The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-10-30
THE "VIAHLMANNER."
Interesting Facts Concerning TN
Coming Election I'm Germany.

Coming Election I'm Germany.
copyrighted, 1898, by the Associated Press.)
BERLIN, Oct 29-On Tuesday, Oct 81,
the election of, the "Wahlmanner" takes
place, who week later, elect the Dep
uties to the new lower house of the Prus-
sian Diet The fact that the electoral sys-
tenn in Prussia is based on a property quail
ification and indirect suffrage accounts, un-
doubtedly, for the small interest taken in
these elections, and for the very low per-
centage OF electors that exercise their rights
of suffrage. There is, consequently, an abb
sence of excitement and electoral agitation
which usually charactefizes the elections in
countries possessing more liberal electoral
system. In a word the interest taken In
these elections, as regards the great ma
jority of the public, Is reduced to min
in1um. Before dealing with the salient
features of the present campaign and the
views eXpounded on current questions in
TIE addresses of the various parties, it may
not be uninteresting TO give brief sketch
of the Prussian electoral system and the
strength of the parties in the late Diet.
The suffrage is based on what is called the
'three classes electoral SYSTEM Accord
ing to the electoral law of May, 1Si9 the
participation of the electors in one of the
three divisions is regulated by the amount
OF direct taxes paid, one-third of the total
of state taxes levied being deducted from
each division; accordingly, the number Of
electors belonging to the first division.
which comprises the heaviest taxpayers. is
small. The next following IN amount are
those included in the second division, while
the remainder of the electorate constitute
tne tHlrd DIVISION Thus, in 1919, on the in
PRODUCTION of the electoral law, the cleo
torate In Prussia numbered 1886, 7O3 dis
triouted as follows; First division. 153. sos;
$50. '' '''0 0i'i''oii' -'o'i'-
1t will be seen from the above that the
I9S,o9o electors comprising the heaviest tax
payers possessed the same political power
as the 1881, $50 in the third division, com
posed or the poorer class of citizens small
peasants and worknen, while the 400 9i5
electors of the second or middle division,
together with the first division, const-
tuted as much again of political power
over the remainder of the electorate In
of the first division In 1885 was 1864 against
1858 in the third division, or 10 per cent
against 80 per cent This system. which
Prince Bismarck himself once described as
the most wretched ever devised, explains
the small participation of the electorate in
these elections. Thus, from the very COM
mencement of this system, the exercise of
the franchise has been extremely meager.
Even during the exciting political time of
the sixties the number of electors that
tbat electorate, while in 1883, on the occa-
sion of the elections to the late Diet, the
estimated number that exercised their right
of vote is given at 10 per cent. The pres
ent strength of the electorate in Berlin is
put down at 347,447. distributed as follows
Five thousand nine hundred and twenty
nine of the first division, .232 of the sec
ond division and 313.2S6 of the third while
the total number of "Wahlmanner'' to be
elected for Berlin is 5,773 The city is rep
resented in the Diet by nine Deputies.
Introduce
universal, equal, direct and secret suf-
frage on the model of imperial suffrage.
Freisinnige party brought in a motion in
the Prussian Diet to the above effect. The
motion, however, was defeated, the Fret
sinnige and Center parties only voting in
its favor. In the sessions of 1SS3-Si and in
1856 the Freisinnige party again intro
duced a resolution for the use of secret in
motion was likewise lost owing to the COM
bined opposition 1t encountered from the
Conservatives and National Liberals. 1t is
generally considered, however, that the
sooner or later. The recent debate in the
Bavarian Diet on the resolution presented
by the Social Democrats in favor of direct
universal suffrage was watched with con-
siderable interest in the country, and al
though the failure of the attempt was re-
gar7ed as & foregone conclusion, still much
disappointment at the result was mani
tested in many quarters
The legislative period of the lower hous
Oh the 1TuSSlan DlSI 6NlcnuS over i've years
The late Diet elected Nov. 6, 1885, consisted
of 125 Conservatives, &C Free Conservatives
% Center party, 81 National Liberals 2
Freisinnige party, 10 Poles, 2 Danes, Lib
erals belonging to no party, making tota
OF 433 Deputies.
With regard to the present campaign
the various manifestos issued are of a NOR
or less insignificant character, consistin,
chiefly in the ventilation of old grievances
and especially on the part of landed pro
prietors of what is known as the Agrarial
| League. Thus the manifesto of the Ere
Conservative party is very plain thi
subject, a2d holds that the agrarianS dc
| serve as much attention being paid to thei
wants as trade commerce and industry
The manifesto further appeals to all patri
and reactionary tendencies. The address
issued BY the Conservative party is shor
and of less Importance as compared wit
that of the Free Conservatives. The ad
dress deals principally with the questions o
| education legislation, and the upholdin
and furtherings of the interests of the mid
die classes. Mention is Xix awise made of tn
famous Tivoli programme, when IL vii
| be remembered the Conservatives openly III
| lied themselves to the anti-Semitic move
Inent. The Center partys address deal
| with the known demands of the party TO
| UNCONVENTIONAL national schools, abolitio
| of the amended Prussan electoral laws
sans and laborers. The National Liberia
manifesto is a lengthy document, dealin
| principally with the questions of the i'm
| provernent of the working classes, eXtensio
| OF the Prussian railways, and an improve
| regulation of the finances.