The San Francisco call., 1897-02-08

the Reichstag committee on the bill
amending the assurance law is satisfying
to the socialists and has the assent of the
ma jority in the House. DR.. Won Boet-
ticher, the imperial Home Minister, is in
clined TO consider favorably the conces-
sions which the labor party want. includ-
ing an increase of comp pensation and home
represent tation of workmen on the Board
of Trades committees.
Prince Bismarck s presence at the tm-
peror Wilhelm fetes is now not expected.
Many old associates who desire TO see him
the prominent figure at the Berlin cee-
bration and who have urged him to he
present get the same reply-that his health
is variable and that his undertaking the
journey, with its attendant excitements.
depends upon the advice OF Drs. Schwen-
niger and Chrysander.
The Prince will not admit that the We
deI-Count Herbert. incident, when the
Kaiser insisted upon the withdraw
al of Count Herbert Bismarck's in
vitation to the marriage of the
daughter of Minister Won Wedel to Lieu
tenent Won BismarckBehlen,a a cousin of
Count Herbert, being considered as pre-
ding, has anything to do with his reluc-
tance to attend ceremonies which will
bring him into contact with the Kaiser.
The feeling shared by many leaders in the
aristocracy is distinctly with the Wedel
family, who were compelled to obey the
Kaiser's behests. 1t will be remembered
that void was left in Berlin society last
season by number of the highest and
Il.
rom Berlin as a demonstration against
the Kaiser's il!-judged interference with
the private affairs of several nigh placed
personages. A similar movement again
seems i'm minent. Ii the Wedel affair had
occurred two months earlier there would
have been noticeable gaps in Berlin soci-
ETY. this season.
The court ball which was held on
Wednesday was a perfect crush. 2000
guests being in attendance. The Empress
wore satin gown, embroidered with gold
and silver arabesques and flowers fes-
tooned over the bodice and skirt, a diadem
of brilliants and q collar of emerads
Mrs. Uhl, wife of the United States En-
basssdor, wore a white brocade robe
trim mmed with embroidered gold and dia-
mond arabesques and real flowers.
The electoral campaign in Austria is
proving the most interesting and keenly
fought that the country has known. The
new German Popular party, which has
the warmest sympathies of kindred in
Germany, is actively working in Austria
proper, Bohemia Styria and Sllesia
They hope to gain some thirty seats,
chiefly from their opponents, the Clerical
Anti-Semitic parties. Their programme
proposes the formation of great German
party in Austria on the single basis of
nationality, the union of the middle classes
with view toward gradual social reforms
free from socialistic theories, but still op-
posed to the growing preponderance of
capitalism.
Perhaps the most interesting of the
many manifestoes covering the walls in
all the eteat towns is that of the Austrian
Episcopate, signed by five cardinals, four
arch bishops and twenty-six bishops. It
advises voters to vote for men vino will
pledge themselves to defend the princi-
Piles and interests of the church, notably
that of religious education against the
attacks of the anti-rellgious.
The new category of deputies to be
elected for the first time by universal suf-
lEdBe auu WHO Will mum DeT SeVeDIy-GQIee
out of 428 mem bers OF the Reichsrath
will, according to all appearances, be
composed of anti Semites and Socialists.
The speech of Sir Michael Hicks Beach,
Chancellor of the Exchequer, in the Brit
ish House OF Commons, on the position
of Great Britain in Egypt, the renewal CT
the troubles in Crete and the relapse of
the Paris Bourse caused a marked de-
preston on the Bourse yesterday. Fon-
tigues lost from Is to IA per cent, Aus
tran credits 214 and bank shares per
cent.
On Friday the executive committee of
the trades guilds held meeting at which
was discussed a motion supported by the
Socialists in favor of admitting domestic
servants and prisoners working in the
jails to the benefits of the law regarding
the guilds. After a somewhat warm de-
bate the motion was rejected. The COM
mittee subsequently agreed to admit
smiths, brewers and a number of other
trades.