The record-union., 1898-11-20
Suddenly Abandons His Intention to
Visit Spanish Ports.
Officially Explained That It Is Owing TO the
Health Of the Empress.
Impression Among Leading Po1iti-
clans at Berlin, However, That
the State Of Home Politics and
Proposed Visit at the Present
Juncture Mainly Influenced the
Change Of Programme.


copyrighted, 1898, by Associated Press.)
BERLIN, Nov. 19.-Emperor Will
Jams sudden abandonment of his in
tention to visit one or more Spanish
ports on his return to Germany by sea,
and his determination to go home by
way of the Adriatic Sea. landing at
Pola and taking the train there for
Potsdam via innsbruck, has given rise
to considerable speculation as to the
real motive of his change of program
The official explanation giving the
health of the Empress as the sole rea-
son for his majesty's rapid return is
only partially accepted here, though it
is we'll known that the Empress suffers
severely from seasickness, and dreaded
the passage across the Bay of Biscay,
in view of the change in tenn
perature and the prospects of stormy
weather.
The impression among leading poll
tlclans, however, is that the state of
home politics and the inappropriateness
of his proposed visit to Spain at the
present junction mainly influenced the
Emperor's decision.
The imperial Chancellor, Prince
Hohenlohe, represented to his majesty
the necessity for an early opening of
the Reichstag, in view of the mass of
work that body has to get through,
and suggested November 10Th or De-
cember LIST for the opening ceremonies.
Emperor William, who intends to open
the session in person, thereuDon de-
cd 70
tiers have all returned suddenly to Ber-
lin, and the greatest activity is OBJ
in political circles. The dis
cussion of the Governments anti-strike
measure promises to make the sessions
of the Reichstag extremely lively.
1t is suggested in some quarters that
Emperor Williams roundabout tour
from Pola to Potsdam, by way of
capital of the Austrian
Tyrol, was dictated by a plan which,
since the assassination of the Empress
of Austria and the discovery of plot
against the Emperor's life at Alex
andria, Egypt, has governed his majes-
tvs overwhelmingly, complete Sc
crecy as to the time of his departure
from any place, and the exact route to
be kept secret until the last moment.
The municipality of Potsdam, where
the imperial family will reside until the
new year, is preparing warm re-
ception for their majesties. The
will read an address, and
the guilds and corporations will line
the route from the station to the pal
ace and afterward file past the En-
peror
The absorbing topic in the German
press during the past week has been
the Lippe-Detmold case. The verbatim
publication of the documents. which
were afterward copied by the entire
German press, enabled the nation gem
orally to form an intelligent idea of the
whole matter, and since in the con-
tinued absence of the Emperor, the
Government has deemed it best to keep
silent, the comments of the newspapers
have been both varied and interesting.
In the verbatim reprint the Regents
original letter of complaint is shown
to have been couched in very respect
full, calm language, and that apparent
ly the Emperor had no reason to reply
by the curt insulting telegram forbid
ding the Regent ever to address him
in similar manner again.
According to reports of those who
are near the Emperor, his majesty has
lately changed his opinion of the
whole case and now regrets treating
the Regent of Lippe-Detmold so haugh-
tily and allowing the case to go as far
as it has and becoming national scan
dial. It is too late, however, to stop the
letter, and the Bundesrath will take UP
the case at an early opportunity. 1t
must deal with two points-the Re-
gents formal complaint against the
Emperor, and the protest of the EN-
peror's brother-in-law, Prince Adolph
of Schaumburg -Lippe, against the
Diets adoption of the law of success
sion, which declares that the Regents
lawful issue entitled him to succeed
him to the throne of Lippe.
The wholesale explosions from North
ern Schleswig, Silesia and Posen are in
with resolutions adopted by
the Prussian Cabinet, in spite of the
last summer. The Austrian Govern
ment has thus far not protested
against the explosions of Austrians
from Silesia and Posen, but the Danish
Government has, although no reply of
any K1nQ mas Docn IQdO6 TO It's TemOn-
STRANGE. The Prussian Government,
nevertheless, intends to continue the
expulsion for national reasons.
The trial of a French spy, Isidor De-
cog. for betraying important military
secrets to France, was opened before
the Imperial Court of Leipsig to-day
Decou's accomplices have not been
traced but the evidence points to Ger
men military men being inculpated.
The spy was sentenced to imprison-
ment, to ten years loss of civil rights
and to police supervision. The public
prosecutor said Decoq was an agent
for a French intelligence department.
Tt is leanred that the imperial Gov
eminent has been impressed by the
tone of the American press on the
question of American measures of re-
taliation as an answer to the severe
provisions Of the imperial meat inspec-
ton bill, now under consideration by
the Government which has also noted
the decrease in the number of agrarian
votes at the last Reichstag elections,
and it is not DESTROYS of following in
the wake of Russia in the meat cues
ton. Therefore the Bundesrath will