The morning call., 1894-12-23
NOT TO BEND TO HIS WILL.
Hohenlohe's Salary Increased
At THE EXPENSE OF VETERANS.

lion con tlnueS grave. There is lull Tor
the moment, but the prospect is at the re-
converting of the Reichstag the differences
between the Government and Parliament.
which only began to be defined when the
Socialists and Radicals, by the clever ma
newer of Herr Singer, precipitated an ad-
journment, will assume the character of
real conflict.
Won Levetzow, President of the Reich
stag, has wholly allied himself with the
Government. Thus the shelving Of the
anti-revolutioDary bill was also a rebuff to
him, and he showed his dispeasure in
rather a childish way by not observing the
usual custom of wishing the members of
the Rechstsg merry Christmas and a
happy New Year, replacing those wishes
by an expression Of the hope that the ma
ton and the Reichstag would be spared in
the new year the "the discreditable spec
tacle of such miserable attendance"
In fact Won Levetzow felt the matter so
keenly that be was duly prepared to
resign last Monday, and he was with diff
Guilty restrained from carrying out his
intention by the Conservatives, who
pointed out to him that by resigning he
would only further embarrass the Govern
ment.
On top of these rebuffs on the part of
the Government comes the premature
story of Hohenlohe's salary affair. 1t is
now known, in spite of the half-hearted
denials of the official press. that Hohen-
lone mentioned to the Emperor the great
discrepancy between his previous salary as
Governor of Alsace-Lorraine and his
present salary as Chancellor of the Ger
man empire. The Emperor thereupon
offered to make good the deficiency from
the so-called disposition fund. This pro-
jected arrangement was little less than a
scandal, as the fund referred TO is granted
to the Emperor by the Reichstag for
very dissimilar purpose. namely. to assist
vet Grams of the.wars who are not other
wise provided for. The fund amounts to
5000, goo marks annually.
Prince Hohenlohe accepted the offer as
admitted by his own organ, the Post. but
he was induced to withdraw his acceptance
of the addition to his salary by the violent
agitation which was started by the cppo-
siton press Immediately after the facts
leaked out. The matter. however. will not
be allowed to drop altogether. for the So
cialists declare their intention to question
the Government on this subject in the
Reichstag.
Emperor William, naturally, is very
angry about the affair, which he deems to
be special interference with his peroga-
tives and the manner In which the Reichstag
is treating his pet measures is not caicu-
lated to diminish his ire. Things, in brief.
hinge on the fate OF the anti-revolutionary
bill. Without counting the Cen trists, the
Government can only rely on about 175
votes, which is q less than a majority.
Thus, in order to pass the bill, the Gov
eminent needs to gain the support of the
Center party. and the latter, knowing the
value of its position, is little disposed to
show lamb-like obedience to the Govern
ment's wishes. On the contrary, the
members of the Center party have already
formulated their demands and unless these
are conceded their support is extremely
doubtful
According to the Centrist organs, the
GermaDia and the Kolnisehe Volks
Zetung, paragraphs $50 and 131 of the
anti-reVolutionary bill require to be re-
vised, and. what is more important to the
Centrists, the recall of the Jesu;ts to Ger
many must be granted.
AS already stated. the anti-revoluticnary
bill is really an amendment to the exist
ing Criminal Code of The empire. Section
$50 of the Criminal Code reads: Who
ever publicly and i'll manner dangerous
to the public peace incites different classes
of the population to acts of violence
against each other is punishable by fine
not exceeding 600 marks, or with imprison-
ment not exceeding two years."
To this the anti-revolutionary bill would
add: The same punishment may be in
f1icted on any one who, in manner dan
gerous to the public peace, publicly
attacks religion, the monarchy, the mar
riage, the family or property with express
sions of abuse"
Section 131 in the Criminal Code now
reads: "WhOever publicly disseminates
invented or distorted facts, knowing they
were invented or distorted, having 10 view
to render contemplate institutions of the
state or DEGREES OF the authorities, is pun
ishable with fine notexceeding 600 marks
or with imprisonment not exceeding two
years."
The anti-revolutionsry bill would make
section 131 read: "Whoever publicly as
serts or dissemiDates invented or distorted
facts, OF which he knows or according to
the circumstances must conclude that they
to render contemplate institutions of the
state or DEGREES of the authorities, is pun
ishable with fine not exceeding 600
marks $3.50 or with Imprisonment OF ex-
ceeding two years.
The addition TO section $50, as quoted,
forms one OF the cardinal points of the
bill, and one over which it is expected the
controversy will rage with the greatest
fury. 1t is termed an ''india-rn bier para
graph" and is so elastic that it can be
stretched at will by the executive. The
amendment to section 131 is directed
against the press. and has therefore at
tracted greater share of attention from
the German newspapers than the rest of
the law. 1t is claimed that under its pro-
visions the newspapers, organs of all par
ties alike, would be constantly exposed to
prosecutions if the amendment is enacted.
Commenting upon this subject the Vos
sische Zeitung briefly called attention 20 an
instance in which an editor was condemned
to two years Imprisonment for publishing
his belief that the policy of the Govern
ment would involve a further increase
of imperial taxation. The newspa-
per referred to claims that before the