The record-union., 1899-06-25
|ANTI-STRIkE BILL
IN The REICHSTAG.
The Public Showing Much Interest
in II.
Violent Opposition Aroused Against the
Bill.

Clear From the Beginning That the
Governments Case Was Cost
Purchase Of the Caroline ISL
ands Ratified. but without Any
Enthusiasm-"Colog Gazette"
Dissatisfied With the Samoan
Commissions Decisions.
Copyrighted, 1899, by Associated Press)
BERLIN, June 24-The attention of
the Reichstag this week was chiefly de-
voted to the anti-strike bill and the
public showed more interest in this
than in any other measure Of the ses-
sion. The press devoted vast
amount of space to the measure and
the agitation against 1t became more
active during the few days preceding
the debate. This was not confined to
the Socialists, as the Evangelicals,
Catholics and labor unions and the
Central Committee of Christian minors
pronounced against the bill. Even the
committee of the trade court of Berlin,
against the measure and asked all 9TH
er such courts and organizations of
laborers and employers to do the same.
1t was clear from the beginning Of
the debate that the Governments case
was lost. The Ministers and Conserv-
atives never showed a ray of conf
dence. Their whole attitude was apol-
ogetic. On the other hand the attacks
which were uncommonly sharp. came
from all parties except the Conserva-
tives. The vigor of the attack Of the
Centrists and National Liberals was
scarcely inferior to that of the Social
lists. The Centrist leader, Herr Lie
Der, was called to order for sharp ar
raignment of the courts for recent
''monstrous decisions against laborers
and .mildness" toward employers.
The refusal of the Reichstag on
Thursday by an immense majority ,v
refer the bill to a committee is equiv
alent to the death of the measure in the
present form. The ratification of the
purchase of the Caroline, LadTone and
Pelew Islands was passed by large
majority, but with little enthusiasm AL
though the CentTists voted for the pur-
chase their leaders spoke sldghtdngly of
the acquisition and the public shows
little enthusiasm on the subject.
Before the Canal Committee Herr
Thielen, the Prussian Minister of Pub
dc Works. in behalf Of the Ministry and
with the expressed approval of the Emr
peror, said if the bill passed the Gov
eminent would undertake to improve
the waterways in Upper Silesia to Ber-'
lin, SO as to make it navigable for 40
ton boats and equalize the railway rates
Of Silesia with those of Westphalia and
give Westphalia concession to build a
canal
The present prospects of the bill are
clouded. AS soon as it was seen the
Ministry was able to make compensa-
tions the Agrarians adopted a policy of
smothering the measure under a multi
tude of claims estimated already at
half a billion marks.
In a. canal committee Herr Barth
Freissinnige leader moved concessions
which the Government regarded as in
admissible and his motion was rejected.
This foreshadows the committees rejec-
ton of the bill If II is not passed
by the House over the committees ad-
verse report, the Landtag will be dis
solved 1t is rumored that the Pre-
mier has had royal decree to that
effect ready since the 10Th. The Co.
logne Gazette" not only expects an
early dissolution but considers a
change of ministry probable and p.ainly
hints that DR.. MIGUEL will have to go.
The Cologne Gazette" is most dis
satisfied with the Samoa Commissions
decisions 1t says the failure to re-
,,,ox,o Cs,dof T,1cfioo C1o Y,obo,-c ;< IN
high degree unfriendiness upon the
States toward Germany.
The trade relations between the Unit
ed States and Germany continue to at
tract considerable attention. The chief
agrarian organ, the ssDeutsche Tages
Zeitung," leaves no doubt that Count
Won Kanitz's motion for a modification
Of tariff of 1879 as cabled to the Asso-
ciated Press June 10th, was aimed at
the United States and was intended to
counteract the differential treatment
of German sugar and reciprocity con-
cession to France The paper reiterates
the charge that the United States has
broken the most favored nation clause
of the treaty with Germany and points
to the complaints of exporters at the
alleged annoyance they are subjected to
by the United States custom officials
The report of the society Of Berlin
merchants and manufacturers COM
plains that the United States custom of
ficials arbitrarily raise invoices with
out regard to the prices paid in the
country of origin and it is claimed the
United States custom methods operate
especially to the disadvantage of Ger
man manufactures upon which a draw
back has been paid. The report further
asserts that the price proven to have
been paid in Germany should be ac-
cepted as final in the United States and
adds that the prospect of better treat
ment of foreign exports is very slight.
The editor of the s'Vorwaerts' the
socialist organ, has been acquitted Of
the charge Of slandering thexDhighest
Saxon court He said 1t waYSa we'll
known practice in the Dresden court to
treat Social Democrats as possessing
less rights than other citizens A Ber-
lin judge held that the proofs offered
substantiated the statement conclu-
sively. The reactionary press COM
mented severely upon the decision. but
all shades of Liberal papers receive the
decision with great satisfaction.
The peace conference is much dis
cussed. The fact that Dr. Zorn was ac-
companied to Berlin from The Hague
last week by Frederick Hollis, Secretary
of the American delegation, was much
commented upon. The Hamburg "Cor-
responding" sees proof that the Ameri-