Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-01-25
THE GERMAN ELECTIONS.

Inc German electoral campaign
VIII como to close with the end Of
this week and the confusion which
pleyaila according 10 the press lies.
patches, must be worse than con-
founding. Elections In tina country
have only two or three parties
fighting the issIas at stak., mt l..
Germany there are dozen or more
parties, each with its own special
Issues. The New York Tribune has
been looking up the results in Ger.
many four years ago and they rival
Chinese puzzle In intricacy, or an
historic map Of that geographical
crazy quilt known as the German
Empire. There were 397 members
elected, by 9,44O,OOO voters. In
members the Clerlcals stood first,
In voters the Socialists. The Cleri.
calls elected 100 members, but cast
only 100000 votes. while the Soc.
ialists elected only 81 members
though they cast BOIL 900 votes,
while the National Liberals elected
only 80 members with their | ,257 ,OOv
yote5, and tie Liberal Peop,
party only 81 with $4,000 votes.
Thus on the general average OF the
empire there were 23,7OO votes to
each member, But the Clericals
secured one member for each 49,.
600 votes, the Socialists one for
371O0, the Conservatives one for
1890, the National Liberals one
for 25,l00. and the Liberal Peoples
party one for 24,SOO votes.
Then there were others. The I'm
portals cast 100000 votes and 10
members. The Poles were 344OO0I
strong and elected 1G. The 2S4,0OO|
Anti-Semites elected II, while the
10000 Alsatians filled 10 seats.
The 213,000 Liberal Unionlst voters
succeeded in returning only 8 men,
bers. while the 100000 Guelphs
elected z. the 10000 OF the Peoples
party 6, the $4,000 Unattached Con
servatlves 6, the $4,000 OF
theBavarlan Peasants Union only g.
the $4,000 of the Agriculturists'
Union only 8, the $1,000 Danes /,
the 100000 National Socialists /,
and the 1900 Unattached Liberals
l. This year there are at least |
ms many parties, and several of
the parties are divided into several |
factions each. And then. n single |
candidate may run for the whole |
1897 seats. IL he plcases.
Issues are as plenty as parties.
The Clericals put the interest OF
the Roman Catholic Church above
all else. and vote for or against
every measure according to its bear
ing upon ecclesiastical welfare. The
socialists are devoted solely to their
own special fads. The Poles aim
at the restoration of their ancient
kingdom. The Conservatives care
for nothing but the maintenance
of a protective tariff on agricultural
products. OF course, the Anti.Se-
mites care for nothing but marrying
and Expressing the Jews. There
% ho'"t"S hhe great national |
Issue. And SO when the Chan.
cellor calls for majority devoted
to imperial interests above those
OF sect or class, and when Herr
Dernburg seeks to make colonial
maintenance and development the
leading issue, zach party weighs the
matter in its own scales and con.
siders not whether it would pro-
mote the general welfare of the
empire, but whether it would ad,
vance its own particular partisan
fad
We always had an idea that oul
Presidential campaigns were more
or less exciting, but they must be
very dull compared to an election
in the Kaiser's domain.