The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-08
But the Prospects Are That the
Interior Minister Will Be
Forced Out.
CANDIDATES FOR THE PLACE
Germany Would Gladly Relieve This
Country From Responsibility
in Samoa.

BERLIN, GERMANY, Dec. Herr Won
koeller, Prussian Minister of the Interior,
still remains nominally on leave of alb
sence, and the changes which may ensue
as a result of his final dismissal-if such
action shall definitely be taken-will con-
sequently continue in suspense until the
return of the Emperor from his hunting
trip in Hanover next Tuesday.
The Conservatives are taking heart over
the Emperor's postponement of his de-
cision in the matter, which leads them to
hope that Herr Won Koeller will be re-
tanned in office; but forestalling the event
Of his failure to hold on to his post they
are doing everything possible to influence
theKaiser to select Herr Won Puttkamer,
who was Prussian Minister of the Interior
under the regime of Prince Bismarck as
Chancellor, for the place. While he was
in the Ministry of the Interior Herr Won
Puttkamer gave ample proofs of his
energy in taking repressive measures
against the Socialists and Freisinnige
alike, so that il Won Koeller cannot be re-
tanned in Office the Conservatives are hope
tul that his crusade against socialism may
be continued by Won Puttkamer, though
it must necessarily be greatly modified.
Herr Won Puttkamer, who is now Pre-
feet of Pomerania, Is, however, one among
quite number of available men who have
been mentioned for the post. Herr Hey
debrand, Provincial Project of Breslau,
Herr Won StuddI, Project of Westphalia,
and Herr Bennigsen, Project of Hanover,
are also prominently mentioned, and each
has a strong following, who are working
hard in the interests of their candidates.
Herr Won Koeller's retirement, if he does
retire, will be primarily due to the in
trigues of his own colleagues. For weeks
past the newspapers which are influenced
by the Foreign Office have been throwing
out hints that Herr Won Koellers position
was untenable, and this plan OF action is
still being carried out. The Freisinnige
papers have echoed and re-echoed these
hints, with the addition of statements that
Won Koeller had actually resigned. The
clippings from newspapers, which are pre-
pared daily in the Foreign Office for pc
rusal by the Kaiser, have also seemed to
be calculated to convince the Emperor
that ron KoelIer must go or the machinery
of 81 ate would stop.
i Nchief offense of Herr Won Koeller
tow. his colleagues was that, acting in
accordance with the spirit of the Emperor,
he attacked the Socialists without having
consulted the other members of the Cabi-
net. The Hamburg Correspondent asserts
that Chancellor Won Hohenlohe first heard
of the suppression of the Socialist unions
from seeing an account of that action in
the newspapers, and it is also certain that
Won Koeller's independent action was
highly displeasing to DR.. Won Boetticher,
Imperial Secretary of State for the Inte-
rior. and Baron Marschall Won Bieberstein,
Minister of Foreign Affairs, who secured
the support of Prince Hohenlohe and Gen
eral Bronsart Won Schellendorf, Minister
of War, in urging the Emperor to dismiss
Won Koeller. The consequence of this was
that on the same day that DR.. Won Luca-
nus, Chief of the Imperial Privy Cabinet,
reported to the Emperor the complaints
made against Won Koeller by his col
leagues in the Ministry, Won Koeller
sought and obtained an audience with the
Emperor, of whom he asked to be granted
leave of absence until his successor be
found or the existing differences could be
arranged. The Emperor, in the course of
a confere nee with Chancellor Won Hohen-
lobe on Wednesday, in which he endeav-
ored TO reconcile the differences of the
Ministers, in no wise suggested that he
wished 10 dispense with the services of
Herr Won Koeller, who, he asserted, had
tried as we'll as he could to carry out the
imperial policy.
In the meantime the struggle between
the opposing Ministers continues within
the Kaisers encourage in Hanover. If
Herr Won Koeller is upheld and retained
both Marschall Won Bieberstein and DR..
Won Boetticher must go. There are pow
erful influences on their side, including
that of DR.. Won Lucanus, but from one
point of view the retirement of Marschall
Won Bieberstein and DIR. Won Boetticher
could clear up the existing confusion. In
the Ministerial circle their presence in the
Cabinet is considered certain to prevent
the formation Of a Centrist and Conserva-
tive Ministry in the Reichstag. With a
positive pro gramme upon workable Gov
eminent lines this coalition would COM
mand the support of Count Won Posadow-
sky-W ehrner, Imperial Minister OF the
Treasury; Freiherr Won Berlepsch, Prus-
sian Minister of Commerce, and DIR.
Miauel, Prussian Minister of Finance,
who have been aiming at such combina-
ton for some time, while Marschall Won
Biebersteln and DR.. Won Boetticher are
only supported by the National Liberals,
and Socialists, an unavoidable
N ajority at the best.
The Reichstag has begun a debate on
the question of the revision of the code OF
military laws. The existing system of
tribunals differs in Bavaria, Sax.
ony, Wurtemberg and Prussia. The pro-
iect now before the Reichstag, which aims
at the unification and unanimity OF the
Federal Government in the matter OF the
code of military law, is still incomplete
Prussia wishes the acceptance OF the Prus-
sian law, but Bavaria and Wurtemberg
demand the publicity of military tribunals,
which majority of the members OF the
Reichstag favor.
The Richter Radicals have presented to
the Reichstag an urgency resolution,
which demands that all Germans without
obtaining permission OF the
authorities may form associations, pro-
vided they are unarmed, and that such
associations shall be free to hold meetings
and enter into relations with each other