Omaha daily bee., 1896-12-20
REFUSED By KAISER
Reform in the German Law Courts is Not
Present Possibility.
BILL DIES FOR LACK OF COMPROMISE
Government Would Not Consent to Amend
ments that We're Urged
RElCHSTAG SHOWS ITS INDEPENDENCE
Military Court Reform Bill May Be Treated
the Same Way.
lCHSTAG SHOWS ITS INDEPENDENCE
EMPEROR WILLIAMS CHRISTMAS PLANS
All the Imperial Family Will Meet M
Potsdam-Princc bismarck and His
Family VIII Assemble at
Fricdrichsruh.


Copyright 1896. by the Associated Press)
BERLIN, Dec. 19.-Intense dissatisfaction
has been aroused throughout the country by
the refusal Of the government to accept
amendments to the courts reorganization
bill, which resulted in its entire rejection.
The Reichstag's labors, for a couple of
years. are thus destroyed. The bill was the
result of demands made by the courts, law
yers and people alike, for many years, to
abolish certain hardships, especially in the
shape of inadequate safeguards for defend
ants in criminal cases and defects in the
criminal code and court procedure. The
government insisted upon the introduction
of fresh hardships and illiberal court meas
ures in exchange for old ones One OF the
most Objectionable proposals of the govern
ment provides for the Imprisonment OF OPP
position papers editors in the event of their
refusal to disclose the authorship of articles,
and the government declined to accede to
the granting of compensation to innocently
convicted persons. This attitude of the gov
ernment is certain to mean the loss OF many
seats in by-elections arising from deaths and
designations of members of the Reichstag
The rejection OF the bill. moreover, throws
light upon the action OF the Reichstag,
which is likely to reject the scheme FOR the
form of military court unless the bill proves
more liberal than expected
Incidentally, the fall of the courts bill
has deprived Herr Bebel Of his chance of
raising a debate on the Luetzow trial. He
had amassed a lot of sensational material,
which he will be unable to use until the
second reading of the budget. The case,
however, will be discussed in the Diet on
the police estimates
Both the Reichstag and the Diet have ad-
iourned for the holidays The Diet will re-
assemble on January s, and the Reichstag
on January ~.
Emperor William will spend Christmas
with his family at Potsdam, the elder princes
arriving home today, from the military
academy at Ploen. The distribution of gifts
will take place in the Shell hall OF the new
palace.
All the members OF the Bismarck family
will assemble at Friedrichsruh for Christ
mas Prince Bismarck is feeling pretty
we'll and every day loads of presents for
him are arriving from various places in
Germany and abroad. Many are coming from
America.
CORDIAL TO HOHENLOHE.
The emperor was present at Prince Hohen-
lohe's parliamentary dinner on Thursday.
His majesty very cordial toward the
chancellor, and in conversation with party
leaders, like Levitzow. Manteuffel Liebor and
Rickert, he intimated the hope that the new
sacrifices demanded of the fatherland would
be ungrudgingly voted. This remark is un-
derstood to have referred to the naval budget
and to the new artillery scheme of the en-
peror.
According to the evening papers, his
majesty has little sympathy Tor the Ham
burg strikers, and he is reported, in speak
ing to guest of the Uhancellors party to
have expressed delight at the opposition of
the employers to the ''unjustihabe demands"
OF the strikers, and he is said to have added
that the victory of capital will be of ad-
vantage to the workingmen in the long
rum
At the charity performance at the royal
opera on Tuesday the empress especially hon
ored Leonora Jackson, the American vio-
linist. Her majesty called her to the i'm
perial box and congratulated her upon her
playing, while making inquiries as to Miss
Jackson's nationality, parentage and study.
Emperor William has dismissed from the
service Naval Lieutenant Ketelhodt. who re-
Gently killed lawyer named Jenker in a
duel after seducing his wife.
The supreme Prussian court has confirmed
the decree of the president of Posen forbid
ding the display OF any flags or colors save
the Prussian and German.
The government has made confidential dec
laraiiOns 10 the budget committee in the
R"ichstag regarding the projected arming of
the artillery. II is said III 100000 marks
VII be needed for Prussia alone. The whole
matter is being handled with the utmost
secrecy in order TO keep the powers, espe-
cially France, in the dark respecting the
precise character Of the innovations
Herr Fuchs, editor of a socialist newspaper
OF Munich has been sentenced to six months
in jail for publishing a sarcastic poem on
Prince Bismarck. This is the first such con-
viction since the fall OF the prince from
power, and it is significant that the trial
occurred in Bavaria and not in Prussia
The Westminster Gazette ignores the
matter editorlally. A colorless paragraph,
dated Madrid. published here, speaks of
profound Indignation" and expresses fear
OF patriotic displays" but otherwise there
is a complete absence of news from Spain
owing to delays in telegraph.