The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-06-18
CANAL BILL IN
THE REICHSTAG
Its Chances EngrOSSing
German Attention.
EMPEROR FAV0RS II.
He VIII Use All His Power TO Get il
Through the Upper House,
ANTl-STRlKE BILL WILL FAIL,
Opposition To- IL Increases and Pres
snre VIII BE B"onght 20 Bear 20
Postpone Action Til Fall-Ne-
gotiauons With spain for
Purchase OF Her Afri-
can Possessions.


can Possessions.
copyright. 1909. the Associated Press)
BERLIN. june 1.-THE Canal bill enc
crossed the attention this week. and the
papers bad much 20 say pro and con ace
cordlng TO party standpoint The ulti-
mate fate of the Dim concerns America
ass the construction of O. net work OF
canals Joining the three largest rivers
n Prussia the Elbo Rhine aud Wefer'
and the far eastern provinces, those bor-
dcrine ON tho German ocean, will cheaper
and facilitate the freights of American
exports. notably cereals. meats, cotton
and other bulky goods. Another point in.
terestug 90 Americans was that the
Prussiau Aelauaus and those parties
anulsune with them. the conservative
Relchsnartal and o. portion of the centre
have made the bin a test OF strength of
the government and almost personal
contest between them and the Emperor
who. with the Prusslan cabinet les pledged
for the canal
WILLIAM FANORS IT.
Hs Majesty ief n0 doubt this week
that ho strongly wishes The great canal
to be buut He summoned tine crown
corcl for the purpose of agreeing with
the cabinet on lime of action in the Diet
and personally drew mp declaration
which was read in the Diet on Thursday
promising compensation 10 individuals
and to provinces especially Silesia hnan-
cinur injured Iv fhe canal. The passage
of the L.u through the Lower House of
th. Diet win therefore be signal defeat
for The AerIr.1ns. who are always ihe
most hls.le to American interests ln Ger
many.
r s laareG here on high government
authority. that thc acceptance of the
bni by the Lower House of the Diet does
not meau its adoption by the Upper
House where the government expects
determined opposition as The Agrarl1n
interests arc usually predominant in that
body
WILL FORCE TIT THROUGH
n. as Is most likely the majority OF the
Upper House opposes tine 1li. the im-
per0r as King of Prussia. is determined
Goo resort to the eXuelient of forcing i-s
final passage. which bias not been triei
in pIuss.au politics for a generation.
This win be al s0-called pa.rsschuO. tle
Emperor asking that Prussia Will create
sufficient number of new peers to se-
cure the desired majority
/ The Emperor intentions remain Sc
crat. known tO few of his numates. bu.
they wiN Doe carried one in the event
of the contingency arising az ne is detef-
mined t0 demonstrate that the Agrdrans
are not strong enough 90 defeat important
legislation required for the country
good
THE recent developments at the Peace
Conference are generally commented upon
here. and the statements oi the lorcgn
papers particularly the English. that the
German representative at The Hague
are opposed 90 arbitration. have been
noted with deep dispieasure At present
The entire press of Germany gives mdig-
raut voice tO what the papers term
English inrgues." in order TO prejudice
the world against Germany pacific Inc
tentions.
THE ANTT-STRIKE BILL.
IT now seems certain that the anti-strike
bin will not find "a majority in the Reich
stag According 20 the government pro-
eramme the bin viii come up tnis week but
strong pressure is being exerted upon the
government 10 postpone &c until the au-
tumn as during the past fortnight the OPP
position 10 it has been gaining ground.
Beside the Radicals. the Socialists, the
National Liberals and the larger part of
the Centre oppose the measure. tt
seems if the government insists on the
first reading before adjournment. that
the bin win be defeated without the
honor OF a reference 20 committee. The
government would thus meet o. severe de-
feat The correspondent of the Assoc
chted Press learns on reliable authority
that negotiations are really pending be-
tween Spain and Germany FOR the ces-
sion Of the West African Island Of Fer
nandO 20 and some other important
Spanish colonies The negotiations are
at such a stage that mutual secrecy is
insisted on. Il Is learned, that the
Canarles are also within those negotia-
tions Spain asks a big price however
much higher than Germany is willing 10
pay.
The 81 Petersburg correspondent of the
well-informed Kreuse Zeitung claims an
internal crisis IN Russia is fast approach
ing. pointing out that the Russian labor
troubles az Riga. the disturbances Of the
students and the famine Ga various pro-
yinces are symptoms OF the approach OF
greater trouble
From inside information IL Is said that
perfect decentralization prevails IN the
upper circles I'm Russia owing T. the in
Auence of the Car on the one side ana hs
mother on the other
The Highest Court Of Casset has de-
cided that "a clergyman Of denomina-
tion not officially recognized by the gov
ernment is considered a layman and Tor
such persons 20 offer public prayer IS a
crime A clergyman named Wicke has
been sent 10 jail FOR this offence.
SL0AN'S DENIAL.