New-York tribune., 1906-07-29
BAVARIA AND THE EXPIRES.


A recent speech Of Prince Ludwig of Bavaria
TO the Imperial Marksmen's Society was nOta-
BILE for its authoritative bearing upon two OF
the most important questions I'm German poll
tics to wit Particularisn and Pan-GeTmanism.
Prince Ludwig is heir apparent to the heir pre-
sumptive and regent and will. in all prOba-
bility. be the next King of Bavaria, as his
father, the aged regent, has practically signi-
fed his intention Of abdicating in his favor upon
the demise Of King Otto. His hearers on this
occasion were partly Germans, subjects Of the
German Empire, and partly Germans of the
Austrian Empire The former. who were chiefly
Bavarians. he urged TO be loyal to the German
Emperor and TO the German Empire; to be Ger
mans first and BaVarians, WtFtembergers,
Saxons, what not, afterward and secOndarily.
The latter he exhorted as earnestly TO be loyal
to the Austrian Emperor and to the Austrian
Empire. and therefore, by implication, not to
intrigue as some supposed TO have been
doing, for the annexation of German Austria
| to Germany.
Such utterances from an authoritative source
would be significant anywhere in Germany
They are especially significant in Bavaria, for
reasons which observers OF recent German his
tory will readily perceive. 1t was only forty
years ago that Bavaria was fighting Prussia as
the ally Of Austria. The passions OF SadOwa
have cooled, but the principles OF that struggle
are not forgotten. In 1870 Bavaria hesitated
for some time between a French and Prus-
sian alliance, and was finally prevailed upon
TO cast in her lot with North Germany chiefly
through the marvellous personal influence Of
Frederick the Noble. In 1871 she took the lead
/ in moving for the creation of the German EN-
pire and the election Of the King of Prussia
4 as "Deutsches Kaiser" largely because she was
herself TO retain military as we'll as political
autonomy and because she was assured that the
4 particular interests OF the individual states
would be protected and preserved. Whenever
since then the cause of "Particularism" or
States Rights has needed vindicatiOn against
the too great dominance of Prussia, It has found
fts chief champion in Bavaria, and II has more
than once been predicted that that proud and
ancient state would one day take the lead in
the disruption OF the German Empire. Such
predictions have not been fulfilled, and this
speech Of Prince Ludwigs is a considerable as
suranee that they will not be fulfilled.
AS an old ally Of Austria, too, and Of the
same prevailing religion as that empire, Ba-
varia has been the chief seat OF that partly
Pan-Germanie, partly anti-Prussian and partly
pro Roman Catholic sentiment which has con-
templated tho Incorporation Of all the German
speaking provinces OF Austria into the German
Empire, In order partly to bring all the German
world into one realm, partly to develop a South
German League within the empire sufficient TO
counterbalance Prussia at the north and partly
70 increase the power of the Catholic party in
the Reichstag. Such league might be formed
! by Bavaria, Baden, Wiirtemberg and the Ger
man provinces OF Austria, and more than one
Bayarian statesman IS suspected OF seeking 10
form St, or at least OF regarding its formation
as desirable in case OF breakup OF Austria
at the close OF the present reign There cou,s
scarcely be colder water thrown upon such as
pirarons than that contained In Prince Ind
wigs speech. In brief, we have here one OF
the most important volces In South Germany
speaking unequiyocally for a conservation ana
confirmation Of the status quo, spokesman OF
ParticlIlaT1sm pleading for imperial unity,
prince who stands peculiarly close TO Austria
decrying Austrian intrigues It Is an utternnce
which must be equally welcome &C Berlin and
at Vienna, and greatly reassuring 10 nIl who
have sf hesrt fbe integrity OF the German EN-