The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-01-18
TARIFF VAR
N GERMANY
Shrewd Politics in Passing
Agrarian Law.
SIGHT OF A PLUG HAT
Set Sections of the ReiChstag
Wild with Excitement.

volumnous press commentaries fail 10
relate the tue story OF the manner in
which the AgTerian tariff bill was passed
through the popular assembly. The kar-
dorf en- bloc amendment ana the korber
sasrule' were but incidents in the adroit
same. For a master hand guided the
lever from somewhere behind The scenes.
1t was as though another Bismarck had
Ieaped into the breach TO sweep aside
partisan friction and silence the filibus-
tering opposition. Emperor William moo
estiy bestowed the credit or as the con-
Stunning masses will have it the discredtt.
for the passage of the tariff measure up
on Count Won Bulow But it was doubt
less due to sensitive conscience that
Chancellor Won Bulow declined elevation
to the rank Of a noble prince, and com
promised by accepting the coveted Hoh-
enzollern chain. For il was no less a
parsonage than William ii. who employed
the influence of his sovereign position to
wrest victory from what appeared to be
defeat, although at the cost Of disavowing
his former liberal and rational tariT-re-
form attitude
The Imperial German Government and
the Vatican have arrived at q mutual
agreement by virtue of which the Strass-
burg University will be equipped with
Catholic theological faculty" This inno-
cent paragraph was published the day
following the all-night session in the
Reichstag. when the tariff bill was passed
amid remarkably stormy scenes 1t is
only now that the press has awakened
TO the Importance and significance on the
part of the Kaiser to the Ultramontanes
1t was Ultramontanism which passed
the tariff bill. and not the "Junker''
party. The Catholic Centrists, command
ing over one hundred votes of the Reich
stag, and thus controlling the decisions
OF the assembly, gave the final signal
which enabled Count Won Bulow to carry
his programme into effect When Dr.
Spann, the suave leader of the Centrists
enter the Reichstag chamber just be-
fore the riotous closing scenes with a
silk hat in place of his customary skull
cap. there was a remarkable scene OF
excitement among the Social Democrats.
For DR.. SPAIN was wearing his "franck
Und weisse binde'-sure' proof that he had
been in conference with the Kaiser and
Chancellor. Thereafter it was simply a
matter of twisting the parliamentary
rules so that the minority obstruction
would be rendered helpless, Thereafter
the Social Democrats ceased to hurl their
bitter invectives at the right side of the
house. but as the popular phrase goes.
sent him through the Reichstag WIN
dows'' TO the voting masses beyond. 1t
was a hopeless game for the opposition
rl,o.
SPAIN had negotiated with the Kaiser
Off the support of the Centrist phalanx.
The succeeding incidents were but means
to the end. Bebel, Singer and Stadhagen.
ct al, continued to assail the Govern
ment. but it was merely to fill up the
campaign magazines for the next Reich
stag elections.
DR.. SPAIN and his solid Centrist party
effected what the 'Junkers'' and the gov
eminent could not accomplish. This is
Q victory for Ultramontanism. perhaps
the most important since the "Kultur
Kampf." The government authorities
naturally disclaim any connection be
tween the tariff compromise and the
Etrassburg innovation. But the circum-
stantial evidence is too strong to sustain
speeches of late the Kaiser went out of
his way TO dwell upon the necessity of
creating a greater partial between the .
educat and theological forces at the .
universities. At Gorlitz the Emperor 4
spoke of the obligation Of the state to-
wards faith and progressive culture. At
Fosen he said: 1t is a traditional policy
OF the House of Hohenzollern to let every
German subject believe ard receive
teachings according to his own faith"
From Rome came many complimentary
statements 10 the effect that the Vatican
was more than satisfied with the tolerant
policy of the Kaiser towards German
Catholics. The court chronicles told of
frequent expeditions of Baron Won Hert-
ling the personal emissary of the Kaiser
to the Vatican. from Berlin to Rome
Even Rampolla. the implacable opponent
of the Hohenzollern policy in the Vatican
was understood to have become con-
soled and friendly towards the Kaiser
Many things show that a new era Of
amity has been established between the
Berlin court and the university. although
situated in the Alsace-Lorraine province
in which the inhabitants are overwhelm-
ingly Catholic. has been upon a Protest
ant basis since II became a part Of the
empire after the war Of Isl. Catholic
clerical instruction in Alsace-Lorraine
was dispensed at the seminary under the
jurisdiction Of the bishopric. For many
years the Catholics have fought for the
Of Catholic faculty at
the Strassburg university upon basis
similar TO those at Bonn and Breslau.
The new faculty at Strassburg will con-
sist of appointees Of the prresiaG zultus
with the approval OF the
Catholic bishop. so that all professors
appointed will be acceptable to the Vati-
can. From Berlin this agreement is re-
garded as a triumph for the diplomacy
or the Kaiser. inasmuch as II viii make
better subjects of the Catholic inhabi-
tants OF Alsace-LorrRine. From Rome
the concession is regarded as a triumph
for the Vatican. and serves as ground
for the hope that further concessions
viii be made in the appointment Of Cath .
piics to leading German universities. /.
Kaiser William needs and is determined
10 gain the support Of the Catholic Gen.
hist party for government measures. {
Vifhous the assistance Of the CentTist !