The San Francisco call., 1897-02-15
IN THE DOMAIN
Of THE KAISER
Military Proceedings Code
Again Excites Official
Circles.
Berlin Season at Its Climax and
Country Aristocracy Fill
the City.
Brilliant Court Function Arranged for
February 24-Swindling Insur.
ance Company Broken Up.

! aLLenLlO II WAS pIcOiClcu IudI kue
Reichstag would see some perfected bill
before it during the present session, but
it transpires that the divergence of views
between the Federal States which were
announced as being on the point of agree
ment has become accentuated and broad
ened. The measure elaborated at Berlin
contides to the military authorities the
preparation and control of all prosecu-
tions. Bavaria and Wurtem berg object
to this and hold that legal functionaries
skilled in jurisprudence ought to initiate
and carry out trials which come under
the military procedure code.
| The War Minister of Wurte M berg came
to Berlin last week and tried to get Minis
ter Won Gossler to accept his proposals.
The Wurtem berg Minister pleaded that
the bill as prepared by General von Goss-
ler is not reform, but retrogressive
measure and this is also the Bavarian
! contention. But Won Gossler is backed
| by the Kaiser. who has particularly inter-
ested himself in the matter, insisting that
the military authorities ought to and
! must originate and control the prosecu-
| tons
| 1t will be recollected that when General
Bronsart Won Schellendorf resigned the
Ministry of War in August last year, his
action was partly owing to intrigues con-
nected with the now notorious Tausch
| scandal, but it was also because the
Kaiser found him taking a stand on the
| necessity of liberal reform in the mill
tary.
| General Won Gossler, who succeeded
him, proved himself, on his earliest ap-
| pearance in the Reichstag, a man after
the Kaiser's own heart-the incarnation
of unyieldi ing temper. The bill as drafted
| by Won Gossler and approved by the
Kaiser has bitterly disappointed the hopes
! of the more moderate mem bers OF the
Reichstag of all parties. In ali that re-
late to publicity of trials freedom of de-
! tense, competence OF judges and right of
appeal 1t presents restrictions which
| make 1t OF small prac tical value. The late
public clamor for the limitation of mill
! tary privileges which arose over the
| BrusewltZ case has abated, and the spirit
OF militarism Is as brutal as arrogant.
Although year must yet elapse before
the present Reichstag shall surcease by
| limitation, internal party movements are
already afoot preparing for the general
| elections. The leaders of the two liberal
| groups-the Freisinnise Volkspartei or
| Richterites and the Freisinnige Vereini-
| guEg or Relckertite - have made over
lures to each other for coalition on a COM
| mon electoral platform, but as yet have
not succeeded in agreeing. Still, il their
aims tney have much in common, and
| under prudent guidance could MOI only be
reunited, but could also work an electoral
campaign III conjunction with the more
| democratic Volkspartei.
| From the tendencies displayed by the
various factions during the debates on
economic and financial questions. such as
the Bourse laws, protection and other
agrarian matters, ii can safely be pre-
diced, remote though the elections are,
that the cam paign Will be foug on lines
| OF industry and free trade against agrari-
anism and protection. The Liberals are
absorbed by the agrarian Conservatives,
and the Freisinnige Volkspsrtei and the
| Socialists will form the opposition.
The Kaiser has appointed the most
prominent professors of the Royal Acad-
envy to design the costumes for the fancy
Royal Castle. The officers are to appear
| in the uniforms OF their regiments as
worn at the period represented, viz, 1877.
Thus the Garde du Corps will wear gen.
darme uniforms, and some of them cui-
| rassier and Cossack uniforms. For all
regiments formed since 1897 the artist
painter, Skarbind, has designed historic
costumes. Professor Won Heyden will de-
| sign the costumes for memb bers OF the
court circle, which are to be representa-
tive OF court styles at the end of the last
| century. Count Ferdinand Herrach, the
court painter, sketches the costume of the
Kaiserin. The Kaiser will wear an extra
copy of the uniform of Marschall "Vor-
waerts," Old Blucher. Herrachs design
for the Kaiserin recalls some well-known
paintings OF Marie Antoinette. Nobody
attempts to form an estimate of the cost
of this great social function, which is to
outrival in magniticence of display all
| previous court fetes,
The court bail which was given at the
Schloss Hall in honor OF Archduke Otto of
Austria was grand affair, over 500 guests
having been invited. In the grand march
! Archduke Otto led with the Empress. who
was attired In seagreen robe trimmed
with beaver at the bottom and sides of
skirt and upon the shoulders. The front
| was of the heaviest brocade covered with
numberless diamonds. TIE Emperor's
partner was Princess Frederick Charles,
who wore red velvet. Princess Frederick
Leopold, sister of the EN- press, was attired
in pink satin gown with silver gray
! trimmings.
The season is at its climax and Berlin
| society has never been so filled with coun-
try aristocracy. For the last two years
the court mourning has interfered with
! society functions and toned down court
costumes. Hereafter it is ord red that
civilians attending the court fetes must
wear white silk escarpins (pumps) which
go well with ordinary court dress, but are
not liked by the wearers.
The Kaiser and KaiserIn are giving the
Berliners frequent opportunity OF seeing
them, as they drive about freely in every
direction. During the recent cold wea ther
they were TO be seen almost daily driv-
ing along Unter den Linden in a two
seated rig with coachman and footman.
They always drive at rapid pace and
seem to enjoy the exhilaration.
The recent presence mere OF Count Cas-
slni, the Russian Minister at Peking, was
overlooked by the German press. He
arrived before Count Muravieff, stayed
about eight days and dined at the chancel-
lerie with Mursvieff. The official bulle-
tins given out by the chaucelleries men
toned him simply as Envoy Cassini al the
end of the list. of guests and not among
the Russian names placed after Mura-
vieffs.
His presence in Berlin is associated
with some important negotiations affect
| ing German commercial interests likely
to be disturbed by the Russo-Chinese
Railway. His mission is said in official
quarters 10 have completed work of
hi9her political value than any thing
| Muravieff accom- plished at Paris or Ber-
lin. The Chinese Minister, Chu Kung
Chen, accredited to ST. Petersburg and
a - l. r