The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-08-29

Emperor William Worried as llefeas
OF the Canal Bill-Predictions Of Dis.
Indignation Of French Republic

Oh tme G4u8I OF I411s
f~ntegratfon of French Republic
Copyright by Associated Press.)
Berlin, August 26.-The political sit
uation this week has been highly in
teresting. The defeat OF the govern
ment in. the diet, which, after his en-
phatic utterance t Dortmund, was a
personal defeat for Emperor William,
has engrossed attention to the exclu-
sion Of almost everything else. The
fact that the blow was dealt by the
conservatives, a party which has been
favored and nursed for generations at
the expense OF every other party, made
the event all the more sensational. The
absence of his majesty complicated the
situation for the cabinet and the en-
peror not having expected the rejection
of the canal bill, no provision was made
as to what steps the government would
take in such an event.
After the final vote both Prince Ho-
| henlohe, the imperial chancellor, and
DR.. o MIGUEL, vice-president of the
! council of ministers and Prussian min
| lister of finance, not having any instruc-
tons, neither the cabinet nor the gov
| erment press knew what to say or do.
For several days political chaos
| reigned, ven the opposition press be-
ing at a loss.
Detailed reports have been wired to
! the emperor by every member Of the
| cabinet participating I'M the debates,
and his majesty wrote and wired brief
replies, in which it was apparent he
felt a keen n Of personal outrage
and meant to deal punishment to the
| worst blunderers and offenders. That,
however, was insufficient to let the cab
met see their way clear or how to
shape their action.
Wednesdays and Thursdays crown
councils, however, furnished light. 1t
| appeared that Emperor William, after
| mature reflection, had concluded not to
! dissolve the diet and not to accept the
| resignation of the cabinet. 1t was rep
resented to his majesty that the cleo
| tons might not result in a majority for
| the canal project, while the dismissal
| of the cabinet and the formation of a
new n would present at this juncture
new and almost insurmountable diff
| culties.
Another weighty reason with his ma
| jesty is the consideration, skilfully
| dwelt on by the conservative press,
that the emperor absolutely needs a
| party to restrain and fight the revolu-
! tionary elements, notably the socialists.
The proposed partial reorganization
| of the cabinet, relieving it of some of
| it's inefficient members, like Baron Won
l dor Po0La unn Ior IorCt tho roinicfor
| OF the interior, has been postponed to
quieter times. His majesty meanwhile
disciplined some of the most refrac-
tory officials, who, as delegates, voted
and agitated against the canal bill. Be-
ing resolved on this, the present out
| come of the crisis amounts to next to
nothing. The emperor and the cabinet
| will continue to govern with the same
party which brought on the crisis.
The crisis is SO serious, however, that
every member of the cabinet has been
recalled ITO Berlin. Prince Hohenlohe
even abandoned his usual summer trip
to Aus See, Austria, and will remain in
this city for some time.
The correspondent here Of the AS
ISOLATED Press hears from a reliable
source that Prince Hohenlohe insisted
on a dissolution of the diet and the re-
signing of the cabinet, while DR.. Won
MIGUEL viewed the situation in the light
finally adopted by the emperor. Prince
Hohenlohe, although he yielded, is
heartily tired of office and cannot well
bear the burdens much longer.
A most interesting feature Of the sit
uatiOn was the attitude of the conser-
vatives. Out of revenge on Baron von
der Recke wonder Horst, the conserva-
| tive diet resolved not to pass amy bills
| Of which he was an advocate. This is
a regular boycott and has thus far been
! carried out.
! The present session Of the diet will
soon close, probably by the end Of next
week, after the most pressing business
has been disposed of.
The canal bill will probably be again
| introduced at the next session Of the
| diet.
The influential conservative Schles-
sche Zeitung strongly advocates meas
ures against the United States for its
System of injuring German trade"
The correspondent here of the Asso-
ciated Press learns, on good authority,
that Germany and Spain have been for
| some time negotiating for the sale of
Spain's remaining colonies in Africa,
particularly the Island of Fernando
Pc.
The Dreyfus case holds Germany's
| attention to some extent. The nar
! chist revolt and the murder of French
officers in Africa are pointed to as
proofs of the increasing national disin-
tegration of France.
The Tageblatt expresses doubt as TO
whether the Paris exhibition of 1900
will really be held. It claims that a
| majority of the Germans who had in
tended going will now stay at home,
| as they are not certain that life and
| property will be safe in France.