The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-01-05
CRISIS IN GERMANY.
The Emperor's Despotic Policy
Makes Socialism Grow.
Discomfort VERY GENERAL.
The Red Flag Leaders Reject the
VIII Convert the Peasants.


nection with the internal discussions
which prevented the late congress OF
Breslau from taking action on the agra
rian question. II is bound 10 produce
growth OF radical republican ideas
throughout those classes Of the German
population which socialism has scarcely
touched until now. On the other hand,
a new and revolutionary trend has been
given 10 socialism in Germany-an effect
already produced in France by the defeat
OF the parliamentary party at the con-
gress OF Limoges.
The chief factors Of the situation are
the political agitation among the labor
ers on the land, improperly classed TO-
gether as peasants, the triumph OF
hard and fast scientific socialism over the
policy of compromise pursued hitherto by
German Socialists. and the scarcely dis
guised threat of the emperor and his min
listers 10 put an end to the workingmens
party by suppressing universal suffrage
The position of the land laborer differs
greatly in the various parts Of the empire.
Along the Rhine and in Bavaria there Is
a class of peasant proprietOTs. In Silesia,
with its great landed estates held by
seignorial right. the peasant is little more
than a serf attached to the soil Beside
him there exists a class of floating farm
labOrers, who have no more interest IN
the land than the factory or mine work
man has in the corporation which en-
ploys him. 1t is difficult for any politi-
cal party to draw up a platform pleasing
10 all these varieties Of land laborers,
most of all now that agriculture Is uni
versally affected by the hard times. Yet
no party can neglect interests which in
the single kingdom of Prussia, count 3S5lb39
holdings 10 a total OF 6,64iUsS homes ms
may BE- compared with the number of in
dustrials establishments. 7l2il9-though
each of the latter naturally demands
many more labrers than any single farm
There are a few points which must enter
into every acrarian programme. There
must be legislation concerning mortgages
and against usury- The anti-Semites en-
large on the latter point, and the Conserva-
tives in general are willing 10 concede
great power to the state in dealing with
the peasants liabilities. Credit and insur-
ance of every kind are also expected from
state providence, and many admit
communal administration of forests. game
and other properties with which the I'M
mediate well-being OF the peasants is con-
cerned.
Hitherto it wR thought that the Social
list party could have nothing in common
with the peasants. except the drinking OF
beer, which goes on at all political meet
ings IT has suddenly been discovered
that workingmen i'm factories and workers
on the land have one other thing in COM
mona very general discomfort with
things as they are. No one denies that
Socialism has practically gained over the
lahoring population of the great cities and
industrial centers. The Socialists them
selves confess that they have made little
progress among the agricultural labOrers
as a class. The peasant they say, is
land fanatic" He has never lived, at
least In southern and western Germany,
under the shadow of a great proprietor
Cept his ability TO work. Ills only desire
is TO sell his produce as dear as possible
and TO buy more land. on the contrary,
the factory or mine worker, producing
nothing for himself. thinks only of buying
cheap; and ne is quite Indifferent as TO
whether the state private corporation
OF capitalists is TO direct his labor and
pay him for it.
It was intended that this years congress
Of German Socialists at Breslau should de-
wise some platform that might bridge over
the abyss separating them from the ag-
ricultural laborers. Although the congress
has failed. it is possible that the policy of
the emperor may DO for the Socialists
what they have not been able TO do for
themselves. The programme for agrarian
legislation presented to the congress was
drawn up from the reports Of three distinct
committees representing the north, the
center and the south Of the empire. 1t
showed conclusvely that Socialists Ike
the rest of the world, are open to local IN
nuenCes There was a final agreement IN
one practical conclusion which. - Herr
Bebel, the leader Of the old Trlumv!rate,
proclaimed. is the only way Of working out
the revolution as preached by Karl Marx.
This is gradually 10 gain possession OF all
tho public powers OF the present state
through universal suffrage. only NATIONAL
lie enough frst-telegraph and railways.
credit and insurance, forests and mines
and you viii eventually come TO the so
ciaEzatou" of the land itself and of all
the instruments and the products OF lao1r
Now. Socialists VIII never have votes
enough to do this unless all laborers. of
the farm as well Is Of the factory and the
mine, unite. And this union can he Oh
talued only 10y a temporary compromise
10 suit the ideas Of the peasants.
By l5S against 6S votes the congress re-
jectel the programme for agraTian reform
which was u he the entering wedge OF
this compromise. This large majority was
not due 10 any Division between north and
south. 1t is simply the result OF the intfu-
ence Of the scientific Socialists Of the
party. These are mainly It's younger ana
more educated members They made up
three f0urths OF the congress, the remain
ing fourth alone consisting Of veritable Ia
b0rcrs for wages kautsky, their spokes-
man. recalled the TACT that EngelS. who
equally with Karl Marx and lassalle was
r patriarch 81 tine party. condemned the
panferirg # the French Socialist leaders
u the cupi3ity Of the peasants. You have
every appearance 90 making promises
which You know you cannot keep. for,
according - our theories. which simply re-
fleet tho reality ~ things even small prop
erty IS bound % disappear i'm Tire economic
revolution which Is heeiBniag-'
DIS Schippel aud Arons Uhese univer-
slty degrees abound aud Arons is privat
decent OF the University OF Rer'inl added
their haunting criticism. which drew forth
tle applause 81 the mhlv. Others as
serted Thar nothing can DE done until utter
ruin has persuaded the peasant thai The
present order OF society is fundamentally
wrong All seemed convinced that the
small farmer viii never recover from the
present hard times The fual resolution
voted rs the congress gives the reasons
whv The aErarian programme should oe
rejected First. u helps 20 consolidate pTt-
v4te property. not recognizing that. In the
actual state ~ society. an agricultural in
terests. Qatte as much as those ~ indus
frv are controlled by private property and
those who exploit the r~oletariat- Second,
e. rorf}es 20 the capitalist state the mis-
eta- ~ accomplishing that which can real
Is he done only hv the state In which the
f~ora.a~fat controls political power.
Here Il ever. ~" have "a spontaneous
ssrS... from precisely those Socialists 81 no
are ar once the most Intelligent and most
thoroughly drilled in their principles L
concerns the aim - r1e new revolution.
wath divides aN men into tw1 classes
those VINO own property. or capitalists.
ana those who work f'r wages. or The
TIE exclusive exercise % political power
ara 81. tff.rta fna --tT=-rtEgxr state