The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-07
An Imperial Message at Once Sent to the House
and Read BY the Chancellor Ordering the
Dissolution of the Reichstag.
Caprivi Gone TO Potsdam to Tender His
Resignation to His Royal Master.
Another Parliament to Assemble Within Nine.
Days-The ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Ju.
bilant-The Nicsraguan Revolution.
ARMY BILL DEFEATED.

ARMY BILL DEFEATED.
Rejected by the geichstag by q Big Major
ity-Caprivi Offers tn Resign.
BERLIN, May 6-Tbe army bill has been
rejected, and the Kaiser has dissolved the
mise having failed, Chancellor Caprivi
refusing to make the two years active
service permanent. the Kaiser became I'M
patient of further delay and pressed for a
decision by the Reichstag to-day. Hence
the vote was taken at once. in
stead of being postponed until Monday.
The vote stood 210 against the bill to 162 in
favor of 1t. Immediately upon the result
being announced Chancellor Caprivi read
an imperial message decreeing Che dis
solution of the Reichstag. Tho Social
Democratic members of the Reichstag
displayed the widest enthusiasm over
the result. They hurrahed repeatedly,
following cheer with cheer. Great con-
fusion and uproar prevailed in the House
and the public excitement is at tho highest
pitch in Berlin. The new elections. which,
under the Constitution, must take place
within sixty days after dissolution. are to
be held on the 18th of June. The new
session must open within ninety days alter
dissolution.
The failure of the army bill makes it nec-
esssfy for the Kaiser TO defer Tor the pres
ent his projected reform of the higher mill
itary commands and of the posts in the
War Office. q project which Csprivi is said
TO have dreaded even more than he dreaded
the struggle over the army bill, knowing
that 1t was very likely that there would be
O conflict over the changes which would in
volve the Ksisor. Caprivi himself and
others whom the Chancellor had no desire
60 antagonize.
to offer his esignation to the Kaiser. The
Kaiser has summoned Count Botho yon
ulenberg, the Prussian Premier, to Pots
dam. Count Botho Won Gutenberg took
the place of Chancellor Won Caprivi as
Prussian Premier. about year ago, when
Chancellor Caprivi resigned that office,
owing to the decision of the Kaiser to
withdraw the educational bill from the
Prussian Landtag.
NO SURPRISE TO THE GOVERNMENT.
The result of the vote on the army bill
caused no surprise TO the government
Chancellor Won Caprivi attempted yester-
day evening to rally the wavering men,
bers to the support Of the measure by Of
fering TO reduce the peace effective even
blow the number proposed in the amend
ment offered by Freihef- Slon Huene. The
offer, however. did not gam single vote.
The house had made mp it's mind to reject
the bill and the speeches made on the sub
ject were addressed rather to the
electors than the ReichetaR. The
most striking feature of the closing
debate was the resurgence Of anti-Prus-
sian. sentiments. especially from the
speakers of tho Center party. Dr. Lieber,
who Is O leader in the councils of his party.
after attacking Chancellor Won Caprlvi for
having. as he put IT, resorted 20 the worst
form of Bismarckian methods to secure the
passage of the bill, said: The Center
party fights to-day against the ambitions
of centralizing Cesarism. We protest
against the militarism which translates
itself In persistent endeavors to extend the
principles of the Prussian state into the
domain of imperial Legislation. In the
interests of the empire we demand that
the Prussian policy be confined TO the Prus-
sian Diet while the German prevails in the
Relohstag."
Neither Chancellor Won Caprlvi nor
Baron Won Manteuffell. the Prussian Con-
servative leader, attempted to RESPOND to
DR.. Lieber's attack. All the speakers on
the government side simply ignored the ex-
pressIons of anti-Prussian sentiment. The
Chancellor commented vaguely upon the
democratic tendency that has recently
been developing among the CentrIsts and
suggested that the policy now
pursued by that party had
it's inspiration In the Vatican
which, he said, WAS now the friend of re-
publican France and trying TO draw the
whole Catholic world In the same directlOS.
The German government, the Chancellor
added. had hitherto appreciated the sup-
port of the Center party on social ques.
tiOne but it had now learned lesson.
The Center party was Catholic first and
German sfterward. The party stood ready
to commit Itself to whatever Democrats
evolution foreign influences might chose to
dictate.
Dr. Won Bennigsen, the leader of the Na-
tiOnal Liberals gave q moderate tone TO
the debate in q long speech, urging the
house 80 accept the concessions offered by
the government. He deplored the inability
of the ReichstaR to sink party differences
In the face Of questions involving the ex-
ternal safety OF the empire and its prestige
abroad. The difficulty OF successfully con-
Quoting the affairs of the country had al
ways been enhanced by the absence of q
srnmsnt Stable parliamentary rp majority 1oin gov,
fortuItous majority could never present to
the country really consistent nation
al policy. What the Reichstag ought TO
try to obtain was a strong moderate party
established on q broad national basis. Ii
seemed to him pitiful that no majority
should be forthcoming in response To the
governments appeal in behalf of the ma
tional honor and the existence of Germany.
IL was bad contrast to the parliamentary
where the most violent party antagonism
never initiated against the continuity of
the imperial policy. Emperor William has
sent to DR.. Won Bennigsen his special thanks
for the tone of his speech.
Hnrredly convened meetings ore being
held In Berlin and other popuious centers
tonight. The promptness with which the
Reichstag has dissolved Immediately after
the defeat of the governments was an
announced has taken every ybOdy by sur
prise. The Social Democratic leaders alone
are really ready for the electoral campaig gn.
Herrcn Bebel Singer and Liebnech will
leave Berlin tomorrow and begin at once to
stump the country in behalf of the Social
istic candidates. In every district in hich
the Socialists have a fighting chance can
didates will be nominated, and the party
expects. with reason. TO have an increased
representation in the next Reichstag
The Emperor will not allow the dissolu-
tion Of the Reichstag to interfere with his
coming tour. Before starting for North
cape he will 60 on deer-stalking expedi.
tion at ProckelwitZ. subsequently, he will