New-York tribune., 1910-04-26
FREE SPEECH IN PRUSSIA.


Free speech and a free ballot are COM
monty supposed TO be related and to
go together. but i'm Prussia at the pres
ent time the spectacle is presented of
the governments granting the one and
at the same moment refusing the other.
The net result of the controversy over
franchise reform and the governments
persistent refusal TO grant the grow
ing demands Of the people has seemed
10 be a confirmation of the old and
grossly unequal system of class suf-
frage under which minority Of num-
bers invariably controls the legislature
and the majority of the people remains
almost entirely unrepresented. Yet one
striking incident of the campaign must
be accounted a decided victory for the
people the further results of which may
be Of great moment 10 the kingdom.
Early in the campaign the Social
Democrats and others asked the priyl
lege of holding large open air meet
ing at TreptOw to discuss the demands
for franchise reform. The request was
peremptOrily refused. on the ground
that public order and safety would be
imperilled. and the whole police force
OF the capital was marshalled TO pre-
vent any such gathering. The govern
ment stood reSOlutely, as ii appeared,
upon the old abSolutiSt principles that
no concession should be made 10 popular
demands and that any popular demon
stration, however orderly and respect
ful. against the existing system was
essentially seditious and must be pro-
bibited or suppressed. In spite, how
ever, Of that refusal, backed up by all
the police and thirty thousand soldiers,
the people did make certain demon
stration by fiocking upon the streets Of
the aristrOcratic part of the city I'm
enormous numbers, though not In or
ganized professions and, Of course: not
holding any meetings.
But a few weeks later there was a
marvellous change The request for
the privilege 10 meet was renewed. and
this time il was freely granted, the only
stipulation being that the people should
90 10 the parks, where they were TO
meet In small bodies and without red
flags or other revolutionary emblems.
and that the party leaders should be
personally responsible for order These
terms Were complied with in a marvel
lously perfect manner. More than two
hundred thousand persons. in companies
Of forty or fifty. flocked to three meet
ing places in the parks. with all the
order and indeed something Of the
sOlemnity Of funeral parties. and there
spoke freely ana adopted with multi
tudinOus and thunderouS "Hochs" out
spoken resolutions condemning the gov
ernment's franchise bill and demanding
sweeping reforms on a popular basis II
"One man, one vote"
Who was responsible for this amaz-
ing reversal of immemorial administra-
tive policy is a matter for dispute. Some
have attributed il u the Chancellor.
who is more of plain. practical busi-
ness man than some Of his predeces-
sorS. Others have intimated that the
Initiative was taken by no less a per
Sonage than the King and Emperor him
self However that may be. two things
are clear. One is that the noDulaca or
Berlin has demonstrated IFS seIf-con-
tanned and law-ahiding qualities and its
fitness for self-goycrnment The other
Is that a precedent Of free assembly
and free speech has been established
which is not. likely to he reversed ar
ignored. The PrusSian people have won
In that victory of iDeStimable yalua
which will 90 far toward securing for
them The other objects which they hava
IN view and TO which as an intelligent
and loyal people they are entitled