The San Francisco call., 1898-01-30
Reciprocity Negotiations Be- tween Germany and This
 Country at a Standstill.
WILLIAM IS VERY SORE.
Causes Severe Punishment of Editors Who Dare to Show Him Up
 to RidicUle.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

BERLIN, Jan. 29.-The introduction of the Socialist bill for the extension of the limited right of coalition of work ingmen and the debate on the matter are regarded as being of special import ance. Herr Geyer cited cases showing that different Governments, notably the Saxon and Prussian, do not scruple to violate the slim political and trade rights of the working people. Baron Yon Stumm, at one time an intimate friend of Emperor William, leader of the reactionists, favored additional curtailment of these rights. There is not the remotest chance of the Reich stag adopting the bill or of the Bundles rath approving it, and that the Govern ment recognizes this is evidenced by the fact that not a single Minister at tended the debate on Wednesday, The matter is important. because the So cialists propose to make it an issue at the coming elections.
 It is learned at the Foreign Office that owing to the sugar bounty conference at Brussels the reciprocity negotiations between Germany and the United States are at a standstill, and it Is doubtful whether they will be resumed, as Germany has about concluded that nothing tangible will come out of them. It is understood that the sugar confer ence will formally discuss the Dingley tariff law.
 The Foreign Office next week will di- rect the attention of the Chamber of Commerce to the South American com petition, especially in cOttons, growing up in South American countries, where
 
 ests The officials of the Foreign Office are preparing a suggestion of the best way to combat this competition.
 The peculiar appOsiteness of the text of the sermon of Emperor Williams s birthday, namely: Be Still and Know That l am God; I Will be Exalted Among the Heathen," has attracted a great deal of attention, and it is now explained that the Emperor himself se- lected it. It is suggested that the add ing of the word Chinese" would make the passage perfect.
 Among the Emperor's birthday edicts is one dealing with the regula- tions of rowing in the public schools of Berlin His Majesty decrees that the pupils in rowing be invariably su- perintended by masters acquainted with the sport and by a physician. presence of any but the friends and relatives. and members only of the two upper forms may race. Genuine racing boats are not permitted. and the course must be limited to 1900 meters The Emperor announces that in order to carry. out these reforms he has placed 35000 marks at the disposal of the Minister of Education. toward the acquisition of a water course, a boat house and boats, and he promises to give two annual prizes for the fastest boat and the most skilled crew
 An article recently in the HamhI Nachrichten, on the occasion of the Emperor's birthday, bears unmistaka- bly, the ear marks of Friedrichsr1he and expresses Prince Bismarck's views. It says: The monarch has stepped into the foreground of public far more than his ancestors did The policy of the empire and of Prussia bears mark of imperial origin, and the strong individuality of the sovereign is ever peTceptible in the most different spheres. He not only governs, but rules and is in reality the actual leader of the nation and disposer of the des- tinies of Germany. If Germany is now animated by higher spirit than short time ago, if the confidence of the State Government visits by in creases; if the spirit of enterprise is fmpulsed, we attribute it mainly to the fact that the Emperor has known to find ways whereby distinct ends are attainable."
 
 visions which formerly troubled us on the EmperOr's birthday have begun to disappear and we venture to hone that the future will not bring us fresh dis illusions such as to again make acute old antagonisms in public life For mistakes which are not made a second time. we count on the high intellectual qualities of the monarch and the per ception of what is useful and what is harmful to Germany, as well as on the psychological elements whichinfiuenced him."
 The most severe criticism has been aroused throughout the country at the sentence of two months imprisonment in fortress imposed upon Herr Tro- jan, editor of the Kladderadatsch. on tuesday last, for cartooning the Elm perOr, in December last, by represent ing Frederick the Great, Napoleon. AL eXander the Great, and Leonidas read ing the speech of Emperor William. de- liVered on November IS, when he swore in the Guards recruits, upon which occasion ms Majesty remarked that it was necessary to be good Christians in order to be good soldiers.
 Even the conservative newsnaners pronounce 1t an atrocious sentence. and 1t is said to be directly due to the Elm perors influence, as his Majesty was 1urlous at the cartoon, and has given strict injunctiCnS that Herr Trojan be confined at WeichseImunde, situated in a fever-laden district where Herr Wrede, another critic, encountered the most severe malaria.
 Kladderadatsch's issue of to-day was confiscated. owing to the publications or a cartoon in which Herr Trojan sa- tlrlcaly criticized his sentence. He also published two poems to the same effect in to-day's issue.
 ierren Schmidt and Walther, two AIsatian editors, were also imprisoned during the past week on the charge of lese majeste, for publishing an ironical article on the Emperor's birthday Herr Stadthagen, a Socialist member of the Reichstag, has also been sent to prison For six weeks for lese majeste.