Birmingham age-herald., 1895-09-02
ANNIVERSARY OF SEDAN Celebration of the Quarter-Cen-
 tennary Has Begun,- UNIQUE DECORATIVE S'oRK Thirty-0ne Thousand School ChiE g to Fall in
 Line and March. S THE sOMBst SHADOW OF z { SOCIALIST Threatens to Mar the Festivities-Children' Voices Sing "The Watch on the
 Rhine''-Were the German
 Americans SnubbedP
THE soMBRt SHADOW OF 6 { SOCIALIST

Berlin, Sept 1.-The inaugural ceremo- nies of the celebration of the twenty fifth anniversary of the battle of Sedan, the final engagement of the Franco- Prussian war, was celebrated today. The programme in this city included the in auguration of the Kaiser Wilhelm Me morial church with the following details:
 At 9:30 honorary guests and the con gregation assembled on the Augusta Vic toria square in the positions especially designated on the card of invitation. At 10 o'clock the kaiser and kaiserine ar rived on the Kurfurstendam by the way of the Cornelius bridge
 At 10 o'clock also the bells of the new church and of all the protestant churches of Berlin, Charlottenberg, Schoneberg and Wilmersdorf began to ring.
 At t015 the kaiser and kaiserine, the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Ba- den and the king of SaXony, with an es- cort of body guards in front of the church, where a body of cuirassers and grenadiers were in attendance.
 The decorations of the houses along the principal streets showed that the citi- zens had combined their efforts to pro- duce most startling effects.
 This combination harmonized through out the city in design and also in color l of evergreens, masses of flowers and profuSion of flags and banners.
 The police had taken extraordinary precautions to avert accidents similar to those which occurred in the memorable celebration in 1878, when many persons were crushed to death in their endeavors to get near the schloss.
 The emperor is expected to return from the templehoH in time to review the pro- sessions. His majesty has directed that severe restrictions shall be observed in controlling the crowds throughout the celebration. He has requested that the children of Berlin schools who number about 31 000 shall form in line and march from the castle to the old kaiser palace in unter den Linden.
 The children will line the roadway for the passage of his maj jesty, wfo will ridd at the head of the color company of the guard. It is not intended that there shall be any particular court fetes, as the court is in mourning. Moreover. the empress is in a state of health which de- mandS quiet.
 At the command of the emperor Kroll's theater will tomorrow night re- produce the Ballet Mlitaria," which was first performed on the occasion of the fetes marking the return of Emperor William l. at the head of the Prussian army after the victories of 1870.
 A remarkable fine rhetoric poem by Ernst Wildenbruch has been published here, accompanied by an enthusiastic and critical approval on the part of Herr Zelle, the Burgomaster. The poem worth fly celebrates great events from which triumphantly issued the unity of Ger man states. The poet has struck a full toned Tyre, which is resounding through out Germany.
 Among the leading military functions in direct connection with the celebration will be dinner given at the Reichshof hnt hxrt tha rixrin ,Af, members of the generals staff in 1870 The king of Wurtemburg, the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schw Prince Hohenzollern and Marshal Blumenstal will be present and it is expected that the emperor and Ex-Chancellor Caprivi will also be there.
 In the face of the universal jublation the socialist leaders, Rebel and Leib- knecht, Auer and Singer. despite the earnest protest of many of their adher- ents, persist in holding counter meetings, which have been arranged for Sedan day It is proposed that the socialists shall assemble at the tomb of Agnes Wabnitz who died in prison because of her refusal to take food. and is now re- garded as a socialist martyr.
 Later 1t is proposed to hold a series of meetings for the purpose of declaring in favor of universal fraternity and de- nouncing the memory of Emperor Will liam l. It is no wonder the North Ger man Gazette says that law is certain to be passed the coming session of the reichstag to overcome the outrages which the socialists are now endeavoring to in fiict upon the public The penal code as 1t now exists is insufficient and more stringent measures must be resorted to-
 At o'clock this mornig the ringing of the church bells Signalized the emperor's crossing of the Hercules bridge. His majesty rode with the empress in an open carriage, with outrders, and es- corted by squadron of body guards. The crown prince and his next younger brother, Prince TGitel, were seated in the carriage opposite the emperor and em- press. When the emperor reached the top steps entrance to the church Herr Won Wedel, minister of the royal house addressed him. saying:
 Upon the anniversary of Gravelotte the foundation stone of the monument to the great Kaiser Wilhelm I was laid Now, on the twenty-first anniversary of Sedan, your majesty opens the church which was built with the funds contrib uted by the poor and the rich equally throughout the country in memory of the emperor, who, in his simple and relig- ious feeling attributed all of his great deeds and victories to God, giving us all in this and coming ages an impressive example of trust and belief in God, with out whose aid we are unable to succeed May Gods blessings be upon us all com ing into this church. Will your majesty now please receive the key from the architect"
 The procession then entered the church, headed by the kiaser. The colors of the regiments to which the royalties be- longed were placed on the right and left of the altar. The emperor, empress and the other members of the royal family sat in choir chairs of carved oak, placed at the left of the altar steps. Court Chaplain Faber delivered an address,