The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-04-19
3gBEL, THE SOCIALIST
- German Leader q His
osowfng Party's Purposes.
= ecoFFs At THE EMPEROR.


y - ACCUSES 1t. and the newspaper De-
- celunn after column TO ifa various
~aanfssfssions- In government circles the
~u1oan seems 20 be tnat unless Il IL pre-
suae1 from spreading q great catastrophe
- tRfsn the state The kaiser = In the
- onk Of these gloomy prophets. ard
= enpschea. when they are La the least
s1ntical, contain Invariably . warning
Srsnoe sfhe red ghost" that n stalking
.sSseueh the Fashsrhnd. If m employer y
ueSssed By one Of ais workpen. although
- hsfsr may have had no aifn.fies 1t all
n fhe Social Democrats, the kasser sends
4 nnsaGs Of condolences to the bereaved
rn1vw. and exciaims: when viii my poo
Pr become men and throttle this enemy
Guenlism) In our mi1ss.'
n conservatives echo his words and see
u1lb Nm ruined Germany In the near fis-
- unIsse Bebei Iacbknecht and the other
yssoiufionists are made snarticuiats and
hafmlsss. These men. however. continue
80 agitation with unaiminished vigor,
- each day finds their army Of recruits
nado stronger and more numerous than
~.
~We have come to stay" shey reply to
- opponents. and no 'Umssurx-vor-
~ Or imperial body guard can kill our
- We stand for the protection Of the
ousAingman. and until you can offer him
MWEtn1DX OttttE tlhn We 90, our 31cCS38
4 certxin and sure"
Il has recently been my privilege to meet
~ most famous Of these Socialissic prop
agsndists-Ferdinand August BebeI He
svss ir Berlin. and his home Is a model
wtje Cat In one Of the large apartment
hsuses which are springing up 10 rapidly
4 The western part of the city. When par
rnnsnt u sitting Herr Bebel has only to
uke an almost direct road TO the reichstag
buuding He has been . member of the
ruichstaK. excepting one or two short in
trrupsions. ever since the foundation OF
~ empire. and It Is here that he has
struck the strongest blows for his princi-
s,ss Up to lsa0 he was allowed In Berlin
during sessions Of parliament only. and on
IT. Dismissal was compelled to take the
next train for Saxony. but since the repeal
q the Socialist Law all this is changed, and
b may now come and 20 an he hkes.
Nv objec; In calling on him WAS merely
b have . friendly talk. but ! hoped that
tbs would Lead to an explanation on his
mart Of certain questions discussed at the
:sts socialists consress at Breslau. A
esmmon friend arranged the meeting. and
one evening word was received that Herr
Babel would expect a visit the following
Afternoon Al the appointed time his wife
welcomed me ~ the door. She comes, like
Bshel himself. from the Woodworking
classes. but takes no active part In poll
tics Che deems II her mission to make a
comfortable home for her busy husband.
4 daughter. the only child In the family,
helped her In these duties for number OF
years. but she 10 now married to q physi-
Sian in Zurich and h now studying In its
university.
Herr Dsbsi's Personality.
Eerr Bebsi was waiting in his study.
Ne vas sitting 1t his desk looking over
some OFFICIAL papers. He rose and greet
"a his caller most cordially. The recent
change In bis appearance Is striking. Five
years ago he seemed on the platform At
hast. comparatively young man. and
hs y nov but little over Sc years OF age,
but his beard and hair have become quite
gray. and the delicate aspect which has
always been natural to him Is now more
pronounced than ever. His sharp gray
0ss. however. are as bright as ever. and
when he spoke the same strong voice could
, recognized that helps to make him q
turible public speaker. His study il a
onele room facing the south. and Is fur
uod mainly with tables and bookcases.
~ the books are portraits OF his fellow
oeAlists. among them Marx. Iiehknecht
- Engels. Everything In the room was
ole. and nothing was to be seen which
odd prove the charge so often made by
- enemies OF the German Socialists that
NY are aristocrats at home.
Herr Bebel at the outset said frankly that
> could not discuss party matters. "a
vtsnch journalist has Just been here" he
nd. ito interview me about the congress
brsslau. but I had to refuse him. You
-. ~ Socialists. and especially here In
Germany. have TO be careful about what
~ say 10 outsiders on party matters. for
Ne newspapers turn our words into all
manner or meanings. and We have fire.
Quently been misreprpsented. Consequent
y We decided two years ago not TO allow
eurrelves TO be interviewed about our
OArsy. and am afraid that can make no
inception for you. What appears In tho
uni'ed States Is also read here. and II I
mould say anything which could possibly
y miseons,rued. II certainly would be"
II b well known that Herr Bebei began
hiscareera as simple turner and everybody
wonders how he has had the time 20 learn
end read 20 much. He looks more like
professor than an artisan Asked about
his lfe and how he was led to socialism. he
nd
Il was born in Cologne In 1870. NV father
ns . corporal IN tho Twenty-nfth regt-
nent OF infantry, and died when | was
J years old, My mother. being a wetx-
hrin. we removed to wetxlar after my
M'her's death. and ! was sent 20 the COM
non school TIL my 18th year. Then I was
orprenficed 70 q turner and when had
served my time l tramred about the coun-
~. mainly southern Germany. as a wan
eering joGrneymsn- This. you know IS
ne csstom with artisans here I'm Germany.
In issa settled In Saxony, and In 1864 sue
eeeiea In putting w q shop OF my own IN
t<ipssc. Since 1853 have been active IN
TIE workinxman's movement. but not al
ways as a Socialist
AZ the start was merely a Liberal. and
ecrnted myself one OF that party. la
eAlle. fer Instance who became prominent
about then as e Sociaiistie agitAtor, had no
more Determined opponent than 7 was and
! DID my best 20 ccunteract hts influence
eron worklngmen. The more ccsnhatted
nm. however. the more was forced TO
study his writings. and l date my Social
I'm from the time that began to read hin,
N earnest. His work asd a great Influence
On me. AMI. az saw that the Liberals were
ho' Going what I had expected them q DO
t0r the nottingham, that. on the contrary
tney were exploiting him for their cwn
personai Advancement. ! determined 20
eAve their company ana become an out
shc-ous Social Democrat.
This was In 1875. and the movement then
= you know was young. Since tina: time
ny NE has oceE practically tSat cf my
ariy. ans have wo-ke 81 for u to the eess
my ABILITY IN isS I was put IN prison
W. MY teachings II 80. I WAS again In
een'is. and this time with iseasnecht- We
~ sSres ted "a a charge OF high trcA>ct.
$40 TIE court at lseipSic sentenced ns 20
so YEARS imprisonment IN the fortress ~
knstsrtasburg Alicxeth..r have heea Be-
M TIE liars afty-scVen months. and each
"nss Tor political reascns."
HOW wcr. you treated in prison: II 70
"a that prison. Efe In Germany IS very
ssv.re."
TO - shut up s. hard anywhere. sup
tCse ans re one LIKES q. bat IN general. !
esse eea pretty vel, treated Ny fort
Nks NE. Tor ..-srlr... 1 rlN nv urfN ersity