Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1902-02-08
VERBAL DUEL IN REIcHsTAe
Admiral Won TirpItz and Herr Bebel
Have Tilt over Naval
Estimates.

BERLIN, Feb THE secretary OF the
admiralty, Admiral Won Tirpitz, opened the
debate in the Reichstag today on the naval
estimates. He said the government hoped
II would not have to ask for further cred
It's to meet shis years expenditure. Re-
ferring to the secret memorandum, pub
lished by the Vorwaertz. January 30. to
the effect that when the present ship
building plan expires in 1904, a new bill,
containing the clauses OF the bill Of 1900.
which was rejected by the Reichstag. would
be adopted, the secretary Indignantly re-
pudiated the charge of deceiving the Reich
stag.
He explained that the financial features
the memorandum, which merely re-
the ideas Of the admiralty, would,
n. Ease, have to be approved by the
REID Ag and would only involve an hd-
ditionAl amount OF 100000 marks an
nually toward the systematic construc-
tion Of a hghting fleet.
Herr Bebel, the socialist leader, who fol-
lowed Won Tlrpitz. said 1t was quite evil
dent the secretary had not told the Reich
stag the whole truth. II he had done so,
the naval bill would not have been voted.
Herr Bebel asked IL II was a fact that the
government Intended to keep in commits
sion on the east Asiatic station for eight
years to come. four battleships and a corr
responding number of cruisers and gun"
boats.
This question brought the secretary to
his feet with the remark that Herr Bebel
evidently knew the tenor Of the portion Of
the stolen memorandum which was not
published by the vorwaertS and he called
upon him to name the person who had
stolen 1t. Herr Bebel declined to furnish
the secretary with any information on the
subject.
Subsequently the secretary's salary was
voted, the representatives of the social
democrats, radical peoples and German
peoples party voting in the minority.
The clause in the German naval bill OF
1900, rejected by the Reichstag, provided
for the construction OF a number Of cruisers
for foreign waters, and a corresponding
increase in the personnel. The secretary
Of the admiralty. before the budget COM
mittee OF the Reichstag January 29, ad-
mitted the authenticity OF the memoran-
dunn, which, he declared, had been stolen
from the government archives. He asserted
that considerable augmentation Of the num-
Der OF cruisers for service abroad was nee
essary.
The Voerwarts, which is the organ Of the
German socialists. succeeded some years
ego in obtaining possession. in some man
ner never explained, Of several secret cir
culars issued by the government, notably
circular addressed by the secretary Of
the Interior regarding the strike bill.
Herr Richter, the radical leader In the
Reichstag, analysing the most recent gov.
ernment report concerning the colonies
finds that. there are only s,7s2 in all tn,
colonies. including ofhcials, officers, mis-.
sionaries. women and children. He proves
| from the budget Of 1909 that every German
colonist costs the empire 5000 marks Q
year While the total colonial trade hai
Increased during the last 1--WE years from
IL, 900 marks to 25.0oe.Oo0 marks, th,
colonial appropriations, during the sans
length Of time. have increased from slight,
more than. 100000 to 100000 marks
The increase in exports to the colonies Il
chiefly due to government works, militar,
supplies. etc.
The full returns from the census of 1sOt
show that 1888 citizens of the United
States were then residing In Germany, al
increase in five years Of 1000.