL YOU
arc opposed 10 the only means 10y which par.
.;o,,ar form If government can be paintained.
vou mus. be opposed 10 that particular form OK
government. ,, .L.
n, tb, other hand il may he admitted thas
,ho German Socialist does not at present propos"
en- save society by eXterminatlng H. lie IL ho'
=, Anarchist nor a dynamter, ami does not ycs
rag,rd dynamite as political Instrument IA"
ZOOS other means TO his end. Ii he Is reNoia'
,;onist which it seems difficult TO dcnS' ne
,.o,rtion nv neaceable means. That does
~. ,,,I,o him rho less a revolutonist. If Ger.
many were rich. if taxation were hgh' IL BIC ""'I
no frontier to defend and no Empire 70 sustai''
there would still be German SOCIALISTS JuSo 40
there are in other countries where capltai Is
mon bv those who do not possess il as an enemy.
I'm, the political and economcp programmes %
these gentlemen are not always drawn up oy '''
saroo lands. and do not always run on the same
lines When the forty-fve Socialists in the Keichs-
..,. inst elcc,ed vote. as they will 10 man,
o,,inst the Army bill, they are voting dgalnss
Ia rmnire So will some Of their allies, tho
rinety-rour Ultramontanes most oil al.
| Thor, arc two circumstances when make tne
co,.nn ~ dangerous as tho Social Democrats
They are Catholics and they are an'l-f a.
Tbov are the political product OF the prEs''ooa'
,,hich has almost as much influence III DaVaris
a. II has in Ireland and they are Tue s"chses'
;,o ovnrassion of the widespread animosty 70
.h,t Prussian ascendancy which Is the on'e' h't~
- German unity The IltramonfaneS' however,
b.v, lost ground while the Socialists nave sar"ou'
""a r,iocd at their expense, the Bavsrlan fea%
ants party being distinctly Socalislc' r.r1 p
Inri.m is supposed to have gained also, gu. rar.
tcularism is now only one form OF n"s.nny
70 the Empire which has much 'Ho'r ua"s'S'
enemies The "Pru-san Eater OF naNa''" '.
the Catholic of the RhineIand "o"'I pn he ~.
snch lengths as the Social Democrat ' ""n.a .,
marcl, is supposed TO have Ples"," w. aonu,ot,on
p,r,iculari,m in a recent speec" u -, - hn bah
Of Mecklcnburgers II wouiu '' o' so;nr his NJ.
since 10 has all his lif" long "'i % Zoo ~ N.
most TO extinguish it, and since II J ~" IN fact.
corn,,r unity which is his own crea'ioh ~ IA A.
German "n''s nrd in favor Of Particularsm Al
he SAID not WIZ -, ,,is ,oech in one English