Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-15


adjustment as a nation under the protec-
ton Of q more liberal Rus
prussia's STA has received a rude set
back In Prussia by the law
of appropriation just now
voted in the Prussian herrenhaus. 1t will
be recalled that the question Of expropria :
ton was introduced in the Prussian lower
house in December and rejected on the
first reading. Under government pres
sure on the conservative right and nation
al liberals, however. it was agreed to COM
promise by a reduction Of the grant re-
Quired by the. Prussian government in
aid OF the colonization fund from Els
10000 to s1o.o0o.o 900. and limiting the
area which might be compulsorily acquired
to 10000 hectares. Although the center
party. the Poles and the radicals protested
against this compromise the amendment
was made the subject Of debate. as re-
suit OF which the bill passed on the sec
ond reading in the form proposed by the
conservatives and national liberals.
Prince Buelow announced that he would
accept the compromise since, although the
amendments would entail a considerable
modification Of the bill, he fully appre-
ciated the objections which had been
the Prussian government. 1t had only
been after the most careful consideration,
said the chancellor, that the government
had proposed appropriation. and he for his
part was prepared to bear the response,
bility for the bill before the chamber and
the country and at the bar Of history The
question had been treated in no chauvan-
istic spirit by the government, and every
effort had been made to avoid anything
which might excite political passions The
A aofo ofcci
free hand in the selection Of the estates
which were to be compulsorily acquired.
Prince Buelow hoped that this freedom
would enable the "Ansiedlungskommis-
sion" to make use Of its new powers with
discretion. and he expressed the thanks
Of the government to the parties which
had supported the compromise and for
the patriotic manner in which they hau
overcome their scruples In order to pre-
serve the national character of the Prus-
sian state To this there were loud and
continued cheers on the right and among
the national liberals, but there were loud
Kisses and signs of disapproba ton In the
center and among the Poles. This was In
January, 1908.
The Polish question in Prussia has been
the all-absorbing subject OF discussion
these last days and which
Measure eliminated in the final
n.s passage Of the exproprla-
fasseo. ton Of the Poles by vote OF
143 for and Ill against.
Inasmuch as the question may result in
prolonged agitation, II not indeed some o,
the ills predicted by the opponents of the
bill, 1t will prove interesting to the read
er to refer just here to government in
Prussia.
The present constitution of Prussia was
drawn up by the government of King
Frederick William ". with the co-opera-
ton Of constituent assembly proclaimed
January 81, 1850. The executive and part
OF the legislative authority is vested in
king. The landtag is composed of two
chambers, the abgeordnetenhaus or
chamber of deputies; the herrenhaus or
house of lords. The former consists OF
433 members. The latter consists OF
princes. scions of former sovereign fam
lilies Observation-Disclosures and Hohen-
lern-Sigmaringen, chiefs or certain
princely families, chiefs of the territorial
nobility, life peers appointed by the king
from among rich land owners. great man
ufacturers, eight titled noblemen elected
in the eight old provinces Of Prussia by
the resident land owners of all degrees.
representatives Of universities, heads OF
Chapters" burgomastcIS OF towns ex-
ceeding fifty thousand inhabitants, and
finally an unlimited number of members
nominated for life by the king.
Thus the composition of the herrenhaus
when recalled to the reader will enable
him to appreciate the confidence of the
chancellor In the treatment of bills which
he desires may be passed without regard
whatever to the sentiments of Its men,
bers. Nevertheless the bill was strenu-
ously combated and the battle was not
won by the government without a strug-
gle and q menace by the chancellor, who
asked with significant gesture to those
who owed their presence there to the
king:
Does the chamber of lords undertake
to refuse US the means Of continuing the
policy of colonization inaugurated by Bis
marck, to reject this law which has been
proposed with the consent of the crown
and which the abgeordnetenhaus has al
ready passed? The government is per-
suaded that you will not accept that
heavy responsibility"
And the chancellor, without claiming to
be a prophet at all, was right, for the
members fastened to make themselves
solid at court by the ratification of bill
against which their consciences had re-
belled.
Self-interest is a great factor in the