The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-23
GERMAN COURT FETES
LESS GAY THAN USUAL BECAUSE OF
PREVALENCE OF INFLUENZA.
The Empress Unable to Attend, and
the Kaiser Himself Not WeII-A
Royal Wife Beaten.
Copyright, 1898, by the Associated Press)


BERLIN, Jan. 22.-The court festivities
of the week. including two which are usual
ly the most imposing feature, namely, the
Order and Decoration fete and the Investi-
ture of the new knights of the Black
Eagle, were far from gay, owing to the abb
sence of the Empress and other princesses
and the prevalence Of influenza in court
circles. The Emperor himself is far from
well. The number of decorations conferred
was larger than ever before, totaling 2OO9.
The Vorwaerts thereupon ironically re-
marks: 1T is evident that the number of
meritorious increase year by year" Among
those decorated were Baron Won Thielmann,
minister for foreign affairs and Count Will
liam Bismarck, both of whom received the
star of the Red Eagle His Majesty also
sent decorations to the high officers of
Edhem Pasha's army who were militarily
educated in Prussia
There is much comment in Berlin court
circles at the news from Darmstadt of the
increasing matrimonial differences of the
Grand Duke and Grand Duchess Louis A
fortnight ago there was terrible scene be-
tween them, the trouble eliminating, it is
asserted, in the grand duke laying violent
hands on his wife and ejecting her from the
room. The Duke of SaXe-Coburg and Gotha
has been repeatedly appealed TO by his
daughter, and letters of bitter complaint
have been sent to Queen Victoria, but both
the duke and her Majesty profess their ina
bility to cure the trouble. The Czarina, who
was also approached on the subject is said
to side with her brother, Duke Louis. The
qUarrelS are said to be largely due to the
national prejudices of the Germans and
English, and vice versa.
The announcement of the minister of
finance, DR.. Miguel, in the Diet on Wednes-
day, that, notwithstanding the increased
tax receipts and the large surplus, new
PrusSian state loans are necessary, has
created a sensation. 1t is understood the
new loans will be largely used in improving
the rolling stock of the railroads.
The LiberaleLeftists of the Reichstag seem
to have been right in assuming that Count
Posadowski. the minister of the interior,
means to further curtail the coalition rights
of workers. The inquiries instituted by
him among German state governments was
the first move in that direction. 1t is in
tended to shape state legislation and prac-
tice in the different states uniformly and
in such a manner as to serve two main pur-
poses namely to render extended strikes
more difficult and to enable the authorities
to have more strict control over strike
leaders and labor delegates so as to gradu-
ally drive the latter out of the country. 1t
would seem that the existing laws ought
to be sufficient to meet the requirements.
from the f'lCt that during the present week
a laborer' Ronneburg was sentenced to
a year in Jail for the verbal intimidation OF
a 'Scab, while at Lubbock a striker was
sentenced to nine months in Jail for tear
ing up the time slips of two "scabs."
From information which has reached the
Foreign Office it appears that the German
missionary troubles in China are becoming
widespread, and are leading to new COM
plications between the two governments
"a PrOtpSt2ntS well Catholics
have been attacked. Reports received by
the Berlin Evangelical Mission Society
show that a critical state of affairs exists.
Murderous attacks have been made upon
three of its stations.
+ German emigration during 1897 was the
lowest since 1874. 1t only totaled 2S,220 per-
sons. against 80. ia in 1896. and has steadily
declined since 1888, when S15T persons emil
grated.
The Colonial Society has perfected a plan
for sending young German women to
Damaraland, with the view Of marriage.
The first batch sails from Hamburg in Feb
Iuary.
Throughout the Prussian provinces an
historical work on William l. entitled "Our
Hero Emperor" which is greatly approved
by the present Emperor, is being peddled
out by the police, who are securing thou
sands Of subscriptions by intimidating
farmers Herr Richter, next week, in the
Diet. will interpolate the government on
the subject.
A petition sent to the Reichstag by the
Winners Association asking for the abol-
ton of the wine law of 1892 states that
the law is a great detriment to honest wine
growers. who cannot compete with the
makers of artificial wine costing 81 per
twenty-five gallons and made of chemicals -
The proposal to erect a. monument to the
Berliners who were shot during the revo-
Of
nitely rejected by the upper chamber of the
Municipal Council on Friday. 1t is unGer-
stood the rejection is due to pressure from
high quarters.