Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1893-05-12

Berlin, May 6.-Chancellor Caprivis |
pet measure, the army bill, was re-
jected by the reichstag today by !; mar
gin OF is votes. The bill was discussed
freely, but finally vote was ordered.
Tie roiI Call resulted: For the bid,
I62 votes; against, 10. Inc social
est enthusiasm over The result. They
hua ahed repeatedly, following cheer
with cheer. Great confusion and up
roar prevailed i'll the mouse, ana lne
pubic excitement Is at the highest
pI,cu III Berlin.
Tie emperor is said to BE- ch;srineu
and ncenSeu Ut The result. lie showed
Ills ulspleasufe very promptly today by
slSnuS IL reocript ulsSo1VIIS Tie reIchs-
Lax 1oItuWItiI.
On Tie passage OF the army Dill tie
kaiser had set AlS heart. Ina. measure
provided for an increase OF $4,000 pri
Yates and Il corresponding number oi
officers and Sub-OtlIceIS. This increase
would entail an additional expenditure
OF 81, 100000 annually. Ii Wo,lu
bring INTO tie army practically every
adult male i'll The 4atnelldnd and Ill Il
few years, us the nlen would have MI
ished their allotted time i'll The active
army and dropped into the reserves,
would add several hundred tnous;tnu
men to Germany's lighting force.
The bait held out TO the opponents Of
the bill was the reduction OF the term
Ut service Ill the active army from three
to TWO years, but certain provisions III
tie bill left it optional With the govern
ment to retain recruits for the full
term OF three years i'll case OF emer-
gency. OF that emergency the minis
try, not the reichstag, would be the
judge.
The only solid supporters of the gov
eminent from the start have been the
conservatives, who control seventy
votes. The reichStag consists of 3J1
members and the largest single party
is the center, numbering 1IO votes.
These We're formerly divided into two
groups-one, under DR.. Lieber's leader
ship, numbering SO, and the other rs.
The recent internal struggle in the
centrist party has further complicated
these divisions. The general suppo-
sldon that the whole clerical party
would have supported the bill if the
government would consent to the re-
turn OF the Jesrlits is probably errone-
GUS, us the Bavarian contingent is
1CrIx
stituents would not permit them to
support it under any circumstances.
The real leader OF the opposition is
Eugene Richter, chief OF the freiSinnige,
OF radical party which counts sixty
five votes, but u few radicals deserted
to the government. The national lib
erals, numbering forty, were also main
~ opposed to the bill, but few way
cred. The social democrats, who are
sition and, next to Richter, Bebel and
Liehhnecht, were the sturdiest oppO-
nentS of the measure in debate.
The democrats, who are nearly akin
to the socialists, were also solid against
it and twenty independent conseryl-
tiyes would only consent to vote for
it OH the condition that Chancellor Ca
priv would accept amendments which
would render the bill Il nudity. The
Poles number sixteen and the Alsace-
Lorrainers fifteen, and the government
made desperate but futile efforts to
win over these irreconcilable elements.
The best judges of the situation pre-
dict that the elections will result in all
overwhelming majority against the gov
eminent, as the German people feel
that they would be unable to stand
the burden of the enormous increase
in taxation which it would impose.
To meet this financial difficulty it
was proposed to increase the tax on
beer. This proposal, as might have been
expected, aroused a storm Of OppO-
sition. Bismarck saw the danger which
threatened his successful rival and pro
ceeded to open a campaign in the press
against the proposed changes. Caprivi,
initiating the example set by his illus
trious predecessor, attempted to work
up a war scare, but signally failed.
Later.
The failure of the army bill makes it
necessary for the kaiser to defer for
the present his projections of reforms
CT the higher military commands and
OF posts in the war office.
Chancellor Caprivi has gone to Pots
dam to offer his resignation to the
kaiser The kaiser has summoned
Count Won Gutenberg, the present
PrusSian premier, to Potsdam.