New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-07-16
PASSAGE or THE Army BILL.


The passage of the Army bill by the Rcichs-
tag is the most important event OF the year
in Europe. The majority is a narrow one. but
it sufliccs to arm the Emperor with the pres
tige of having won his first decisive victory.
While the Huene compromise has been accept
ed in place Of the Chancellors original meas
ure. the military policy of tho Emperor has
been sanctioned after an appeal to universal
suffrage. If Prince Bismarck had obtained Il
majority of sixteen under similar conditions il
would have been considered signal triumph
won under adverse circumstances. The young
sovereign and his Chancellor are fully entitled
to the credit Of having accurately discened the
forces of public opinion, and OF obtaining
popular sanction for their policy of strength
ening the military resources of Germany The
difficulty still remains of providing financial
resources for the enlarged military establish
ment, for which the three b. taxes on beer
brandy and boursc hardly seem adequate but
that is matter of administrative detail which
can undoubtedly be mastered.
While nearly one-haf of the electorate was
nominaly recorded in the elections in oppoSi-
ton to the Army bill. large allowance must
be made for party affiliations and animosities
When the Reichstag is divided into eighteen
factions it is impracticable to appeal to the
country on specific question like military
reorganization with anything like the direct
moss with which Home Rule was decided by
the electors last year in Great Britain. The
opposition to the Army bill was compounded
more or less with faction feeling The fact
that large majority against the measure in
one Reiohstag has been converted into ma
jority, however small, in favor of it in the new
Reichstag indicates with sufficient cearneSS
public approval of the Emperors project This
verdict, moreover, has been won without any
attempt on the part of the Government to
coerce public opinion by improper means.
Chancellor Won Caprivi's course in this respect
was highly commendable.
The keenest criticism of the Army bill was
the structure passed upon it by Prince Bismarck
as reported in the recent correspondence of
Mr.. Smalley He thought that the military
resources needed to be strengthened, but that
the Army bill went about it in the wrong way.
lie did not consider another reinforcement
Ct 10000 men necessary when there were
three millions of soldiers available already.
No." said the diplomatic veteran: "what the
army wants is more artillery. We won our
last war with France by artillery. The best
artillery will win the next even more GER
tainly." That is a point for military experts,
and neither the Reichstag nor the electorate
has taken it into account What Germany in
upholding the new policy has done is to eX
press the conviction that the Empire cannot
exist and retain its prestige in Europe with
out having powerful military organization
and since the sovereign after taking counsel
with his army advisers was convinced that
larger army was imperatively required, he is
allowed to have his way. 1t is a warning to
the European circle of camps that dsarma-
ment is impracticable int jlcrablc as the finan-
cial burdens may be-