The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-27
Shopkeepers and Workm en-
Had a Dull Christmas
in Germany.
But the Imperial Family Had a
Gay Time and the Poor Were
Not Forgotten.
From Russia Comes a Story That an
Effort Is Being Made to Excom.
municate Tolstci.

| BERLIN, GERMANY, Dec. 26.-The
Christmas holidays this year have beer
very much duller than for many years
past. The tradesmen have been greatly
dissatisfied at the lack of holiday bushes:
in comparison with other years, and the
workingmen have been disconnected a.
| the slack in work and consequent scarcity
of money with which to provide theil
| families with the bare necessities Of life
| Added to this state of affairs the damp
raw weather which has prevailed for the
| last few days and still endures has had q
dispiriting effect on every body, the alb
sence of the old time crisp, cold Christmas
| tide having deprived the period OF Its
usual glow of festivity. Last Christmas
the tradesmen complained of bad bust
ness, but they all agree in declaring that
this year it is far worse. 1t is not the lack
of attractive inducements that retards
shoppers from buying. There was never a
better display in the shop-windows, nor
was there ever SO tasteful an arrangement
of holiday goods under the brilliancy OF
electric-lights or more elaborate drapery
of the stores.
Nevertheless the jewellers and all other
tradesmen who were relying upon reap
ing harvest through their Christmas
sales are complaining bitterly of their in
ability to do a satisfactory or even mod
crate degree of business, and it is only the
cheaper toyshops and stores dealing in
fancy articles that are doing any business
at all. Though less money has been spent
in the purchase OF Christmas presents,
however, a great deal more than usual
has been bestowed upon the absolutely
destitute classes. In addition TO these
already existing two night refugees were
opened on Christmas eve, where yester-
day food and clothing were distributed to
hundreds OF distressed persons. The
mum Der of bazaars in behalf OF various
charities have also been increased and
house toulouse collections TO aid poor
children have been made. In consequence
oil this increase in charitable WORK there
were general Christmas dinners at the
asyIums, prisons, casual wards, soup
kitchens, donations to hospitals, ETC.. to q
degree OF beneticence hey ond precedence.
The donations exceeded all previous years
in res pect of abundance and the charities
to which they were devoted were much
wider in scope.
The mperor's two eldest sons, Crown
Prince William and Prince Eitel Fred
erick, arrived at the new palace at Pots
dam on Tuesday from Ploen College,
where they are pursuing their studies, for
the purpose OF enjoying the holidays with
their parents. On Christmas eve the inn
perlal family and the servants of their
house hold assembled in the ante-room of
the apartments of the Empress, where the
Empress and her children presented the
dome estes belonging to the household with
u,fto m m n
the whole court and Prince and Princess
of Schaum perg- Lippe, then dined in the
marble hall of the palace. AT o'clock in
the afternoon the Christmas trees were
lighted and the presents displayed in the
grotto of the salon. Conspicuous upon
the Emperors table was an immense
silver goblet and a carved clock five feet
the Emperor's aunt. The imperial chill
dren ran about the salon in high glee,
showing the mem bers of the court the
presents they had received. The Empress
Frederick is spending the Christmas holt
days with her son, Prince Henry of
Prussia, aud his wife. Princess Irene, at
kiel.
There is high authority for stating that
the War Office is undecided whether or
not 10 present to the Reichstag bill ask
ing for a very largely increased credit for
the augmentation of the artillery branch
of the army at the present session of the
legislative body. The Government is anx-
ious to secure an enormous credit for the
purpose of carrying out its plans for the
additional new artillery, but there is no
certainty that the present Reichstag will
grant it. General Won Gossler, Minister of
War, in the course of a recent address to
the budget committee of the Reichstag in
regard to new gun, which he descri bed
as being superior to the new French
"Canet' quick-tiring gun, asked the men,
bers OF the commission 10 observe the
strictest secrecy concerning the gun.
Some indiscreet member disclosed the
whole plan of the gun, and the budget conn
mittee has begun a searching inquiry with
a view of ascertaining which OF its mem
bers has shown himself unfit to be trusted
with the secrets of the body.
Aovices from ST.. Peters burg say that a
sensation has been created there by the
decision of the Holy Synod to excommu-
nicate Count Lof Tolstoi, the celebrated
Russian author, from the Orthodox church
upon the ground that his works are calcu-
lated to, and do. undermine the church.
The synod was melted to this action by
NJ. Pobedonostzoff. the Encouragement
of the synod, who proposes to summon
Count Tolstoi before the synod for trial
which will involve his being deprived OF
his civil rights
The marine cable has been completed
from Emden, Prussia, to Vigo, Spain,
which links the German telegraphic sys-
tenn with the South American and other
systems. Capital has been furnished by
an AngIo-German syndicate for the con-
struction of the first section OF a subma-
rine cable between Germany and the
United States via the Azores.