The herald., 1893-05-28
FROM THE FATHERLAND.
THE ELECTORAL OUTLOOK CLEAR
ING IN GERMANY.
DR.. Leiber's Manifesto of the Center
Party Ridiculed by the Press-In-
dependent Action of Peas
ant Societies.

BERLIN, Nay 27.-The electoral out
look has considerably cleared Hince the
issue by DIR. Lieber of the manifesto of
the Center or Catholic party. The
labored phraseology of the manifesto
and its long-winded sentences were not
calculated TO impress the public and
have elected ridicule from the press.
But the declaration did not fail to in
form the government of the price it
must pay for the support Of the party in
the new reichstag. Behind the verbiage
about the intolerable military burdens
imposed by the empire and the advice
to the electors to take decided position
against the army bill and the Huene
amendment to that measure, there lies
a principle. ''We shall transfer" says
DIR. Lieber, "the Windthorst resolutions
to the new parliament and use them as
a guiding light in discussing all future
military questions"
The Lieber faction of the Centre party
is in short ready to negotiate with Ca
privi on the basis of the repeal of the re-
manning religious disabilities and read
mission to the Jesuits, in return for
lLb hQncblOA w bn0 1A4ll-
tary demands.
The reactionary conservative organs
threaten, il the new reichstag is intract-
able, that the government will restrict
the franchise and thus get an obedient
parliament. The manifesto replies to
this that the highest law is the con-
stitution, adding: ssWe hold fast to the
character of the empire as federal
state; the prerogatives of the people
are based upon universal, equal, direct
and secret suffrage"
A factor that is causing apanic among
the Bavarian Centrists is the independ-
ent action of the peasants' societies
which hitherto always supported the
Centrists' candidates. These societies
have now issued an electoral address,
stating that their representatives up to
this time have been cooperating in
legislation ruinous to peasant proprietors
and paying altogether too much atten-
ton to religious questions. In the COM
ing elections the peasant societies will
support only candidates who are de-
voted to the agricultural interests of the
country and who are reliable as citizens,
without regard to religious belief or So
cial position.
The Social Democratic party will turn
the disruption OF the Centrists to the
best account.
Amid this electoral chsrivari the Con-
servative, National Liberal and Freisin-
nige parties are not much heard OF.
The struggle lies between the Socialists,
who form compact well ldirected party,
and new political bodies composed of
old elements, yet hardly in condition
to know themselves.
The Kulturkempf in Hungary, accord
ing to Germanis, is tending toward
settlement, the pope offering to assent
to form of civil marriage, consisting of
the presence of civil registrar at the
church's nuptial ceremony, with the
subsequent registration Of the marriage.
Other advices from Hungary show that
the cabinet is not willing to accept this
compromise, as a majority of the Hun
garian diet want the full liberty of
civil marriage.
Throughout North Germany, Austria,
Hungary and Bulgaria sufficient rains
have fallen to ensur ca good harvest.