The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-12-24
POLITICS IN GERMANY.

Prince Hohenlohe finds himself at the
outset of his administration in the same
predicament which embarrassed Bismarck
ten years ago. The Iron Chancellor, find
ing it impossible to control the Reichstag,
was compelled to make terms with DR..
WindhOrst. the Clerical leader, and to sur
render the points for which he had con-
tended during the Kulturkampf; and now
Prince Hohenlohe discovers that he can
not pass his anti-socialist bills without the
aid OF the same party. Ever since the
death of Windhorst the party which goes
by the name of Cen trists, or Clericals, or
Ultramontanes. has shown mutinous ten
denotes. Its present demands are far more
exacting than they were ten years ago; it
insists not only on the recognition OF the
authority of the Bishops, but on the re-
admission of the Jesuts, and. as its forces
in the present Reichstag number 100. it
holds the balance of power between the
Government and the Liberals and believes
that it is In a position to dictate terms.
The Catholics of Bavaria, where its chief
strength lies, are ready to surrender po-
litical liberty rather than clerical indepen-
dence.
Thus Hohenlohe is confronted with the
alternative of abandoning the auti-social-
ist bills or of surrendering to the Clericals.
To appease the Agrarians he has already
made sacrifices which are highly unpopu-
lar In the cities; if he makes concession s
TO the Centrists he will find another hor-
nets nest about his ears. He is realizing,
what his master realized some time ago.
that the ADM nistration of affairs over
such inconRruous and discordant elements
as the states of Germany is no child's task.
The most prodigious feat ever accom-
plished by Bismarck was inducing Bavaria
to join Prussia In 1870. Bavaria had been
an old-tms ally OF France. Her troops
had fought against the rest of Germany
under the flag of Napoleon the First, until
the downfall of that monarch afforded
them an opportunity of pursuing their ira
ditional policy, ald deserving to the win
ming side. But after the treaty of Vienna
Bavaria resumed her position of covert
hostility to North Germany, from which
she was alienated by the powerful impulse
of religion. If Napoleon the Third had
been we'll served by his Diplomats, Basa-
ria would have remained neutral in 1870,
and the Franco-German war might have
terminated differently. After the unifica-
ton of Germany, Bavaria suddenly as
sented to fusion which made her subor-
dinate to Prussia. During the Kultur-
kampf she was only restrained from seces-
sion by Bismarck's dexterity. When that
conflict ended she subsidized into tranquil
lily, but the old sec;arian jealousy still sur
yived. Now her statesmen see an oppor-
tunity of winning a victory over the Prot
estants of the north by joining the par
lameDtary opposition. She seems to hold
winning cards; whichever alternative the
Emperor adopts, he will have to surrender
pri nciples which are dear to his heart.
In those parts of North Germany with
which the outside world is acquainted,
that is to say, the cities-BeTlin, Hamburg,
Bremen, Frankfort, Leipsic, Dresden,
ChemnitZ, etc.-the people are tolerant In
matters ef religion. But In the country
parts, in Prussia. Hanover. Saxony. Bran
denburg and Pomeranla, the descendants
of the old Lutherans are imbued with
bitter hatred of the Catholics, and con-
cessions to that faith would be savagely
resented by the peasantry. They care less
for political rights than for uniformity of
faith. If Hohensohe can pass his anti
socialist bills only by concessions which
eXasperate this class of Germans-who are
already organized as a party under the
name Of Agrarians-the Emperor may live
to regret that he did not take the prudent
advice Of Chancellor Capriyi.