New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-27

and that still others be contracted which VIII
make bread even cheaper. Just now the Agra
rans strong. and the probability Is that tho
Government will have to make them concessions
in the next Reichstag. They contend that thelr
estates going to rack and ruin because there
Is not enough protection for what they culti-
vate, and they so bound up with the PruS-
sian monarchy. both by birth and tradition. that
it will be difficult for the Government to ignore
their claims. The Industrial workman however.
naturally wants the cheapest bread that can be
bought in the market, and the agtators are tell
ing him that he is not going to have it IT ne
has to buy it at prices fixed by the large land
owners. SO the matter stands. and II VIII be
known in a few months which argument has
prevailed.
Nevertheless. the election will not pass Off
without it's interesting features, not the least
Of which will be the intended participation in
il on the part Of some OF the more advanced
women Of the country. The Constitution says
that every German CJeder Dcutscher') who has
passed his twenty fifth year and is not idiot.
a pauper nor a released penitentiary bird can
vote for members OF Parliament. Frau Schulz
rath Cauer a well-known leader of German
women who desire more emancipated life than
Is now permitted them by German men. pro-
poses 10 test this law and sec whether the ex-
preston "Jeder Dcutscher' does rot include
that Of "Jedc Deutsche." every German woman.
She claims that in Roman law, which is the
basis of German law a masculine term like that
Of "Jeder Deutscher' includes the feminine also.
unless there is a special statement to the con-
trary. which she says is not the case in the law
in question In other words. she sees no lawful
reason why she should not vote as we'll tho
nd har nj ia far hpr and OF her
women friends to test the matter by actual ex-
perience. They propose to ask to be registered
at the registration offices that they can vote
on the day of the election
"Of course. it will be refused Frau Cauer
says but that is what want. because we
can then take the matter into court and find
out from the learned judges what Jeder Deut-
scher' means. Competent lawyers tell me that
It includes Jcde Deutsche. and we can carry the
case up to the Supreme Court II necessary
The Social Democratic women always work In
German elections and they are planning to DO
uncommonly active in the coming one. They go
about and see to it that the men do not fail to
vote. and each electoral district has its com
pany Of them. In the country the Agrarian
women also active in this way. persuadng
the farm hands to vote with their employers
1t is not yet permitted any OF the women TO
speak from platform in purely political
meeting. but they free to attend all general
mass eetings-Voksversam they
sometimes make speeches on such occasions
which are much better than those Of the men.
The Social Democrats planning to take
part in the elections 10 the Prussan Parliament.
which also take place before long. Hitherto
they have not done this, but they are now con-
WINGED that it is only through the Landtag that
they can hope to accomplish many Of the things
they have set their hearts on and. despite the
property qualification necessary for man to he
elected they propose to go into the struggle
They can hardly expect to have the same sue
cess as in running candidates for the Reichstag;
their funds are too small to furnish them the
amount Of property required To be In their pos
session ere they can be elected. but the few who
do succeed in getting in will do considerable
talking. anyhow and all this helps to make
propaganda.
1t is hoped by a great many Germans that
the coming election will develop powerful Re
form party which will take in all the Liberal
parties. the so-caed "National-SOcials," and the
least radical element OF Social Democracy.
There is a great career awaiting such an or
ganiZation and every friend OF Germany can
only hope that it will come about; but as yet
there is no sign of its probability. The politi-
cal life is still too disturbed by conflicting in
terests for the elements mentioned to consoli-
date and rallying cause which all could
work for is also absent. The Social Democrats
want the monarchy abolished. for one thing.
and there are Liberals who feel that Germany
could not exist without it. There are numer-
GUS other differences Of opinion which it would
take almost a national calamity to make the par