The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-07-08
A NEW ARMY BILL.
Chancellor Won Caprivi introduced
the Amended Measure.

the Amended Measure.
Berlin, July 7.-When the new reichs-
tag met to-day for the first time for the
consideration of regular business nearly
all the 397 members were in their places,
for 1t was known that the government
would at once introduce an amended
army bill, and general interest was felt
as to the concessions, if any, that the
government had made on the original bill.
Immediately after the opening of the
house was concluded Chancellor Won
Caprivi assembled the tribune and in
long speech introduced the amended
measure. He stated that the present
form Of bill llrepOrted theminimum that the
government woul accept in men Ormoney.
The governments demands were the
lowest possible 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 1t was
therefore needless to repeat the argu-
ments that had heretofore been advanced
in favor of the measure.
The galleries of the reichstag were
crowded with people, among them many
prominent in the political aud social
worlds of the capital. During the dellv-
cry of his speech, the chancellor was fre-
quently interrupted by applause and
shouts, "Quite right! Quite truep
KEYNOTE OF THE SPEECH.
The key note of the speech was that
foreign countries, not knowing intimate
ly German character, had been led to be
heve that Germany had had lost conf
dence in herself, and that the countries
composing the German empire were no
longer united This, the chancellor de-
clared, was an erroneous impression,
which ought to be quickly dispelled by
the speedy adoption of the new bill.
In the course of his speech the chancel-
lor referred to the action of Russia In in
creaslng the peace footing of her army by
$4,000 men since 1899, and said she had
not yet exhausted her resources. Ger
many, he declared, must increase her
peace footing if her voice was to continue
to have weight in Europe.
THE MEN IN THE EMPIRE.
The assertion made by the opposition
that Germany did not have sufficient men
to answer the call for recruits was dis
proved by the fact that 90, 900 serviceable
men had not been recruited.
Referring to the expenses that would
be entailed by granting of the govern
ment's demands, Chancellor Won Caprivi
said that the new taxes that must nee
essarily be levied would be borne
on strong shoulders These taxes
would not touch the middle classes or ag-
ricultural population. He could not now,
he added, definitely state the tax plan,
but it was the governments intention to
again introduce the old financial propo-
sails, especially the one providing for a
tax on Bourse transactions.
PAYER FOLLOWS.
Herr Payer, member of the Volks-
patel followed the Chancellor. Herr
Payer declared it was not true that the
country had pronounced for, nor did q
majority of tho house support the army
bill Such small majority as the gov
ernment might obtain would only be Sc
cured through diplomacy
Freiherr Won Manteuffel, conservative,
and an active supporter Of the govern
ment, said he regretted that the govern
ment had abandoned its own bill for
the Huene compromise. II is impossible
for Germany to be too strong The
riots in Paris, he added, furnished
a striking proof of this assertion. The
mob now shook, and might possibly over
throw the French government and estab-
lish a regime that might seek strength
through foreign diversion.