New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-01-08
EuPFROR TERSUS PEOPLE.

The session Of Tie krl'h>la- WIN" 'i'"' w.
dav AT Berlin promises Ia prov" one "t 'i' I''V"'
momcnious in the annals ~ the Imperial IaIH'
mont of Germany. Assisted 10y 'aplh'l con"
nos,d without reference To the wishes M INC
Uou>e but merely in accordance with his own
nersonal jnclinaiions and capriccS. and c"ils'
mcnily without any Parliamentary following
whatsoever. the Emperor proposes To force upon
,h, royislatur, n series II reactOnary laws
which. nominally directed against Anarchy ana
Socialism, in reality involve cohSidcraoie
dlminution ~ the 10y no means extensive poi'"
cal rights and civic liberties Of German cltiz'hS
Rather than present this bill Ia the K'ichs''S
and cour, certain defeat Count Caprivi pre-
f,rrcd 4, resign the Chanccll0rshp The press
~ cvcrv shade throughout the Empire gives
yoIc. ~ tho opposltion which the measure ex
cites among all classes of the people OF Ter
many. who realize that its sole object Is vast
Is 10 Increase the dc>potic ana aut"'rauc
powers Of William III AMI his camarilla III bcr
lin That the Emperor anticipates III" rcJe''loh
Of the projected laws by the Rcichstag, which
has already shown its independence 10y hrs' To-
fusing To vote the funds needed To put the Army
bin into execution. and then by declining 10 con
sent Ia the prosecution on criminal charges oil
lezemaiosiv of those Socialist Deputies who
remained seated aud RETAINED from joining III
the cheers when Ills Majcstys health WAS pro-
poscd AZ the opening Of the session just before
christmas is clearly indicated 10y the hurried
PREPARATIONS which are being made al the Min
lstry Of the Interior for general election III the
near future ~ well as 10y the notification which
the Emperor has just issued 10 the Federal
councu Of his intention to dissolve the Ncchs
tag in the event Of the rejection OF the socallcd
coercion laws.
The latter are Of the most rcacionary char
,cicr ever proposed by Government that
.laims To he popular and constitutional Inc
.la,isc. for instance. that provides for "A penalty
II two years in the pcntcntiary for attacks
OF an abusive kind on religion. monarchy, fam
lily. marriage and property * cxprcssivcy de
.cribcd by the worthy Tcutons rs being india
rubber like in lis elasticity. and may be con
,irud In whatsoever manner that appears poll
'ic Ia the magistrate who untramncllcd 10y any
Jury. has no object in view but the pleasure of
lls sovereign, OH whose favor he depends not
,ny for his adv inccmcnt but even for the re-
ention Of the office that furnishes him with his
ialy bread. There are few educated people In
;ermany who do not have something to say In
/ general way against the Government and It's
policy, as well as against sovereign so crratic,
apricous and irreprcssible us Emperor VIII
am. There are also many ultra-Conscrvatycs
devoted to the Crown who are accustomed To
ienolInce Hebrew wealth and the evils entaIlpd
" accumulation Of capital. Lutheran and Cath
,ic clergy often rail AT the system Of exclusively
,v marriage while the Ani-Semte party.
which includes In It's ranks people of such prom
lncncc as General Count Wadersee, as well as
many Of the granhest names Of the Prussian
aristocracy, loses no opportunity Of assailins the
Jewish faith. Politicians and newspapers have
hitherto had their say about the course of the
Government. with which they do not always
agree. Every one III these might suffer from
he projected law-ihc Interpretation Of their
iitcranccs depending entirely on the passing
whim and mood Of the Emperor
TN a sides there Is an cutlery against the
bill, that in the non-I'l1issian portions Of the
German Federation being the mos, loud and
bitter or this The Emperor apparently takes no
heed Firmly convinced that he is right and
that all who dare 10 differ from him are hope
lcssly in the wrong he has already publicly in
iimatcd that if the electors prove themselves Ia
be what he considers unworthy Of their political
privileges, h. will not hesitate to curiail these,
beginning by an extensive restriction of the
franchise. Now it Is prcposicrous to imagine
that Il people SO enlightened. 80 progressive. and
above all, 50 intellectual rs the Germans will
lt the close Of this nineteenth century tamely
submit to the loss Of civic rights won at the
price Of blood. or tolerate unopposcd the inaug,l-
ration Of a reign of irresponsible dcspoiism and
autocracy comparable only to that Of Russia or
of some scmicivilizcd Aslatc State. That they
will make fight for their liberties, Il fight In
which the South German sovcrclgns will not he
on the side Of the Emperor, IL forcgonc CON
cusion; and that a great conflict between the
Crown and the people Is probably at hand Is
shown by the announcement Of the ultra Tory
"Kreutz-Zcitung," to the effect that the strug.
"Sls has begun. We are only 20 yet at the Arst