The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-14

ton OF the CandtoAtur0 OF q fr1noe OF uo-
henzollern for the Spanish throne came 10
the foreground and furnished the excuse
desired.
When, therefore, Napoleon III. plunged
into war on July 20. 1870, he had good
grounds for relying on the active coopera-
ton Of his secret allies, Austria and Italy.
In q despatch Of July 20 to the Austrian
Ambassador at Paris the Imperial Chan
oellor, Beust, had said that while for the
moment neutrality would be for Austria
an imperative necessity the neutrality
would be but a means for enabling Austria
to equip herself for war without exposing
herself u~nprepared to an attack from
Prussia or Russia, and that he had been
in correspondence with Italy with a view
to conjunct intervention. There 10 no
doubt that such q correspondence had
been opened between Florence and Vienna
and that the terms had been agreed upon
on which the two Powers should pass from
the state Of armed neutrality into that OF
offensive alliance. By September is boil
were to have completed their preparations
and to have begun to take part In the war,
with this proviso, however, that the French
should by that time have made a success-
full inroad into south Germany. Tn
o~ovenanted French. invasion OF south Ger
many did not msterialize. With three
mighty strokes the German sword hewed
an impossible gap between France and
the borders Of the Fatherlsnd and turned
the grand design OF the three allied Powers
into q fasco.
In a chapter on the internal organization
Of the German Empire, which came into
.-{-no ~ UoHaaitIaa ~ January 1871.
Prof. F1athe points that in 1866 Bismarck
had adopted for the North German Con-
federation universal suffrage and secret
voting because his experience in the Prus-
sian Chamber OF Deputies with the repre-
sentatives Of the Liberal middle classes
had led him to believe the masses to be
more loyal to the King than they. IL soon
became questionable, however. whether
the expedient did not yield results different
from what had been expected-whether,
in short, political morality instead OF being
elevated had not been lowered by 1t. II
soon became n matter OF doubt whether
the Reichstag elected by universal suffrage
and by the ballot was the genuine ex-
preston Of the national will. Yet under
the o~verpowering influence Of the just
ended war, the first general election in May.
1871, gave a strong National-Imperial
majority. The controlling power lay for
the time in the hands OF the National
Liberals, composed Of Old Prussians and
New Pruseians somewhat reinforced from
south Germany. The result Of the good
understanding which at first existed be-
tween the Chancellor and the National and
Liberal parties was a legislative energy
eminently conducive 20 the ~upbuilding Of
the empire. The payment Of the greater
part Of the war indemnity in gold not only
rendered possible the reform OF the none
tary system promised forty years before In
the first Zollverein compact, with the con-
current introduction OF a gold currency, but
made il a matter Of urgent necessity. TIT
transition from the old chaos Of local coin
ages was effected with surprising ease. A
corresponding reform was brought sboutin
the paper currency. Attempts we're made
also to unite the railroads OF the different
German States under the ownership or at
least control Of the empire. These failed,
however, through the resolute particula rist
sentiment, which was especially strong in
Bavaria. Wdrtemberg and Saxony. Finally.
the Prussian Government determined, by
buying up practically all the private rail-
roads in its own territory, to unity at least
it's own system and at the same time
gain a commanding position with reference
TO the connecting lines. This scheme was
successfully carried out The postal sys-
tenn. also, which except in Bavaria and
W1rtemberg was transferred to the empire,
was brought TO a state Of high perfection.
Hamburg and Bremen, which previously
had lain outside Of the zollverein, were
now included in il. In pursuance of a plan
adopted in 1878 the imperial navy under
vent rapid development. The first work Of
internal organic legislation carried through
by the empire was the reform OF the
Judiciary n the extension of its compe-
tency over the whole domain Of law.
Prussia was from the first not ~dnfavorably
disposed to the change, but the second rate
States protested against the limitation OF
their powers, hitherto final in this depart
ment within their own borders. It was
not, indeed, until October, 1879, that the
blessing Of uniformity in their laws was
secured for the whole German people. The
compiling OF a code OF civil law presented
such difficulty that the commission in
trusted with the task required twelve years
for its completion. We should likewise note
that the desire for the economic elevation
of Germany prompted the imperial Govern
ment to Renter the long neglected path Of
colonial policy. This movement, which
Germany shared with some other States of
the European Continent and which resulted
in a remarkable colonial expansion, will be
treated in the last and concluding volume
Of this series.
III.
We would not take leave Of this work
without at least a glance at the chapter
which treats OF the Vatican Council and Of
the Old Catholic movement which the
PRONUNCIATION Of the dogma Of Papal infalli-