The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-06

confined to tho two candidates who have re-
ceived the largest number Of votes.
We are reminded that universal suffrage waa
looked upon by many German statesmen rs IN
experiment of a somewhat hazardous kind, and
Bismarck insisted on the non-payment Of the
members OF the Reichstag as a safeguard. This
has been n bono of contention with tho Liberals
ever since, the Reichstag having repeatedly
passed bills for the payment of members, which
the Bundesrath has invariably rejected. The
absence of remuneration has not been without
effect, for 1t has deferred university professors
and other men OF small means, usually of Lib
eral views, from accepting an Office which en-
tails the expense Of a long residence in Berlin,
but 1t has not fulfilled the predictions that
were made by either Its foes or Its friends, for
IL has not caused q denrth of candidates, or
discouraged the presence of men who made
politics their business. The provision has. how
ever. a meaning one would hardly suspect. In
1885, when the Socialist representatives re-
ceived salaries from their own party, Bismarck,
claiming that such n proceeding was illegal.
caused the Treasury to sue them for the sums
Of money they had received in this way. and
the Imperial Court OF Appeals sustained the
suit. The object of withholding pay from the
members Is. OF course, to prevent the power
Of the poorer classes from becoming too great;
hut o much more %efectual means to the same
end Is tho habit of holding elections on working
/ uh1S, iuobNoe "a 49, haSb1 va
France and most other Catholic count ries.
The Reichstag has the ordinary privileges Of
a legislative assembly elect.ng It's own Presi-
dent. making its own rules. and deciding upon
the validity of elections. It's internal organiza-
tion conforms to the pattern generally followed
In Continental chambers. At the beginning Of
each session. the members are divided BY lot
into seven Abtheiiun gen, or sections. which cor
respond to the Bureaux of the French Clam
hera lint differ from these in the imDOrtant
respect that they last during the whole session.
instead of being renewed ut short intervals.
The duties OF the sections consist In making q
preliminary examination of the validity of
elections to the Reichstag and In the choice OF
committees. each section electing one or moro
committeeman, according to the Importance of
the committee. As in France and Italy, how
ever. the choice By the sections is really cut and
dried beforehand. 1t is. In fact. controlled
by the so-calied Senioren.Convent a body COM
posed OF the leaders OF the different parties who
determine in advance the number OF seats on
the committee to which each party shall be en-
titled. Unlike the French Bureaux. the choice
OF the Abtheilungcn is not confined to members
of their own section. In the Reichstag, bills are
not always referred TO u committed; but Mr..
Lowell points out that the more advanced Lib
erals have constantly urged such a reference In
the case of Government bills. because the au-
thorltative influence of the Ministers is thereby
diminished, and greater opportunity is given for
criticism and amendment; whereas the moro
moderate parties. following tho lead Of the
Government. have often preferred the moro i'm
mediate discussion Of important measures by
the full House without the Intervention of any
committee at all.
The powers of tho Reichstag appear very
great on paper. All laws require its consent.
and so do the budget, nil .loans, and all treaties
which involve matters falling within the do
main of legislation. 1t has q right to initiate
legislation, to ask the Government for reports,
and to eIpress its opinion on the management
of affairs. In reality, however. its powers are
not so great as they seem. The Constitution
provides. for example, that the bud get shall be
annual. yet the principal revenue laws are per-
manent and cannot be changed without the
consent of the Bundesrath. while the most i'm
portant appropriations. that for the army. is
virtually determined by the law fixing the
number of troops. and this has hitherto been
voted for o number Of years at u time. The
chief function of the Reichstag is, in fact, the
consideration Of bills prepared BY the Cham
cellor and the Bundosrath. These 1t criticises
and amends pretty freely; but Its activity IL
rather negative than positive. and. although
important measures have occasionally been
passed at its instigatiop. it cannot be said to
direct the policy OF the State. either In legisla-
ton or ADMINISTRATION The influence OF the
helCnStRR lS also diminished ny the ldCt That !
can be diss olved at any time by the Bundesrath
with the consent OF the Emperor. In most con-
stitutional governments at the present day. the
power of dissolution is the complement OF the
responsibility of the Minister. and Is used. at
least in theory, to ascertain whether the Cabl-
net possesses the confidence of the nation. In
Germany 1t eX lists without any such RESPONSE
bllity on the part of the Minister. and hence,
is simply a means Of breaking down resist
apca In tha Ruiplstau II haa laap uETi
for this purpose on three memorable occa-
sions: First, in 1873. when the Reichstag re-
fused to pass q bill for the repression
of agitation by the Socialists; nf:erward, in
1887, when 1t refused to pass the bill fixing the
size of the army for seven years; and again in
1893. when II refused TO sanction changes pro-
posed in the military system. In each case the
new Reichstag supported the plans OF the gov
eminent. and thus n serious conflict with the
Chancellor was avoided, and the question Of the
ultimate authority of the different organs of
the State was postponed. The rules OF the
Reichstag provide for Interpolation. but the
question to whom these shall be addressed in
wolves ono OF the paradoxes or contradictions
between theory and practice which are common
In the government OF the empire. There is no
imperial Cabinet. and the Chancellor. who
Is the only Minister. is not RESPONSE
BILE to the Reichstag, nor has he any
right as Chancellor to sit in that assembly.
In theory he comes there only as one
Of the delegates from the constituent
States to the Bundesrath, all of whose MEM
bers have the privilege of being present In the
Rcichstag, where a special bench is reserved
for them. They appear as the representatives
OF the united Governments OF Germany. and are
entitled to speak whenever they choose; for the
Bundesrath Is not only a collection OF delegates
from the Governments OF the different States.
but has also some OF the attributes OF an I'm
perial Cabinet. In form, therefore,. Interpella-
tions are addressed to the Bundesrath. but. in
fact. they are communicated to tho Chancellor,
who usually answers them himself, or allows
one of his subordinates to do so. A debate may
ensue. II demanded by fifty members, but 1t is
not followed by an order of tho day expressing
the opinion of the House, and. indeed, Interpret
lations have no such importance in Germany as