The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-09-11
ARE ALL CORRUPT
DECEASED CONDITION OF THE PA
PERS OF GERMANY.

Scandal has Now Arisen Which May Result
in an Observation-Disclosures is No Free.
dom of he Press and All Papers Have
to Keep Ooe Man Who Can to Jail II
the Emperor Gets Hot ut the Editorial
Page-Some Of the Old Instruments OF
German Torture-Experience of q Cor.
respondent.
| Berlin, Aug. 23.-The newspapers OF
Berlin are the object Of a sweeping and
sensational charge by a well known jour-
nails: named Martin Hiliebrandt, who
! says that they are all corrupt except The
| Vossische Zeitung. He offers to prove
| his assertion and says that ne awaits
| the responses 10 his challenge with the
! greatest equanimity." This declaration
was provoked by the exposure of mus
to have been blackmailing opera singers
and other members Of the musical pro-
fession and dramatic profession, but is
still employed by the KIeines journal
much 70 the scandal Of the craft. None
of the newspapers has thus far taken
! noice of Mr.. Hildebrand;s sharp attack.
They seem inclined 10 ignore il altogeth-
er, but there is likely to be an investiga-
ton and an exposure similar 10 that
which concerned the secret police a few
| months ago.
From our point Of view the newspa-
.perS OF Germany are very stupid and
unenterprising. They contain a few tele-
grams from the capitals of Europe con-
corning political affairs, but very seldom
anything from the United States unless
il concerns their government. There are
a few items OF interest concerning acct
dents, fires and similar incidents, a con-
densation of the official announcements
which appear in the government Gazette
the previous day, two or three columns
OF correspondence from neighboring cit
les, three or four columns of editorial
comment on the current events and pro-
positions that are agitating the public
mind, column Of musical and dramatic
notes, another column Of literary views
and an installment of continued story.
There are no items of personal char
acter except about the royal family and
members Of the nobility, and all the pa
pers are exceedingly careful what hey
say about the emperor. They generally
wait for a memorandum from official
sources before they allude TO his move
ments because his imperial majesty is
exceedingly sensitive and takes offense
at the slightest provoca ton. If he hap
pens to get out of the wrong side of the
bed in the morning everything will be
distorted to his perception Throughout:
the day, and a complimentary notice
in a newspaper will be quite as apt TO
throw him into a passion as a criticism
that appears some morning when ne is
in a good humor. The socialist organs
discuss him frequently and with great
freedom, but seldom mention his name.
They have a way here of referring TO "a
certain parsonage" or IAN exalted per-
sonage" when they mean the emperor
or anybody else in authority. This gives
them chance to dodge in case they
are hauled up by the police or the GEN.
sor.
Uuder the constitution Of Germany the
people are granted free speech, but that
Is theoretical. II also declares that the
public may have the right to assemble
without arms except in the open air, but
according 10 the practical Interpretation
OF these privileges no meeting Of more
than five persons can be held for any
purpose whatever without previous no
tice TO the police, who have the right TO
send a representative and dissolve many
-,-;-h -ha in
difference. Freedom Of discussion in the
newspapers is permitted in the same
way. An editor may publish what ne
pleases, but if mis- articles. in the opin-
ion OF the police, are detrimental to the
public welfare they arrest him and take
him before a court. If the judge COIN
cides with t.,jr opinion, he is sent to
jail for term Of ten or ninety days or
six months.
The statute under which the newspa-
per prosecutions are made is very broad
cover anything that is offensive TO the
emperor or the officials Of the govern
ment, and is often applied for the pur-
pose Of furnishing authors and politi-
clans who cannot be reached in any
other way. The whole freedom Of the
press lies in the discretion OF the judic-
ciary and the police. They determine
what may and what may not be pub
lished. In some parts OF the empire the
authorities are more liberal tina in others.
4 country editor may print without dan
ger articles that would never be allowed
to appear in city newspaper; first. be-
-,psfl ant nd
tyrannical in the towns than in the rural
districts, and, second, because the social
istic element. which is likely 10 be stirred
up and stimulated by publications I'M
friendly 10 the government, is located
almost entirely in the cities.
Al Nuremberg me other day in the Old
castle that dates back a thousand years
we saw a large room full OF the instru-
ments OF torture which We're used by
the earlier emperors Of Germany 10 pun
ish the sins OF their subjects. 1: Is The
most remarkable collection in the world.
L makes one shuider 70 think OF the
ingenuity and genius that was applied
in those days in making contrivanceS 20
produce human suffering. There were
neat and efficient implements fo- goug-
ing out the eyes. for MASKING the fingers
joints. for crushing the wrist. for pull !
ing :he:eeth. for breaking the bones CT
the body one by one 80 az 20 prolong
the agony Of the sufferer as much as
possible. There were cradles whose boz !
tens and sides were lined WIKI steel I
spikes IN which people wl0 were dis !
liked by the king and his officials were !
u oip-rIv rocked: bug the most artistic Z
and complete ilstrumen; OF cruelty ever I
con,rived IS known as tls 'jungfrau,
and sometimes as the iron virgin