Omaha daily bee., 1899-03-21
BALK ON THEIR BURDEN.

lPHu OF II great government
who experiences difficulty in securing
from the legislative branch the desired
response to the increase of the army
and army expenditures. Emperor VIII
liam has met with Il refusal of his de
mand for an increase of 23,OOO in the
German infantry. The ministry was
compelled to accept as a compromise an
increase of 1000 and to even 20 to the
length of stating that with this the gov
eminent was satisfied. In making the
statement they counted without their
master, who had set his heart upon the
desired increase and it is reported will
go to the extreme in his effort to secure
it. 1t Is even rumored that the chan
ccllor. Prince Hohcnlohe, will be forced
to resign as the outcome Of his failure
to secure the desired increase from the
Reichstag and that body will be dis
solved and an election called. 1t Is
pointed out to the emperor that an
election would be most likely to result
disastrously to his desires and a body
returned which would not grant even
so much as the present one. With agri-
cultural Germany in a most distressing
condition and with IL constantly increas-
ing following, that great section could
be relied upon to vote solidly against
the candidates of Il policy which means
increased taxation. The great center
party has already conceded to the en-
peror more thar its leaders would likely
yield again and there is every prospect
that should the emperor carry out his
threat he would find himself after the
election discredited before the country
and the world.
Hitherto the emperor has always been
able to secure what he desired for either
the army or navy, when there was Il
disposition manifest to hold his demands
in allegiance, by c%oniuring up II war
scare. This bogy mar has served its
day and neither foreign complications
nor increases in the armies of neighbor-
ing nations will serve for this occasion.
That the emperor realizes its impotency
is manifest from the fact that he has
not invoked its aid. There is every in
dication that the German people have
reached the limit they are willing to 60
with militarism unless in response to
some apparent danger to the fatherland.
They feel its oppressive hand not only
in the visits of the taxgatherer but in
the arrogant behavior of the military
classes. This class never neglects an
opportunity to impress upon the people,
from the humblest peasant to the heads
of great commercial Institutions, that
they are to be given the seat of honor
at the feast and that the breadwinner
and those who are building up indus
trial and commercial Germany must be
from afar and by their toll and Industry
furnish the means for continued military
expenditure. Industrial Germany alSe
objects to the retention from the ranks
of the toilers and creators of wealth
any larger portion of the people M
converting them into non-earning con-
Sumers.
The Germans are a patient people and
bear well their burdens. They are an
intensely patriotic people and none
which inhabit the globe will sacrifice
more for the fatherland than they. The
very characteristics which have made
them carry so long the excessive buruen
of militarism are the ones which should
warn the thoughtful ruler, not consumed
with his W ambitions, to beware of
encroaching too far upon their patience.
1t is not within the possibilities for the
German to give way to the SenscleSS
frenzy of h which raised
the red flag over Paris and like the erup-
ton of a volcano scattered destruction
upon all alike and then subsidized. When
they turn it will be with the force of an
avalanche, having a well defined pur-
pose from which no individual or col
lection Of individuals can turn them.
They will accomplish the result peace
fully if they can, but they will accom-
plish it.
Emperor William has at times dis
played considerable tact II demon
strated that he can curb his desires
when therein lies the only solution of
his difficulties and there is every rea-
son to believe that he will not tempt
rate by stalking his prestige on an elec-
ton which his best advisers insist eau
result only in defeat. The faithful old
chancellor, Hohenlohe, may fall as "A
sacrifice to his disappointment, but he
will hardly fly in the face of fate by
risking defeat over the present differ
ences when Germany is not menaced
from any source.