The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-01-02
With 1t They Will Begin the Fight
on the Government.
Seventeen Thousand German Miners on
etrike-Russian Cholera Rioters Pun
ished-The Marseilies Sung by 1000
Idle Londoners.

len OF the men who were benehciaries OF
the fund. IL says. are officials of the
empire, eight are generals, three are
judges, eleven journalists and twenty-five
members OF the relchstag. The deputies
In question are mostly National Liberals
ana conservatives, and received sums
varying between $500 and 5000 each.
The three principal beneficiaries of the
fund are believed 10 have been intimate
friends of King Ludwig. of Bavaria. The
heaviest bribing. says Forwaerts, was done
IN 1856. The information supplied
to Eorwaerts is believed to have
been gained for the Social Democrats by
August Bebel. Should Bebel be as disin-
genuous as ne usually is the investigation
will be exceedingly perilous The whole
matter will probably lie over until the
Democrats will bring it up by means Of
resolution or Interpolation.
BERLIN, Dec. 19.-TSpeciaI Correspond
ence. l-Excepting Liebknecht. Bebel is
the principal and most popular leader of
German Socialism. He has almost sue
ceeded in creating true political party.
met him in Berlin in an humble weiss
bier tavern, his favorite resort in leisure
hours, just at the moment when the Ger
man papers were announcing that he had
become insane. The truth was that be
had merely paid a visit TO Zurich, where a
member of his family had died
Herr Bebel seems about 45 years old, of
medium height, with head expressing at
once energy and mildness of disposition.
The long hair falls over his high forehead,
md hruS h.Sd han hall
unduiations. A long mus,ache and short
trimmed bear cover very large, nervous
mouth. His eyes are blue. arched with
prominent, energetic eyebrows. His gen.
eral appearance is frank, serious, almost
grave, and slightly melancholy.
l asked Herr Bebel what the actual
situation OF the Socialistic party was in
Germany.
''oh, it is steadily growing" he an
swered with confident nile. ITO what
extent one cannot exactly surmise, be-
cause in the last two years We have had
no elections. And We shall have to wait
another three years to find out what
progress our party has made. The cleo
tions being very strong agitation for
socialism, the emperor has wisely taken
measures to restrict such occasions. To
what end, however," and he shrugged
his shoulders disdainfully-'we have
100000 voters and thirty-sx representa-
tiyes in the reichstag. And those elections
would be of still greater importance for US
if, as in France, they could take place on
Sundays, and the right of voting COM
menced at the age of 20 instead of 25
for the German youth shows a tendency
to socialism. In every respect We
have much right to hope. Agitation, by
the means of public meetings, is flourish
ing, socialistic literature is increasing,
and even in the laboring districts, where
socialism never made a propaganda, its in
fiuence is felt, which is very important
thing for US. The representatives of the
Center consider the provinces OF the Rhine,
Westphalia and Bavaria as invulnerable
fortresses Of conservatism. They will see,
however. next time"
Herr Bebel, calmly sitting on his bench,
spoke with tranquility, W hiIe faint smile
giided over his face whenever he made an
allusion to future victories.
''Do you not think" | asked, ''that
political emanclp patton has to be preceded
by economical emancipation? Is not
reformation OF the German government
ABOVE ali tulDgs necessary
''If revolution taxes place in Germany
it will be both political and social. A con-
servative republic like France seems i'm
possible to US. All our parties. except the
Socialists, are monarchlsts. such is the
German middle class, in contrast 10 the
French bourgeoise, which caused the revo-
luton. The farmer fears democracy and
depends upon the monarchy to preserve
certain limited privile ges."
"Do you expect the help of the German
middle class in effecting a revolution? Do
you think they are intelligent enough for
such purpose
I'VE will have to do without them, most
likely" replied Bebel, with a broad laugh.
Then growing serious, ne continued: But
their assistance will be of great value to
US, as soon as they recognize that they
have PLAYED their part and are Obliged TO
go with US"
But would socialism in power not
threaten 10 neglect the original impulses
of socialism by its municipal regulations.
etc. ?''
He shook his head "Well, naturally. We
also have 10 say: You do this and you
do that' Yet socialism Is not a dogma:
we can always change and perfect 1t. On
the other side, the conference OF Berlin
has shown the great weakness and Impo-
teDce OF the emperor, uesplte MS gOOI
will. The German middle classes are at
this hour strong enough TO acknowledge
il. No. there is no relation between social
ism and Caesarism, whatever Herr Won
No.lmarGnay say"
Then your present inactivity is a ruse"
Not at ali. We do not present any bills
because We are sure that they would be re-
iected. But if the government proposes
anything favorable We vote tor il with both
hands There are also the so-caliei Young
Socialists who wish 10 oppose, simply be-
cause they have no idea what session of
the reichstag consists OF. We also know
that 3 partial change would mean bGr lit
tie"
If have well understood your theories,
they are based on the modern philosophy Y
., evoiution?' ?'
'Decidtd!y So"
Then how do you combine your hopes
for a rapid and radical revolution with
theories which assert that progress can
only take place gradually?'
There is uo contradiction whatever be-
tween the theory of evolution and orr
hope Tor near revolution. On the con-
trary, we are evolutionisls. But We think
that the social evolution makes such
strides tina. the day IS not very far when
society can no longer exist, such as It IL At