The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-02-06
CABLE NEWS FROM GERMANY
RryEUAI OF FRIENDLY REIA TIoNs
BETWEEN GERMANY AND RUssIA.

A Hoax About the Cssr that Startled Berlin
Gen. Won Pspe Receives High Hcnors
On I'll. Eigbtieth NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. TO
show that the ermn Fay Less Taxes
than the People OF Most European states.
BERLIN. Feb, 5.-Incidents tending to show
ths renewal OF cordial relations between Ger
many and Russia have multiplied %unexpect-
ably during tho last week. The prophecies OF
tho semi-ohlcial press apparently are about to
be verified. and the two empires are nearer an
understanding than at any previous time
aimee the death OF Emperor William I. So un-
mistakabls are the signs OF ropprochemenf
that even Prince Bismarck has felt compelled
10 recognize them. and record In the Ham
burger Nachrichten. for the first time since his
fall. his unqualified approval OF q stroke OF
Government policy.
Since the Czarewitch's return to st. Peters.
burg the Emperor has received and accepted
an invitation from tho Gar to meet him in
Poland In the early autumn Yesterday tho
persons who are hoping to see Chancellor
Caprtvi drive a wedge between the powers Of
the Dual Alliance were further encouraged by
tho ssmi-of1cial announcement that the Caro-
witch, In his two-hour conference with the
Emperor in Berlin. gave positive assurance
that no alliance treaty OF any kind existed be-
tween France and Russia Chancellor Won
Caprivi Is doing his utmost to exploit the for
tunats turn Of events. and in his North German
Gazette gives prominence to the smallest items
likely to encourage the idea that an entente has
been established between Germany and
Russia. On Tuesday the Gazette pub.
lished an account. evidently supplied
from official sources. OF the exchange
Of sivilities between the Gar and Gen.
Won Werder. the new German Ambassa-
dor In st. Petersburg. at the Russian
court banquet on the Emperor's birthday.
The Gear is represented as welcoming Werder
back to st. Petersburg with such q show OF sx-
eepttopal kindness and condescension as
could be calculated only to emphasize the
gratitude Of the Car for tho Emperor's warm
welcome OF the Czarewitch. The Gar also
spoke highly OF Emperor Williams efforts to
preserve tho peace Of Europe. Gen. Won Wer-
ders Official and unofficial letters are said to
express the opinion confidently that the
relations between st. Petersburg and Berlin
arc immensely improved. and that now COM
psratvely little is heard OF the frenzied hatred
and dlstrust OF Germany which wero In vogue
In the highest court and military circles OF the
Russian capital between 8 8 and 1885,.
knowledge Of these facts caused Prince Bis
marck's sudden conversion from his attitude
OF unoompromising hostility toward the Gov
eminent and moved his editor OF the Ham,
burger Nachrfchten to make this avowal:
"Ths cordial reception Of the Czarewitch In
Berlin and the success Of everything connected
with his visit are matters for the sincerest con-
graduation. The Emperor's speech proposing
the health Of tho Gar is undeniabiy the most
important political event OF the day. As the
rotations between Berlin and st. Petersburg.
which we recently referred to as having been
interrupted. have now been satisfactorily re-
stored, We are content to abstain henceforth
from further criticism Of tho causes which led
to tho temporary disturbance Of them. 1t 10
with genuine satisfaction that We record tho
Emperor's utterancss. especially his graceful
sllusion to the ancient tics between the two
empires"
In the midst Of the reaction from tho cold
ness and distrust Of the previous week and
the ofacial jubilation which accompanied It.
somsbodyi in Berlin had the temerity to launch
the tims-worn canard that an attempt had
bssn made to assasslnate the Gar. At IL 80
O'Clock on Tuesday night . crowd OF newsps-
Der vendors sWooped Town OF tho cafes and
hotels Untsr den Linden and hurried through
the Friedrtchstrasse and the principal
side streets shouting that Nihilists had again
tried to assassinats the Car. and selling
extra editions" at fancy prices as fast as
they could be handed out. The foreign cor
X6UDOuu0ukb ~ Az AVN
copies, fastened to tho telegraph Office. and
within an hour had sent the nows to every
capital in Europe except 81. Petersburg. The
Secretary Of the Russian Legation meantime
drove to the Foreign Office and thence to the
house Of Freiherr Marschall Won Bieberstein.
Minister OF Foreign Affairs. whom he assured
that tho story was mad out OF whole cloth.
and. In view OF the harm 1t was likely to do.
should be suppressed Immediately. Orders
were sent to the police that they should make
every effort to seize and destroy all the unsold
extras" Some fifty men started out by l:3O
o'clock. confscated the papers Of the vendors.
and took possession of all the loose copies at
the hotels. The so-called extra editions were
then found to be merely printed slips bearing
apparently tho endorsement Of the editor and
printer. Both names. however. proved to DO nc
titious. The vendors evidently were blameless.
Is they bought their copies from the bookshelf
or who usually supplies Thorn with extra edi-
lions. The bookseller. who was arrested. said
that Q stranger brought to him the parcels
containing tho slips. and as the slips appar-
entity were properly endorsed he sent them out
as usual. The lateness Of the hour OF publ
cation shows that tho cannrd had no financial
purpose behind 1t. The political purpose
could have been no other than to cause a halt
in the reconciliation between the Russian and
German courts. or this purpose only a So
cial Democrat or a friend Of the Dual Alliance
could be suspected. An official inquiry was
begun at once to determine the author OF the
hoax.
On Wednesday morning Freiherr Marschall
Won Bieberstein called upon Count Schouva-
lon at the Russian Embassy. and expressed
the deep regret OF the Emperor that the canard
had been launched in a German city. He also
assured Count Schouvalor that the Govern,
eminent would spare no effort to find and
punish the guilty man.
Tho controversy In the press over the Mill.
tary bill has reached the statistical stage. ant
hardly an edition OF a semi-oflclal daily ap
pears without a greater or less assortment o
figures to show that Germany Is not overtaxe
for the support OF her military establishment
The Cologne Gazette. which has done as mucl
as any Germa an daily to brighten the prospec
for making the bill a law. gives this summar
OF the Governments case:
1T should be noted with satisfaction tina
statistics recently published show that tn