New-York tribune., 1905-02-12

spectacle to see these small knots of men in
the Reichstag and the Prussian Diet-men in
able, enlightened, talented and reso-
lutte. like Theodore Barth. Gothein and others.
but impotent to achieve anything. either goo1
or bad, by reason of their slim following and
their inability to flock together and vote
solidiy on questions which affect not only the
vital interests of the country. but also those OF
liberalism. The natural consequence has been
that the nation whole and even their own
bodies of electors have gradually lost all faith
in them and in the very name of Liberalism
Their opponents Reactionaries. Conservatives,
Centre Socialists. could afford to despise and
ignore them. and the government treated them
throughout a negligible quantity. AT the
last general election, in the summer of 1903
many thousands of former Liberal electors de-
serted their oldtime banner and cast their
ballots for Socialist candidates, believing that
thus they at least did not waste their votes.
That, in fact, was one of the chief reasons OF
the enormous accessons to the Socialist ranks
at that election.
The process of consolidating anew Liberalism
with DR.. Barth as the most powerful instru-
ment in this movemenO has now proceeded far
enough to see that it is accomplishing tangible
results. This is most noticeable all over the
South of Germany, in Wurtemberg, Baden
Hesse, Bavaria, the Rhine Provinces, but 1T Is
also the case though not in the same ratio,
elsewhere, in Alsace and Lorraine. in Thuringia
and in the North: and Things have now gone far
enough TO predict that hencefolth the Liberals.
though retaining for the most part their fac
tional badge. as "Freisinuige Volkspartei' CRad-
teal Peoples party), 'Fresinnige Vereinigung
(Radcal Association, "Suddeutsche Volkspar-
tel" South German Peoples party), National
Liberals, etc, will present q solid phalanx In
Parliament on important legislative measures
Part of their tactics will hereafter be to make
common cause with the Socialist party on all
such questions-aad they are nany-whch they
view from the same, or nearly the same angie
such as those connected with labor, the press
freedom of association, etc This had been the
greatest stumbling block with perhaps the ma
jority of German Liberals, especially those of
middle age; but the objection has at last been
overcome for the sake of the future of Liberal
ism, for it was clear that without some such
piece of strategy the days of Liberalism were
numbered in the country, as the young voters
on facing for the first time the ballot box. usual
~. preferred to vote rather the Socialist ticket
than that of one of the several Liberal factions
knowing it would be tantamount to throwing
their votes away.
There is now once more a. possibility for the
Liberals TO achieve something palrable. Their
combined numerical strength about ninety, with
that of the Socialists (eghty-sixl, and with that
of one-half of the Independents about a score),
would suffice 70 give them, when skilfully mar
shalled and with show of backbone the alb
solute majority in the Reichstag (made up of
397 members but of whom usually some thrIy
are unavoidably absen), although this Would
naturally be the case only some SPECIFIC ana
extraordinary matters, uniting all these sym
pathies for the time being. However, even as "a
The
much under, these novel circumstances. AND
this. all the more as the new understanding De-
tween Liberals and Socialists extends even 10
elections-the Liberals aiding to elect SOCIALIST
candidates in all such electoral districts "heie
their own numbers are too small 10 carry VIC
tory. and the Socialists binding themselves TO
act similarly in those districts where they 'iiei'
selves have no chance of winning On tns
strength of this arrangement a number OF Tor
ner Conservative or Centrist seats nave peeh
won by the Liberals or Socialists in the last SIX
months some eight or nine, and the same tactics
will yield larger. results within the
coming four years. Ultimately this will mean d
complete shifting of parliamentary power, de-
stroying the present Conservative-Centrlst ma
iority land it is even now working on a very
small marginl, and turning over the oeclslEe
force tn this new Liberal Socialist combinaton.
And that. of course, will also make necessary
a different attitude the part OF the l1lperlial
government toward those two political 'IactorS
of German life. 1t will compel the government
to- break definitely with the reactionary forces
the his landholders, the bureaucratic masses,
all the men who are still living in the past 1t
will kill Agrarianism as a political creed and
n,+ industrialism in its place, industriaiism
which even now is practically paramount IN TINS
country And such complete political change'
not alone a change OF system IN gov
erning methods, but in the whole mooe OF
thought of this nation, would make Germany at
last a real a thoroughly modern country, which,
in several important respects, ii is not yet
All this, however, presupposes two things
One of them | have touched on In the auoEe-
namely that Liberalism throughout Germany
will prove steadfast in its new programme, and.
moreover. that socialism on its own part will
show itself worthy, faithful and judicious
allv of Liberalism. The second consideration
is as far reaching, If not more. so-namely. that
this development, it would come about by
entirely legitimate and constitutional means, be
not prematurey checked by unconstitutional
measures. Perhaps it is from the last named
quarter that the greatest danger threatens.
The Conservative party, both in Germany and,
in particular in Prussia. has now and again
openly threatened to deprive the people Of the
present form of the franchise-giving the right
TO vote in secret and without control to every
citizen not convicted of crime OF twenty-five
years and over, irrespective of wealth. station
or educational requirements. In place of 1T they
have declared they will put restricted fran
chise just soon the danger seems to them
imminent that the Socialists. alone or in con-
junction with others, will obtain the control of
the national parliament. 1t is known that the
Kaiser, the majority of the smaller rulers of
Germany and the aristocracy look upon this
,fa, Of rrOr,1d Y1-aa III