The San Francisco call., 1899-12-13
CRITICIZED THE
KA|SER'S SPEECH
Lieber Creates a SenSa-
ton in the Reichstag.
Is USUALLY CONSERVATIVE
BILL MAY SUFFER.
is USUALLY CONSERVATIVE
Special Dispatch to The Call.

BERLIN, Dec 1.-THE event OF the lay
has been DR.. Lieber's criticism in the
Relchstag Of Emperor Williams speech
at Hamburg. The spectacle of this eau
tious leader OF the important group in the
Reichstag-the section that will dec.ae
the naval hill-thus severely blaming the
Kaiser. is almost without a parallel in
German parliamentary history. 1t was all
the more notable because Count Won Bal
lestrem, president OF the Reichstag, up
held the dignity OF the chamber and
maintained freedom OF speech even
against the imperial Chancellor.
This evening parliamentary circles are
all agog over the incident. BY some II
is said that Count Won Ballestrem, who
on several previous occasions stopped
similar criticism, had in this instance a
personal motive for permitting unre-
strained comment, because, as one OF the
chief opponents Of the canal bill, he be-
came persona non grata with the EN-
peror, who banished him from court. IN
any event, the affair has not improved
the chances Of the naval bill.
During The debate in the Reichstag to-
day on the first reading of the buoget
estimates, DR.. Lieber observed that the
favorable financial situation was due 10
the careful manner in which the House
scrutiniZsd the budget. This practice. he
continued. should be adhered TO. Tne
Michel he further remarked, had based
the estimates OF permanent expenditure
on huctuating revenues" This, accord
ing TO the speaker, was impolitic, and
heavy penalty would have 10 be paid for
II some day. The Centrists were OF the
opinion that the Governments require
ments could be met without recourse TO
fresh taxation. At present he was not
prepared TO say whether or not ne would
support the naval bill. The declaration OF
the Government, the speaker claimed.
IA at uraf fvhr ha1 rfaf
sighting the Reichstag. '''N'
Or. Lieber concluded with saying that
past and future events would prove to the
Emperor that he had been ill-informed IN
Hamburg regarding the feelings OF the
German people. During the first eight
stag had by no means persistently re-
fused TO increase the navy.
Prince Hohenlohe. the imperial Chan
cellor, said he sincerely regretted that the
Emperors speech had been introduced in
the debate. The speech, he added had
been called forth by the political sltua-
ton II was an expression Of solicitude
from the monarch for the power and
prestige of the fatherland In view OF
the eminent position which the King OF
Prussia occupied as German Emperor
his right 20 exhort his people 10 unity in
order TO achieve great ends and 10 give
expression TO his wishes could not be con-
tested.
Count Won Ballestrem. President OF the
X "
ruled that members OF the Rechstag
could not be debarred from discussing in
a suitable manner the speeches OF the
Emperor as published in the Reichsan-
zeiger, adding: II should regard myself
as trenching on the highly important DO
sitiOn which the Emperor occupied in po-
Htical life II did not allow his significant
utterances 10 be mentioned here This
must, OF course, be done decorOusly, and
In my opinion the previous speaker COM
piled with this condition"
Count Won Lomburg- -Stirum. Conserva-
tive, declared that the financial situation
demanded the greatest economy. There
could not be much retrenchment in the
foreign estimates, but while a certain
agriculture and manufactures were suf-
fering from the present relations with
America Prince Hohenlohe fully grasped
the gravity OF the situation, and the
speaker said that the naval question and
the relative power OF the states had
changed but little during the last two
years. But, he added. the Hispano-
American and Transvaal wars had i'm
PEELED the conservative party 10 concur in
the opinions OF the Government. The
growing antipathy 10 England and Eng
lish policy. he asserted, was remarkable
though Mr.. Chamberlain's speech and the
speeches OF British statesmen generally
had little more value than electoral
speeches.
Herr Bebel (SocialisD declared that the
increasing loans were in opposition 70 the
rosy exposition of the budget. The en-
pire's debt, he asserted. had increased
enormously, and Germany did a miserable
business with her colonies. Too much was
paid for the Caroline Islands, and Kiao-
chau was never a fever nest. To increase
German trade proportionately with a new
fleet was a difficult matter. According 10
the speaker yesterdays speeches seemed
better adapted 10 the Navy League than
TO the Reichstag. With Great Brltain's s
fleet and Germany's army the two coun-
tries could rule the world
The Secretary OF the Navy: Admiral Tir-
pitZ said that when the last naval bill
was presented he did not know the extent
OF German industries. In naval war
| the secretary asserted. the workingmen
would be the first sufferers. The House
| then adjourned