New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-07-08


PROPOSALS TO BE BROUGHT
FORWARD AGAIN.
Rerln. July When the new Rcichstag met
to-day for the first time for the consideration Of
regular Parliamentary business nearly all tho
3o7 members were in their Places for il was
known that the Government would at once in
troduce the amended Army bill, and general in
terest was felt as TO the concessions, if any.
that the Government had made on the original
bill.
Immediately after the formal opening Of the
House Chancellor Won Caprivi assembled the
tribune and in long speech introduced the
amended measure. He stated that the present
form of the bill represented the minimum that
the Government would accept in money.
The Governments demands were the lowest pos
sible consistent with the safety of the Empire
The previous bill had been before Parliament
and the country for nine months. and everybody
understood what the Government wanted II
was. therefore. needless TO repeat the arguments
that had heretofore been advanced in favor of
the measure.
The keynote Of the speech was that foreign
countries. not knowing intimately the German
character had been led to believe that Germany
had lost confidence in herself and that the
tries composing the German Empire were no longer
united This the Chancellor declared. an
erroneous impression. which ought to be quickly
dispcllcd by the speedy adoption of the new bill
IN the course of the speech the Chancellor referred
10 the action of Russia in increasing the peace
footing of her army by $4,000 men since 1889,
and said that she had not vet exhausted her
resources Germany he declared, must increase
her pence footing if her voice was 10 continue
10 have weight in the European areOpaCus. The
assertion made by the Opposition that Germany
did not have sufficient men 10 answer the call
for recruits was disrroved by the fact that 90
600 serviceabe men had rot been recruited.
Referring 70 the expense that would be entailed
by the granting Of the Governments demands.
Chancellor Won Caprivi said that the new taxes
that must necessarily he levied wOnd be borne on
strong shoulders These taxes would not touch
the middle classes the agricultural popula-
ton He could not now, he added. definitely
state the tax plan, hut it the Governments
intention to introduce again the old financial
proposals especially the one providing 70. tax
on Bourse transactions.
The Chancellor briefly rccapitulated the Lead
ing features of the old measure. According 10
this bill the peace effective, excluding com
missoned officers and non-commssioned 0lllcais
above the rank of corporal, was TO have consisted
of 402,O6S men between October /, s92. and
March 81 1899. The strength of the various
branches of the service during the period men
toned was TO have been III battaons of IN
fantry, Az squadrOnS Of cavalry 49i batteries
Of field artillery. 81 battalions Of foot artillery
"a battaons of pioneers. battaons of railway
troops and 81 battaons of the transport The
AVERAGE strength Of the standing army was calcl-
lated in accordance with the principle of two
years active service with the coors for the IN
fantry The increase involved the expenditure of
G6. 800. 900 marks in a lump sun. OF this amount
the sum OF 81 900, 900 marks was 10 have appeared
in The budget for the financial year 1894 Inc
annually recurring expenditure was hyed at
$4,000, coo marks. When tn" new system should
have been fully developed. Germany would have
in tine of war a trained army Of i.4000oo m'n.
these proposals of the Government the Chan
cellor added, did not meet with the approval OF
the IIgase: and in attempting so 20 fix the meas
urc thS it would be acceptable TO the Relchstag,
the Government had accepted the suggestion OF
Frenerr Won Huene and incorporated it in the
bill, withdrawing its own demands on the points
On which the compromise effected. The sng-
gestlon OF trelhcrr Won Huene was, as the House
was aware that the peace effective should be
incrC ased by 10000 AT once, and in the
course OF the next three years should be raised
gradually until 10000 men, practically the iuli
number demanded, should be added 10 the standing
army. 1t also suggested that the sixty pat
teries of field artillery should have four instea
Of six guns each. Inc bill, thus amended had
been rejected. the Rcichstag dissolved. new cleo
tions called, and now the Government submitted
the new House measure that in us details
was practically the old IIuene compromise bill.
The galleries Of tine Reichstag were crowded
with people among them many prominent in the
political and social worlds Of the capital In
the course Of his speech the Chancellor was fire.
quenty interrupted by applause and shouts of
"Ouite right Quite tr1",
Herr Payer. q member Of the NOESparte fol-
lowed the Chancellor. He declared il was not
true that the country had pronounced for. or
that majority Of the House supported the Army
bill Such a small majority as the Government
might obtain would De secured only through di
plomacy.
FIeiherr Won Mantnui1el. Conservative and an
active supporter of ;hc Government sad he re-
GREETED that the Government had abandoned It's
own hill for the Hucne compromise. II was i'm
rosSible for Germany 10 bc too strong. The riots
in Paris. he added, furnished strk Ing proofs Of
this assertion. The mob now 'shook, and might
aoesihly overthrow. the French Government AMI
establish a regime that might seek strength
through foreign diversion.
Herr Liebknecht, rhe well-known Social Demo
cratic leader said that the Government did not
,rant an increased amy because il feared France
or Russia bat because il desired TO fortify itself
against the German people This assertion was
greeted with cries OF " Shame! Shame