The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-06-18
.PRUSSIAN CANAL BILL.
There Is Strong Opposition to It in the
Upper House Of the Diet
WHERE THE AGRARlANS ARE DOMINANT
Germany Is Negotiating with Spain
for the Cession of the west ATT
can Island Fernando Pio'

copyrighted, 1899, by Associated press)
Berlin. June 1.-THE canal bill eng ossed
attention this week and the papers nal
much to say pro and con, according 10
party standpoint. The ultimate fate OF
the bill concerns America as the con-
struetion of net work of canals joining
the three largest rivers in Prussia--the
Elbe, Rhine and Weser-and the far east
ern provinces, these bordering on the
German ocean. will chelpen and facili-
tate the American exports, such as ce-
reals meats, cotton and other bulky goods.
Another point interesting to America is
the fact that the Prussian agrarians and
those parties affliating with them, the
conservatives, relchspartei and a portion
OF the center, have made the bill test
of strength between the government an
almost personal contest between them
and the emperor, who, with the enire
Prussian cabinet, is pledged for the canal
His majesty left no doubt this week
that he strongly wished the great canals TO
be quilt On Tuesday he summoned the
crown prince for the purpose OF agreeing
with the cabireJ on a line OF action ID
the diet and personally drew up declara-
ton, which was read in the diet on Thurs
day promising compensation 10 individuals
and to provinces, and especially Silesia.
The liberal press stood united for the bill,
and it is confidently expected the canal
will give a powerful impetus TO Germ. n
industry. especially In the highly de5el-
oped Rhine and Westphala districts, and
Will create more extended aud more
uniform market for agricultural products.
The correspondent here of the Associated
Press learns on high government authority
that the acceptance OF the bill by the lower
house of tie diet does not mean its adop-
ton by the upper house, where the gov
eminent expects determined OPPOSITION, as
the agrariian interests are usually don.-
nant in that body. If, as is most like y,
the majority Of the upper house opposes
the bill, the emperor Is determined to re-
sort to the eXpedient Cd forcing final
passage which has not been tried in Prus-
STA politics for a generation. This VIII be
a so-called Pairsschub. The emperor az
king Of Prussia will create a sufficient
number of new peers to secure the desired
majority. The emperor's intentions reA
main a secret, known only to few OF his
intimates, but they will be carried out,
as he is determined to demonstrate that
the agrarians are not strong enough TO
defeat Important legislation required for
the country's good
His majesty is lncensed at the fact that
the leading agvarian organizations and
leaders have announced that they Will
make the bill prove their political predoin-
nance.
Immediately after Thursdays sitting
Prince Hchenlohe, the imperial chancel-
Tor. and DR.. MIGUEL, the Prussian. minister
OF finance. visited the emperor. who insists
on n dissolution of the bill If reject
ed. The commission will begin the dis
cussion of the measure June 20. The many
claims for compensation ~ att . ssS pill
cate the situation.
The recent developments at the peace con
ference are generally commented on here
and the statements of the foreign papers,
particularly the English, that the German
representatives at The Hague are opposed
to arbitration have been noted with deep
displeasure Almost the entire press OF
Germany gives notices to whs the papers
term English Intrigue in ord.r to preju-
dice the world against Germany's pacific
intentions. An important foreign office
official said to the correspondent OF the
Associated Press;
The incomplete and usually distorted
partisan reports of the doings OF our rep
resentatlves at The Hague, which have APP
peared for weeks in the foreign. notabl,
the English and French press are calcu-
lated to Great false impressions. 1t was on
account OF this that the Count Munster
proposed that full reports OF the transac-
tions from day to day be given out officials
~ The TACT that such a proposition was
made by Germany shows we have nothing
to hide and have no fear OF correct and
full reports,
AS regards England's proposals for q
permanent court OF arbitration. this goes
beyond Russias proposal, we miss sever, !
seemingly essential features, such as gules
providing for absolute impartialtty. AS
soon as guarantees of such impartiallt1
are given Germany will be able to assent
to the propositions made Some metho 1
VIII PROBABLY be found TO improve on the
incomplete and unfair reports of the meet
ing of the conference now in vogue. If
complete reports have to be printed in the
official organ of the German government
This statement is borne out by the u'ter4
ances of the semioffcial press The Bsr-
lin Post this week has a series Of edltoN
rails bitterly commenting on the fll-i
and malicious reports of the Englis 4
press regarding Germanv's attitude ut The
Haeue and asks ironically why, IL Grea,
Britain wishes to found courts OF arbitra-
tion, she has not appealed to such a court
In the Transvaal matter ortin other diff
culties
The Cologne Gazette expressed the belief
that the whole conference will "soon end
in smoke This view is supported by a
score Of other influential PAGERS.
The National zeitung said II HOPED the
government would soon establish a method
OF regular and daily reports of the doIngs
of the conference.
~
The snub administered to Germany by
rejecting her minister's proposition at The
Hague has been bitterly commented on by
the press here. The Deutsche Zeitung re-
marks: This treatment of a big power
like Germany strikes US as wholly map
propriate. We hope the government will
hnd right answer to this lack OF eour-
tesv"
The Berlin Tageblatt says. however: "If
tho report is correct. we must assume DR..
zorn misunderstood his Instructions.
II now seems certain that the anti-strike
hill will NOT q, r,otort4,.