Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-17
Low Tariff Fight Of the Social
Democrats.
LABOR VOTE
THE PARTY INJURED By THE AT
TACKs ON KRUPP.
The Recent Outbreak in the German
Parliament-Never Such Scenes
Before-Kaiser Vigilant.
Special Correspondents of The Evening Star


BERLIN, December 4. 1902.
With rowdyism and social democratic
mutiny prevailing In the reichstag. with
bad times and financial depression. an
increasing meat famine and both social and
political unrest showing on all Sides the
fatheriand presents no edifying spectacle to
the outer world just at present.
or a total Of 7.75200 votes cast at the
last reichstag election. in 1897 the social
democrats secured 2.112.o0o votes, emitting
them under the limited Bismarck election
laws to more than eighty members in the
reichstag instead of only ffty-six members,
the present proportion Of the vote. The So
cial democratic representation Is. however,
curtailed by the fact that voters must show
proprietary qualifications, and furthermore
by the gerrymandering Of election districts.
which gives the sparsely settled provinces
as large a representation on the basis Of
area as the densely settled city and indus
trial districts. where social democracy Hour
fishes most The city OF Berlin, for exam
pie. u entirely social democratic. or frei-
sinnig. Its 100000 inhabitants exclusive
OF Charlottenburg. receive less representa-
tion in the reichstag than a provincial cleo
tion district with barely one-third the pop
ulatton.
Designs Of tho Democrats.
But social democrats count on reaping
over 100000 votes at the elections next
year. Consequently they want the tariff
issue unsettled. 80 that they may add an
snti-high tariff and Antiquarian plank to
their platform. But even casual inven-
tory OF the signs Of the times and the incl
dental reichstag elections for successors to
vacancies caused by death or retirement
shows that the political winds are blow
ing contrary to social democratic hopes
The kaiser has become a personal and pow
yul fao In combating what he terms
the reptile party" and the arch enemy OF
the fatherland and crown Now that the
Krupp case is considered In calm light
public opinion, encouraged by the remon-
strances Of the kaiser in the grimy waiting
room at Essen after the burial OF the great
gunmaker. Is turning against sociai democ-
racy. or rather It's malicious METHODS:
Krupps generosity to his 10000 laDorers
at Essen has awakened sympathies In un-
expected quarters for the government cause
and prejudiced labor against Bebel. singer
and their class, who are being reailstlcauy
painted not as martyrs to cause, but the
real responsible parties who are obstruct1ng
the enactment Of tariff legislation which
shall give the Industrial commercial ana
Agricultural interests chance to regain
their lost prestige, for all branches OF
trade and industry are paralyzed Dy the
Damocles sword of tariff and commercial
treaty uncertainty. "Give US tarin law
we standr' is the universal cry from In
dustrial centers and moderate protec-
tionists.
Even free traders are lukewarm and dis,
approve of the rabid methods OF the social
democrats, which prejudice the minds OF
the masses against the party.
Unparalleled Scenes in the Reichstag.
Never before In the history of the Ger
man parliament have scenes been witnessed
In pienary session such as transpired dur
ing the last fortnight. Conservative organs
afflicted with
visions of topping thrones. Party lines i'll
the reichstag are but memories Of the dim
past With the approach of the popular
elections altrulsm and the esthetic motives
OF partisanship are cast aside In order 10
make grand-stand appeals for popular SYM
patty. The social democratic organs, leo
by the abusive Vorfaertz. are nagg1ng
1aborers and their compatriots on TO
campaign which promises at least many ar
rests on the score of lese majesty. Chan-
cellor Won Beulow and the ministers Of the
royal cabinet wrestle in vain with the social
democratic dragon. Both in the legislative
chamber and the press there are ominous
prophecies and the end of parliamentary
and constitutional government is predicted
as a consequence of the scenes of the last
few weeks.
The Kaiser Keeps Posted.
The most self-possessed and cool-headed
is Emperor William. who spends most Of
mis- time hunting boar and pheasants with
the Prince of Donnersmarck, Prince Hohen-
lobe and the Duke of Ujest. Nevertheless.
the kaiser is thoroughly In touch with all
proceedings in Berlin. Whenever Bebel
Singer or the other fiery luminaries Of the
social democratic party make specially
vicious assault or bring in the person OF the
kaiser the latter gets a detailed account
OF the proceedings. He wants to know all.
On the surface 1t might appear as though
the socialist and reactionary parties occu-
ted 4 ha ht-a hSt M Ia m
IN the reichstag at their will But the
rational minded burgher performs his daily
duties as usual confident that the mailed
fist Is ready to administer drastic and
effective blow which will restore equili-
brium. and that the contortions Of the revo-
1utionary elements are but slight rtpples
upon the calm bosom.
Nevertheless. there is an element in the
widespread political turmoil today which
has never been encountered before. 1t re-
Quired a tragic episode. like the death OF
Prlvy Councillor Krupp and the dramatic
anti-climaX to this sensational case when
the kaiser characterized Herren Bebel SIN
ger Stadthagen and the leaders of the
social democratic party the slayers of
the famous cannon king" to fan the SUM
berlng fires. The Venezuela embroglio, the
fate of the Capivi commercial treaties the
prospects of a warfare of tariff reprisals
with the United States. Russia Austria and
other countries. and the subtle diplomatic
conflict with England for prestige upon the
dark continent. are all secondary issues
compared to the bitter feud between the
crown and social democracy in Germany.
The reichstag elections are drawing nigh.
and heavy artillery is being drawn into the
campaign field for contest, such as is
peated every five years when a new popular
Assembly Is to be elected.
Hope to Control the Reichstag.
Social democratic gyrations and threats
would be harmless but for the imminent
peril Of social democratic lordship in the
reichstag. The doctrines Of Marx and La
sale. which served as the platform Of the
social democratic propaganda, are but at
ter thoughts to the strategic leaders Of the
movement. All their energies are concen-
trated upon reichstag domination. With a
popular kaiser In the throne, a military
system which would annihilate the social
istic organisation at a motion of the mon
arch, the Introduction Of revolutionary tao
tics by Bebel. Singer. Bernstein and their
colaborers would be fatal. To obtain the
disconte nted labor vote Is the primary and
immediate object Of the social democratic
propa ganda. Under the electoral and con-
Stitutional system the crown and army
could impose no resistance to such tactics
But to return to the methods Of the conn
mune would be equal to inviting fatal op-
position.
Trap for the Democrats.
The proceedings of the reichstag during
the last fortnight were uneQualed at any