The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-05-22
SEATTLE. 1OSDAI. NAY 20.
xuE PENDING ELECTION IN GER
MANY.

THE PENDING ELECTlON IN GER
MANY.
To understand the pending election in
Germany for rev reichsiag, which taxes
place next month. It i, necessary 70 ex-
Ilain the various factions into which Ger
nan politics are divided. The Center or
Clerical party is compocd of Roman Cath
e,!ics from South Germany and the Rhine.
provinces. 1t made long and successful
struggle against the anti-Catholic laws
enacted by Bismarck. and has obli,erased
ss:em all from the statute books save the Law
against the Jesuiis. Now that its specific;
work il done il begins to snow signs Of.
,:lsintegration. The Conservative party
comprises the Junkers and Fuers-:
ten--the squires and mobiles -. and
support the emperor and minis
ters against parliamentary government.
Their numbers are steadily declining.
tie former faction falling from rs 10 - and
lie latter from - to NJ between iss7 and
Issp. The National Liberals have gener-
ally stood for moderation, progress, intel
ai,ence and Independence. but lacking Of
late years the courage Of sheir convictions
eisey have lost ground and prestige. Ia
1ss7 they joined the two Conservative
ggours IN the famous cartel for the pur-
rose OF passing the septennase army bill.
hat in the election Of 1850 they lost 30
Yeats. retaining in the late rcichstag only
Al and ii il not improbable that they will
ills year suffer further loss.
The Social no,nacrafs lo1 hy Habof
have made long and successful struggle
AGAINST Bismarek's rcpressive laws. In
las7 they secured only eleven seats. but in
$3.50 they secured thirty-fve: and
,l.ey bid fair to increase their numbers at
the coming election. The anti-Semitc. or
Jew-Baiter party, is led by DIR. Stoecker,
Tie court chaplain. They are not numer
aus. but have won over the Conservatives
to the intoierant principle upon which
al,cir contemplate party Is founded. The
great Freisinnige or Radical party IL now
divided into two factions. The larger Of
these is called the volkspartei. or Peoples
party. 1t Is led by tho famous Freisin-
ege chieftnin, Eugene Richter. one
%, the ablest politicians in Europe.
The smaller, known as the Freisinnige
Nerc,nigung. or Radical Union. is led by
ps. Heinrich Rickert. The smaller faction
VI the Radical party was disposed to sup
pert the army bill in the last reichstag
The Frcisinniee is tho party of constitu-
..anat and parliamentary government. ad-
vecating manhood suffrage. IA secret bal
tot. freedom of speech and of the press,
parliamentary control of finances. aud a
ministry responsible to the reichstag--a
system almost identical with that Of Eng
'aad. In its ranks are such men of light
and leading" rs Prof Virchow. Prof
II anel, pr. Hamburger. Dr. Max Hirsch.
IL. siemens and DR.. Heinrich Dorm. In
ASST 1t had only thirty-six seats; but in
ss@p il secured sixty-six and will probably
gain many more this year.
IT the new reichs.ag is not more favor
ally disposed To pass the army bill than
,ts predecessors il vii, be largely due TO
sae folly OF Emperor William, whose re-
srsal To accept any compromise defeated
nj the efforts of Chancellor Caprivi 10 Sc
cure the enactment Of this important
measure. The bin had passed to its second
reading. hat Emperor William interposed
ri the last moment and disavowed the
n sc concession his chancellor had made
aiid thus brought TO naugh, all the efforts
~, his sasacious minister Capriv! had
secured the secession ut dozen Cenirists
a9si a score OF Radicals by agreeing ~ cut
dawn the number OF men annually
called IL the coiors and To make
two years term of service COM
ygllsory. instead OF optional The
emperor compelled csprivi - recall this
,s>necsstou ana defeated tho bail az the
last moment. Not conien, with this &C.
aYf folly. since the dissolution al the
r. chstas the emperor made the reckless
=; atcmcnt in speech ~ the officers OF his
guards thar in case the new reichstas
should rvjec, the army bill, he was de
iorminei to stake 81 n h.s power 10 oh
tsin the enactment II the measure"
II this means anything it mean. in
eseni OF another rejection of the army
Ill that he woald defy the Herman parl.s.
.ilscut and Increase the army ~ military
<lscree. Il Is true that has grandfather dit
violate tie rrussisa constitution IN -,
#ad by royal decree enlarged the rrussian
arny and leyiei additional taxes Tor that
Purpose. bat tho present emperor could
rot repeat this even in Prussia .thout
i1skins = revolution. for, after the var
nth Austria IN iss'. nat only Bismarck
= his capacity IS priuse minister Ia;
A.as William himself gave the most
.emn assurances that no such violation
z ne frus>l an constitution shoa'i ever
.'aie tANe place. ana tina, no sAses should
avsg asa Re ,eyied without the assent OF
tho peoples representatives.
Emperor w.lhAa dare no, break his
af=asfather's solemn prnGasse 90 Prussia
snA certainty he oousa "a, as emperor. ~
fnsFe Imperial decrce. .-nwose additional
inlh1tTy burdens on segsss t,aets. nsseut
states Ike Sax NV. Bssar.s. Wa-sousl~srr
sn& Rs.;en. r. tetslly oat ri The power
~ hsareTor Ntlis1 = enforce as .faut,l
sarsas ~ ASSUME absolute r-,Wer 49, ua.ke
as ~i!i the lss ~ Germany. GERMANY i,
constitutional sovrzn;sss a.. aaa the en-
serss's p9ssrz arc strictly limited sad
4ieaaea- he = ltsle ssore shaa cau.
'aas.4er -sa-saisi ct lie inpssia! armies