The herald., 1898-12-18
RfICHSTAG SESSIONS
NOT AT ALL SENSATIONAL, YET
INTERESTING
GREATER TRADE WITH AMERICA
The Subject of Earnest Attention by
Expert Agents Sent to Investi-
gate and Report
Associated Press Special Wire,

BERLIN, Dec. II. Copyright, 1857
The sessions of the reichstag during the pres.
ent week, though not so sensational as ex-
pected, were very interesting from several
points of view. The debates were notable
for giving rise to the first official utterances
on the Lippe-D -Detmold affair, Emperor Will
lam's oriental trip, the Anglo-German un-
derstanding, and the pending German
American tariff negotiations. Some of the
statements were significant Thus Baron
Won Thielmann, the minister of finance,
though the subject did not come in his
province, speaking of the Spanish American
war, said: "While it is likely that during
the war the sympathies of our nation-l
admitted it quite freely-were on the side
of the weaker and wrohgfully attacked
party loud cries from the Leftists of MOI
yet the attitude of the empire through
out was perfectly correct, and state
ments to the contrary in the foreign press
were malicious inventions"
Herr Richter, leader of the opposition,
while confirming the correctness of Ger
many's attitude during the war, remarked:
IL do not see why the sympathies of the
German people could have been as over
whelmingly as they were on the side of the
Spanish"
Count Posadowski-We secretary OF
,the interior, and representative OF the
chancellor, referring to the reduction in i'm
ports from America, said: experts have
been sent to the United States to investi-
gate the matter, and it depends upon their
reports whether we can facilitate. such i'm.
ports"
This statement refers to the dispatch of
| three German experts to the leading Ameri-
can exporting centers, and especially New
York and Chicago, last spring and summer.
Their mission was secret, and their reports,
now in the hands IF the German govern
ment, are understoodAo be generally favor
able to American interests.
DREIBUND DEBATES
Another remarkable feature of the de-
bates was the reference to the drebund and
the Anglo-German understanding. Neither
Baron Won Buelow, the minister of foreign
affairs, nor any other minister, nor the
emperor himself, in confidential talk with
the presiding officers of the reichstag, has
been explicit in respect to either. The
Berlin Tageblatt, commenting on the
speech Of Baron Won Buelow, says:
"The speech was more remarkable for its
omissions than for its contents"
The impression left in the rechstag was
| that deep and lasting fssure had been
driven into the dreibund, and it is signii.
cant that Herr Bassonmann, the spokesman
of the National Liberals, and hitherto the
|stoutest friend OF the dreibund, said:
"The provocative tone of Count Thun Ho-
henstein towards Germany is unjustfiable.
1t is apparent that the German empire must
be strong enough to stand on its own bot
TOM"
A number of other speakers expressed
themselves similarly, and outside in the
lobbies the opinion was repeatedly expressed
that the days OF the drebund were num-
bered. On the other hand, the press has
much to say on the revival of good feeling
toward Great Britain and the United
States. Nearly all the comment is dis
tinctly friendly.
LABOR LEADERS
The Social faction has introduced in the
reichstag a number of motions in favor of
the abolition of the lese majests paragraph
in the criminal code, the abolition of the die
tator paragraph respecting Alsace-Lorraine,
the legal establishment of an eight-hour
work day, and the widening of the present
rights of political association. These mat
tiers come before the house after the Christ
mas adjournment. Several of them have
not the ghost of a chance of adoption, but
they will lead TO lively debate.
A GAMBLING SCANDAL
A gambling scandal affecting number
of ars stocrats has been brought to light, and
has created a sensation in social circles. A
Smart" club, called the "Jovae club, "
frequented by officers of the guards cav.
airy, high government officials, bankers and
members of the reichstag, has existed in
Berlin for some years. A stranger was re-
Gently introduced by two highly respected
members, and soon became favorte. All
went swimmingy until rumors about his
antecedents began to circulate, and it was
noticed that luck invariably favored him
The Berlin Tageblatt says the stranger got
many young men of the best families in his
power. The whole affair will shortly be
sifted in the law courts. Several club
men lost immense sums, and the affair is
likely to have serious results for the mill
tary officers, in view of Emperor Williams
determination to suppress gambling in the
army.