The sun., 1895-01-29
The Kaiser's Birthday.

The unusual splendor with which the
thirty sixth birthday Of WILLIAM ii. was
celebrated on Sunday in Berlin had an OBJ
vious political significance The aim was so
to rekindle devotion to the idea of German
unity personified in the Emperor that the
next general election, like that held soon
after the triumphant close Of the war with
France, may return a majority disposed to
sanction such laws as the sovereign shall
deem essential to the welfare Of the State.
This was the chord that BISMARCK used
to strike, and it may have been due to his
suggestion that 1t was struck skilfully and
earnestly on this occasion. The time was
we'll chosen for an appeal to patriotic senti-
ment, the present year marking the end OF
the first quarter Of century since the out
break Of the contest which was to bring
consolidation and aggrandizement to Ger
many. That throughout this year the Ger
man people are to be necessarily reminded
of their vital national interests is evident
from the announcement that all military
standards and flags, and the first guns Of
all batteries, which took part in the Franco
German war; are to be wreathed with oak
leaves, whenever they are displayed
in public between July 10, 1895,
and May 10, 1895. The loyalty Of the in
habitants Of Berlin will be further stimu-
lated by the Kaiser's promise to erect at his
own cost in the Thiergarten, statues of all
the rulers of Brandenburg, from the Mar
grave ALBERT, who by his military talent
gained the name of ACHILLES, to the En-
peror WILLIAM l. As the intention is to
flank the statue of each sovereign with fig
ures of the men who rendered him distin-
guished service, it is certain that effigies Of
BISMARCK and MoLTKE will commemorate
the real creators of the German empire.
No one who recalls the ardor with which
appeals to patriotism have previously
been answered by the mass Of the German
people, will dispute the probability Of their
being again effective. Nor is there much
doubt that, unless the next Reichstag is
differently constituted from the present,
and thus cooperation between the Execu-
tive and the Legislature is rendered less
hopeless, the expediency Of changing the
principle on which the Reichstag is elected
might be seriously considered. The Reichs-
tag now in session seems likely to with
hold from the presiding officer even such
disciplinary powers as are freely exercised
by the President of the French Chamber
of Deputies The result is that moth
ing can prevent such violent attacks
upon the Kaiser as. II made outside
of the House, would subject the author to
arrest. 1t is true that, inasmuch as the
Chancellor and the other imperial Ministers
have not yet been made accountable to the
majority of the popular chamber, Will
LIAM II. is technically deprived of the shield
of irresponsibility. The great body of his
subjects. however, are unquestionably at
tached to him, and 1t shocks them to see him
made in the Reichstag target for abuse,
which would never be levelled against an
English sovereign in the House of Com
mons. Then, again, the reception Of the
anti-Socialist bill has been calculated to dis
courage those who, in view Of the threat
ening state OF things in France
and Italy, believe that in Germany
the safeguards of social order should be
strengthened. The decision, indeed, of the
committee to which the bill was referred,
to expunge the so-called India-rubber clause
seems reasonable, for the extraordinary
powers proposed in that clause might be
used to smother every kind of political dis
cussion. But it looks as IL the committee
were determined TO go much further, and to
30 mutilate the measure as to render IL
worthless as an instrument of resistance
even to the Anarchist propaganda. The final
action, however, of the Reichstag in this
matter will be determined by the course
ultimately taken by the Centrists, and this
In turn, will be affected by the attitude OF
the Bundesrath toward the Society of Jesus
A bill permitting the Jesuits to return and
resume teaching functions in Germany, has
passed its second reading in the Reichstag,
and will be presently sent up to the Federal
Council, which once rejected such prof
ect, but which may now be prevailed
upon by Chancellor Won HoHESLoHE to
change its mind.
Whatever the present Reichstag may do,
Its days are numbered; and WILLIAM ii. is
evidently resolved to see to it that, when
the next appeal is made to the electors. it
shall be amid circumstances likely 10 rouse
the feelings OF loyalty and nationality.
Park hursIiana.