The San Francisco call., 1896-02-23
Socialists Openly Insult the Min.
lister of War in the
Reichstag.
OTHER RUDE SPEECHES MADE.
Elaborate Programme Arranged for
the Celebr alton of the Foundation
of the Empire.

BERLIN, GERMANY, Feb. 22.-The Freis-
sinnige and Democratic press of Berlin
have published very hattering criticisms
of the speech delivered by Prince Hohen-
lobe, the imperial Chancellor, upon the oc-
casion of the Bundesrath banquet Thurs
day evening. in the course OF which he
dwelt upon the events leading up to the
foundation of the empire. The Chancel-
lor characterized the action of the King of
Prussia in taking the lead as an agitatnr
to promote the reconsideration of the
German empire by proclamation as
national movement which had essentially
assisted the events OF 1870.
The cid Democrats and ex-refugees will
undoubtedly be proud to hear the highest
official of the new empire praise their
work, but the Chancellor's speech is almost
the only pleasant incident of the entire
field Of politics, which has now assumed a
more angry character than has ever been
known since the creation OF the empire.
Even within such compact parties as the
Centrists and the Socialists there are IN
ternicine quarrels q great deal more Bit
ter than the hostility which obtains be-
tween the opposing groups Nevertheless
,
is evidenced by the wrangle in the Reichs-
tag the other day when the Socialist Dep
uty Stadthagen called out in a loud voice
to General Bronsat Won Schellendorf, Min
lister of War: "You are unworthy of pay
ment, even as a circus clown" this ex-
preston being followed by shout from
Deputy Frohme (Socialist), who said;
'You would better stay away from the
Reichstag altogether.
These exhibitions of rudeness, however.
are trivial as compared with the wild
scenes at the agrarian mass-meeting held
at the circus Busch on Wednesday. The
meeting was attended by 2000 farmers and
whenever the speakers made an insulting
aIlusion to any of the members of the
Ministry or their immediate predecessors
the audience would set up howIs of ap-
provaI and shout. of delight The men
ton of ex-Chancellor Caprivi's name wa.
received with a yell of "Schweinhund''
"a filthy person).
On the other hand a telegram from
the prominent Austrian Deputy, Herr
Won Schroenerer, sending greetings across
the frontier and asking, "When will
this miserable Bismarckless period end?"
was received with tremendous shouts OF
applause. One speaker in the course of
his remarks said: "The golden feet of the
throne are cracking and reeling, but they
will stand firm when they are imbedded
in the groundwork of the German peas
antry."
Reference made by one of the speakers
to the Emperor's comments upon Count
kanitz S grain-monopoly proposal, charac-
terizing it as simply usury in bread
stuffs, was the signal for prolonged Kisses
and groans. Nobody even attempted to
argue calmly the facts of the agrarian
problem and as far as any good was done
the meeting might as well not have been
held.
A council of the Aldermen of the en-
plre have succeeded after long and diff
cult negotiations in framing programme
for the celebration of the foundation of
the empire, which will secure the attend
ance of the representatives OF all the DO
itical parties except socialists
The occasion will be celebrated by
grand banquet on March 81 in the hall of
the Reichstag. Baron Won Buol-Baren-
berg, president of the Reichstag, will toast
the Emperor; Herr Schmidt, first vice
president, will toast the empire: Herr
Spahnn, second vice president of the
Reichstag, will toast the guests. and Herr
Won Levetzow, ex-p president of the Reich
stag, will toast Prince Bismarck. The
suggestion of the latter toast came verv
near Srecking the whole function, neither
the Centrists, the Freisinniges nor the
Volks partei being willing to have the
praises of Prince Bismarck sung in the
Rechstag.
Eventually Herr Won Lcvetzow prepared
his toast in advance and worded it SO mod
erately and inoffensively that the object
iEg parties agreed after being somewhat
further urged that it would be lamentable
to celebrate before the entire world the
foundation of the empire without making
a mention of Prince Bismarck.
The Foreign Office and the Ministry of
Commerce are actively cooperating with
the object of obtaining a greater share of
the trade from Japan for Germany. A
German commercial journal is to be pub
lished in the Japanese language, the aim
of which will be to make German mer-
chandise known to the Japanese. The
paper viii be printed in Berlin and circu-
lated throughout Japan gratis. In addi-
ton TO this a German commission will be
sent in behalf of the several German cham
bers of commerce to China and Japan for
the purpose of studying the conditions of
the trade in those countries with view of
supplying accurate information thereof to
the German manufacturers and shippers.
John B. Jackson, United States Charge
d 'Affaires, entertained the American col
ony in Berlin at his official residence this
afternoon in honor of Washington's birth
day. The Washington's s birthday banquet
which was to have been held in the
Reichof Hotel has been postponed until
February 25, when it will be held in the
Kaiserhof Hotel. The banquet will be
furnished by the American colony and the
proceeds devoted to charity. The German
An,arioop Woshinoton CIuh celahratad