The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-23
GERMAN EDITORS JOKE
TRIED ON CHARGE OF DIsLOYALTY
AND LESE MAJESTY.
But Proved That the Offending Article
i'm His Paper Was Quoted
from Royal Writings.
of the Indianapolis Journal.


BERLIN, Nov. 5-Dr. Friedrich Rudiger,
editor of the Burgerzeitung was yesterday
acquitted of charges of, first, praising re-
publican institutions to the detriment of
monarchy; second, unduly criticising the
divine right claim. and third. committing
lese majestic most awful. The verdict of
.acquittal was pronounced after the state
had proposed to send Rudiger up for four
years, and because the editor proved that
the discriminating article was quoted from
the writings of the Kaiser's ancestor-Fred-
erick the Great-king, warrior, poet and
journalist.
The case was tried before the Potsdam
Chamber Court, and the states attorney,
DR.. Braun, opened proceedings by declaring
that the corpus deficit was at hand, which
made the examination Of witnesses unnec-
essary. as the crime was firmly established
by and in the newspaper before the court.
IF 1t may please the court" continued
DR.. Braun, having previously obtained
the consent of the minister of the interior,
will now read the criminal article, hoping
that none of my hearers will venture to
heed its revolutionary teachings, but, on
the contrary, listen in the spirit of true pa
triotism and with that loyalty that sees in
our glorious Kaiser and King Gods an
nointed, sent here to administer the affairs
of the state with justice and grace always,
aud with frmress and severity If it must
be-"
The three judges held a consultation and
decided that the article might be read with
out fear of disrupting the empire. here
follows literal translation of the remark
able document:
There is no more inseparable thought in
mans mental makeup than the sentiment
of freedom. The most highly educated and
intelligent, as well as the unschooled, the
rudest of men, are alike impregnated with
the desire for liberty. AS we are all born
without letters, so all want to lead an un-
restrained life. 1t was this sentiment of
freedom that brought forth the greatest
men history knows of. This impershable
sentiment is the foundation stone of repub-
lican institutions; the republic lives because
1t recognizes the equality of all men.
Every government that ever existed un-
derwent number of changes before achiev-
ing the summit of success, and the mon
archial empires achieved succcess-if they
achieved it at all-more slowly than the re-
publics, and, moreover, the republics sue
cess was more lasting than the monarchies'.
ADVANTAGES OF THE REPUBLIC.
why? Because the republican form Of
government manages to make the largest
number of people happy and to keep them
contented-because good kings are rare and
die, and because wise laws are imperisha-
BILE.
why does man permit himself to be
ruled? Because he acknowledges that life
and that there must be somebody to en-
force laws and regulations. The enforce
ment of laws and regulations is the only
real origin of and excuse for sovereignty
I'm absolute monarchies the government
rests upon the kings pleasure. Legisla-
ture. commerce. industry and all other gov
eminent functions arc subject to one mans
whims and TO the whims OF this one mans
successors, each OF WHOM is unlike the
other This latter circumstance involves a
perpetual danger for the monarchical sys-
TEN; il has done more to discredit mon
archy than anything else for history shows
that almost every change in the person of
the monarch brought about changes in the
government, in the Interpretation of laws,
and in economic respects.
1.-THE republic. on the other hand is gov
erned according TO certain imperishable
principles which the temporary head of
the state cannot discard. and which are
wholly unaffected by changes in the per-
sonnet of the government. That is the rea-
son why republics prevail and monarchies
fall
I'm monarchical state a lazy prince is
| succeeded by an ambitious one: next fol-
| lows bigoted lord. then warrior. book
| worm or a voluptuary.
"Still. republics. as well as monarchies,
are subject to occasional disturbances. be-
| cause revolutions have their innermost orr
| gin in natures laws.
| Without these revolutions the world
| would come to a standstill: there would be
no balance of power. At the same time
there may be actual, direct causes. for
kings and presidents are like other men
they can lay no claims to perfection in this
| imperfect world OF ours
"As to kingship. IL is matter of the mer-
est accident Accidents place men on the