The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-22
THE CHANCELLOR
 IS DISCOURAGED
May Retire From Political Arena in German Empire
REALIZES INEVITABLE
trvesttrntion Into Affairs of the Si- herinn Railroad DisclOscs Fact Tint Government Is Being
 Systematically Robbed

Berlin, January 21.-(Special. l.)-Again il Is rumored that Herr von Bethmann-Hol- veg the chancellor of the empire. tired and discouraged with his many political failures. is thinking of resigning, and that the principle reason Is, that he can no longer hide from himself that he is rapidly growing more and more unpopu- lar with the German people. In very plain words. the German press is just now telling him why he is so unpopular. and the truth is very bitter to listen to. According to the "Berliner Tagebatt" the chancellor has nobody but himself to blame. Great thinker. though he is said to be, he seems to have forgotten that every human act bears It's consequences within itself. Trying to serve the inter ests of the so-called "blue-black block, 9 coalition of reactionary and clerical forces. he has become a prisoner. who Is doomed to defeat because he Is no longer the master of his own actions
 If the chancellor resigns willingly or otherwise 1t will be because he has not been able 10 see that the time has passed WHcH lAc pcppit Ol 1cl liAoiS NON4A M satisfied with mock reform, and he has given them nothing but stones for bread. The elections are approaching and the chancellor sees the parties his government Is relying on disintegrating in the face of the coming danger while the enemy is mobilizing for a determined attack. A comjromise between the national liberal artia is not far from being an accomplished fact; the backbone of the clerical parties is broken because of the leaders ultra reactionary tendencies and everything foretells of coming defeat. The people of Germany refuse to take part in any more reactionary experiments.
 AS Berlin paper said few days ago. the German people are tired using their best strength fighting against undemo- cratic attempts against their hard won freedom. They want positive reforms, just taxation, abolition of the high tariff and other indirect taxes, no taxes on the necessaries of life, equal justice to all and a vote in settling their own af- fairs.
 
 knows that to grant any of these de- mands is beyond his power, and 1t is, therefore, not surprising if he should lay down his staff of command even before the great battle.
 No good news ever comes from Russia where nothing seems to be able to put an end to official corruption com mission named by the czar to investigate ho 6r7a niol of af of tha road has brought to light the fact that the government, during the last yeal alone, has been robbed of SIG, 900 Practically every official connected with the railroad. from the highest manager to the humblest porter, has been steal ing funds, or accepting bribes. The num- Der of complaints handed to the president of the Investigating committee, Senator Glischtschnski, exceeded 5000.
 The abuses were worse at Tomsk where the general offices of the road were located Here the railroad officials sim ply examined all the freight trains and helped themselves to what ever they needed or were able to dispose of, from provisions to furniture Even automo- piles and steam launches were taken and disposed of. At the same time they had formed a regular busness concern for the sale of thousands of tons of coal stolen
 
 managers were also stockholders in the selling company. But for the fact that all records of these mines had been destroyed the committee would undoubt- edly have been able to prove, that the loss of the state amounted to at least fifty millions of roubles (S25, ,0O0,000)
 In Italy the socialists who have been clamoring for general suffrage and assert ing that it is the privilege of every cit izen to have a vote in the affairs of his country, are now strenously objecting '. a paragraph in the prime minister's con. stitutional bill which makes voting I duty. Every voter who neglects to vots without legal excuse, such as sickness ol absence from the country. is to be fined and deprived of the right to hold public office, but the socialists argue that this is violation of personal freedom, while the conservatives are delighte. with ths new paragraph. The reason is. of course that to avoid being fined and otherwise punished the conservative voters, wh, have been most inclined to shirk theil duty of voting. win vote to a man an: the number of conservative votes WI, be materially increased while the social fists who have always boiled every vot,