The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1911-02-05

fact that Europes political centre of
gravity now seems permanently fixed at
Wilhemsstrasse.
The part of President Taft's message
to the United States Congress which calls
for the permanent fertilization Of the
Panama canal, at first created a stir in
the German press. many papers express
ing a doubt as to whether America had
any right to fortify the canal, as this
part of the treaty between the United
States and the Republic of Panama OF
November, 1903, had never been inter-
nationally ratified but common sense has
prevailed here and it is generally adj
mitted that when no protest has been
raised during all these years, 1t is rather
late to make fuss now. The canal will
he fortified, and if Germany had paid
her good money for its construction she
would undoubtedly now do just what
President Taft recommends. Looking at
the affair in this light the German press
Is satisfied to say nothing more about It,
Satisfied though the German people are
with the present foreign policy of the en-
pire, which has made Germany the lead
ing power of Europe, they are anything
but content with the domestic politics OF
the .Bethmann- Hollweg regime, which arc
exceedingly reactionary. The government
is tied to, what in Germany is called,
1.-The black-blue block" which is liter
ally beating the masses of the people
black and blue, imposing upon them
nearly half a billion marks in new indi-
rect taxes and robbing them of every
prospect of reform of the unjust Prus-
sian election laws. The demands or the
clerical party are also becoming more
and more unbearable and the cries of
the people for free Import of meat and
cattle are never needed by the govern
nent though meat has become a luXu-
nv which only the well to do can afford
"Who can expect any reforms from
Bethmann- Holweg,' said a prominent
member of the reichstag to me yesterday
at is enough to read the Prussian speech
from the throne. which was read In the
royal palace not long ago, to see that
there is no hope of any. Not a word
about election reform, and the revision
of our direct taxation is again post
poned. Germany hps never seen such a
period of reaction during the last 90
years." i%sss #l
When the minister of finance, DR..
Lentze, recently said that the finances of
Prussia are sound, he was undoubtedly
right, but this is not fact which is due
to the government. The tireless energy
Of the German people Is too great 10 be
government. The German people are al
ways toiling on, always creating new
values, taxes on which flow into the
Prussian treasury, but the government
makes a great mistake II 1t imagines that
the people will continue to submit pa
tiently to all kind of abuses. Every Gay
makes it clearer that a day of reckoning
Is coming in Germany, when the gov
eminent will have reason to regret that
IL refused to listen to even the most
reasonable demands of the people, for
after that day it will be the GeSman
people that dictate and the clericals and
the "junkers, who must submit.
According to intelligence received from
the Kirghiz Steppes. from Odessa, and
f. ON Manchuria, the plague is spreading
rapidly. owing to the helplessness Of the
authorities to arrest it's acvanc-, n NJ
churia the deadly malady is carried from
place to place by the inhabitants. wnc a..
seized with panic on its outbreak and
seek refuge in towns which had been i'm
inune, but which are forthwith infected
by the refugees.
Moreover, the Chinese obstinately re-