The Washington times., 1894-12-16
No Prosecution of Socialists VITO
Declined to Cheer for Him.
HoHENLoHE's BIG 'BLUNDER
Reichstaq Adopts an Adverse Report
by Overwhelming Majority.
Germany's Parliament Resents the At
tempted Encroachment Upon It's Constitu-
tional Prerogative-co Considerable specu-
lation as to What His Majesty Will Do.
Significant Remark of His at Banquet.

copyrighted 1884, by the Associated Press)
BERLIN, Dec. 15.-Before the Reichstag
voted this afternoon onthe application of the
public prosecutor for permission to punish
the Socialist members, who, on Thursday. a
week ago. upon tho opening OF the Reichsfag,
refused to rise and cheer for the emperor, tho
universal opinion was that the government
had made n serious mistake in demanding
that tho Reichstag.forego its constitutional
prerogatves aud authorize the judicial pun
ishment OF Herr Liebknecbt and the other So
cialists on the charge of :'lese majestic" 1t
was known on every sideithat the adverse de-
cision OF the Rechstag committee to which
the matter was referred had a tremendous in
fuence upon the members, and therefore no
boby was surprised when the Reichstag
adopted, by vote of 168 to 5S, the report of
the committee recommending that permission.
he not granted to the public prosecutor to
take action against the Socialists.
From the first moment the proposal to
prosecute the socialists wns mooted. it was
viewed with disfavor in and out of the Reich
stag, and this morning eyepithe supporters of
the government admitted that there was little
chance of the Reichstag siding with the minis
try in this matter 1t was 4he opinion of the
party leaders that therephft of.the committee
would be adopted by an overwhelming major
ity. it being estimated that the voting would
be $50 in favor of the report and thus refusing
the necessary permission, and 100 against its
adoption.
But, instead of $50 votes being cast there
were only 226. and of these 168 were in favor
of the report against the prosecution of the
socialists and only 58 votes were cast
IN FAVOR OF REJECTING THE REPORT.
The smallness OF the vote is said in some
quarters to he due to the fact that it was not
expec. ed that the matter would be decided
to-day.
The significance OF this decision can hardly
be ovcrrated. as it is not merely a defeat of
the government proposal, but7a distinct re-
buke for the Emperor himself, as it is an open
secret that he was the father of this attempt
TO make the Reichstag surrender one of It's
most cherirhed privileges. What the En-
peror will do in view OF this moral slap in the
face is question which the people are asking
themselves His we'll known obstinacy of
character gives promise; that he will not sit
quietly under this reverse, and the remark
which he made in the course of an animated
after dinner conversation at the officers mess
of the Kings Regiment OF Uhlans during his
stay at Hanover. the middle Of the week, is
attracting attention. His Majesty said:
Dark days are ahead, and hope all my off,
GERS will meet them unAinejhngiy.n ~,
This utterance. which. nobody doubts. re-
fers TO tho coming struggle with the socialists
arfsing out the T-7ipSjssf AM volutionary
legislation and it is interpreted as Indicating
the intention to force the anti-revouti0nary
bill through the Reichstag without material
mo ditcations The fact that the demand FOR
the prosecution Of the socialists emanated
from the Emperor has also had untavorabls
effectein, Germany and has greatly weakened
popular confidence both in the wisdom aud
in the Independence of the new chancellor,
whose first appearance ih the Reichstag in
his new-role was
QUITE A DISAPPOINTMENT.
It is true that nothing great was expected
but the mechanical, uuimpressve fashion in
which he read his speech, sheet by sheet,
had n most depressing effect even on the
conservatives, while the somnolent condition
in which he sat in his chair in tho Reichstag
to-day, during most important debates, even
making allowances for the fact that he is
somewhat indisposed. was in no way calcu-
lated TO enhance his prestige.
Physically, too, Prince Hohenlohe is not
| the man TO make an impression, like Bis
mark for instance, on the Reiehstag. The
small frame of the new chancellor seems
| almost lost in the eommodious fauteuil
with which he is provided in parliament.
The task before Prince Hehenlohe already
| bristles with difficulties enough without adding
TO them by involving himself in such terri
bic blunder as proposing 10 infringe the
Reichstag's privileges and it is an open ques-
tion as to whether working majority for the
government can be secured, in the present
political situation. even by ensnaring adher-
ents of some parties in the Reichstag whose
support largely depends uuon the exercise OF
tact upon the part of Prince Hohenlohe.
Therefore il is not astonishing that the i'm
preston now prevails that the Hohenlohe
regime will be short-lived unless the chan
cellor quickly develops a more mastery grasp
of the situation than this big mistake evinces.