The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-28
Can the Kaiser Coerce the Landtag?

Can the Kaiser Coerce the Landtag?
Although Kaiser WILLIAM in a public
speech had declared that the two Canal
bills. lately pending before the lower
house of the Prussian Landing, were Of the
utmost Importance to the country, and that
he would use every means in his power to
pass them, they have been rejected by con-
siderable majorties." The measures were
supported by the Liberals and Social Demo-
Gratis that is to say by the representatives
OF the commercial classes. OF manufac-
turers Of operatives and miners on the
ground that the canals would facilitate the
conveyance of American grain to the
interior of the kingdom, and would thus
cheaper the necessaries of life.
For the very same reason, the measures
were vehemently opposed by the land
owners. who, in this instance, controlled
not only the professed Agrarians, but also
all the Conservatives, and who had, more
over, the decisive assistance OF the Catholic
or Centre party. As it is believed that tho
sovereign is intlexibly determined to over
! come this resistance, the question arises
how he can do 80. Can he, by dissolving
the lower house and appealing to the
voters, secure a majority, and, IL 50, will he
| deem it expedient to crush the Agrarians
once for ALL by substituting the direct
! mode OF voting which obtains in the case of
! the German Reichstag for the indirect and
| three-class system which, at present, pre-
walls in Prussia?
To answer such question, it is needful
| to recall the nature and workings OF the
Prussian Parliamentary system. Under
! the Constitution which was granted in Janu-
ary $50, and which, with some subsequent
| amendments, is still in force. the legisla-
| tive power in Prussia is vested in the King
| and the Landtag, or Diet. The latter con-
| ssts Of two Chambers, to wit: the Herren-
| haus, or House OF Peers, and the Abgeord-
netenhaus, or House of Representatives,
usually described in kilograms as the
| Chamber of Deputies.
The Constitution does not define the COM
! position OF the Herrenhaus but delegates
the power of doing so to the sovereign,
merely providing that the members shall
be appointed by the Crown in heredity, or
for life, and that II royal ordinance on the
subject, once issued shall not be changed
without the consent OF the Landtag. By
the ordinance Of October, S54, which is still
| operative. the Herrenhaus consists, first,
| of princes OF the bloOd-royal summoned
by the King; then Of hereditary mobiles
whose ancestors were formerly independent
| princes OF the Holy Roman Empire, and of
| hereditary members created at will by the
Crown; then Of life members four OF whom
are the holders OF certain great offices Of
State or Of the household. while others are
appointed by the King at his pleasure, and
others, again, are appointed by him on the
nomination of the larger landowners, OF
the universities. OF evangelical bodies and
| us1Ct,1'tain cities.
At present, the total number OF members
| is about 300, OF whom more than third are
| hereditary mobiles possessing large estates,
| while another third are nominated by the
landowners, so that. the Herrenhaus Is
really controlled by the landed gentry.
This chamber, however, can be coerced by
the sovereign at will, inasmuch as the num-
| Der Of appontve members is not limited.
So far, then. as the Herrenhaus is con-
cerned, Kaiser WILLIAM can force it to pass
the Canal bills or can even force it to
sanction fundamental change in the
Prussian electoral system.
The Abgeordnetsnhaus, or Chamber OF
| bSpulleS, Is composer Oh 1913 members
elected for five years by suffrage which,
although nominally universal Is neither
direct nor equal. The members are chosen
! in districts, each OF which returns, as a
rule, two, but frequently only one, and,
sometimes, as many as three. These dis
| trcts have not been changed since 1860
| and are now very unequal, Berlin, for
| instance though it contains about a twen-
ticth of the whole population, electing only
| nine representatives.
The members allotted to a given district
are not chosen by the people thereof but
| by intermediate electors, corresponding to
| our Presidential Electors For this purpose
| n district is subdividcd into n number OF
| smaller divisions or primary electoral pre-
| cincts, in each OF which one elector is chosen
for every 25o souls upon the following sys-
tenn: The voters are divided into three
| classes, according to the amount of taxes
| they pay; the largest taxpayers who
together pay one-third OF the taxes, form the
first class the next largest taxpayers, who
together pay another third OF the taxes.
form the second class; tho rest OF the peo-
pie, who, OF course, pay the remaining
third, forming the third class. Each of
these classes chooses separately, and by
| absolute majority vote, one-third OF the
electors to which the primary election
precinct is entitled. All the electors 40
chosen in whole district then meet
/ together and elect the member or men,