The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-02-02

ZIONIST bill fathered by Count Kanitz was
hung up. yet in Prussia at least. the agri-
culturaIs. or Agrarians. are not disneart-
ened. and propose. during the coming win
ter, to renew the attack by rsintroducing
the hill of Count Kanitz in the reichstag
and making things very lively for the
Prussian monarchy in the landtag in pur-
suit Of their claims.
Very distinct lines have been drawn In
Prussis-and Of course what Prussia does
the other German nations will do Of ne
cessity, because they have gone into an
empire which Prussia rules. The land
owners, who are largely farmers. have
organized to oppose the forces of agricui-
ture and commerce. Chambers OF agricul-
ture have been organized everywhere, and
the league OF land owners is said 10 have
already in the bank about 100000 for car
rying on the general campaign, but the
chambers are to form financial centers all
over the country which will be able to
effect certain important things. They
may establish banks, and by advancing
money on crops rescue the farmers from
the middIemen who are said TO prey on
them. They can say 10 the government:
I'VE pay taxes and want protection
Give us storage warehouses at convenient
points where farmers can deposit their
grain and get a receipt. whence railways
can take the grain by cheap local frelghts
for home consumption, where finally the
army purveyors can always get good.
clean grain at the ruling prices" The
Agrarians are staunch protectionists. and
while they besiege the emperor with COM
plants of financial ruin. they are prepar-
ing 20 attack industrial and commercial
Germany in the legislatures of Prussia
and the empire. They will call for the
abrogation OF treaties with favored ma
tions." and especially that made some
years ago under Chancellor Caprivi with
Russia. and ask that If IT be sacrifice of
Industries. then that industries be sacri-
feed. in order that young men shall not
emigrate TO the cities. and become poor
material for soldiers, or TO foreign lands.
and be lost forever to the military.
OF course the great question will arise as
to how the emperor Will act on this matter.
What will the Agrarian party do if he is
not in sympathy with them? A leading
member of this party was asked recently:
But suppose the king of Prussia refuses
to consent 10 this scheme?s Then he
said, 1.-THE Prussian house Of representa-
uyes viii refuse to vote the king Of Prus-
STA his supplies" Without having much
weight In itself. this warlike statement
shows the bitterness of the land-owning
class in Prussia. 1t has always been a
highly privileged class, and generally a
petted class. Since 1879 1t has had duty on
foreign grain, from which, in 1884, the en-
pire received nearly 100000 marks, and
1t obtained the exclusion of American cat
tie Letters now being published which
were written by prominent members of
the party as far back as 1855 show that
the bitterness today is not merely of yes
terday. They corroborate the private
statements of Conservatives and Agrarians
as 10 the evaporation OF the land-owning
classes at their loss of money through fall
ing prices. Neither the present duties on
nor the OH TIE
exclusion OF American fresh meat begin
to satisfy the demands of this powerful
party in Prussia.
The owners of farm lands have no doubt
suffered. The real object is to form rally
ing cry for Agrarians and brighten the gov
ernment into concessions. The cry with
which other parties are TO be overcome is
the cry that, in case of war, Germany will
not be able to feed her millions and feed
her armies unless acreage suf-
ficient TO supply all with bread
stuns has been brought under
cultivation by raising the price of grain.
Naturally, it Is all local cry, and a local
movement. The trouble is the people are
not allowed TO do what they can. The best
blood is drawn into the army. The great
country districts are sapped of their
strength i'm order to allow a war-like en-
peror 20 call on a large army. This must
continue in all probability. The Agra
rians. the farm owners. the farm tenants,
the farm workers are sure to complain I'M
I'll the time shall arrive when they are
allowed to work instead OF being coerced
in drilling for the qualification of a war
lord.