The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-03
P OFFICIAL TALK
" FOLLOWS SCANDAL.
All Eyes Now Focused on
f. Coming Elections in
Germany.
GOVERNMENT WEAKENED
Recent Events Have Favored
Enemies Of Present
Regime.
GOVERNMENT WEAKENED
ny FREDERICK WERNER.

o"h frlnce scandap" having
at last completely disappeared. all eyes
are now focused on the coming sen-
eral elections to the Rechstap =,
January ~. day which is bc,nr
looked forward to by the conservatives
parties with fear and trepidution
while the radical parties are core.
spondingly exultant.
Al great questions. viewed from an
eiection standpoint, mako II imDossIblo
TO deny that recent event. have 70
foreh the enemies Of the present pov-
crnmcnt Among the conservative
Parties all Is confusion. Discomfort is
uaiiy Increasing among the pcople.
ana everything seems to prophecy that
ina, the elections will prove a verl-
table twilight of the gods" to ,hc
men In power. The agreements In re.
gard to African affairs and the great
increase In the cost OF living are tho
most dangerous rocks that threaten
to wreck the conservatives
a short summing up OF the events
which have led the government to-
wards destruction may interest my
American readers. 1t was this summer
that the German government began
Conversations" with France. after
sending the now famous gunboat
Panther TO Agadlr. Undoubtedly this
WAS for the purpose OF Influencing tho
'elections II WAS supposed that Franco
would be easily scared and the govern.
ment would go before the voters
crowned with patriotic laureis. Eng
land. II waa thought would never
think OF interfering In Germany's
little game. but the unexpected han
pened and England. without a mo-
ments hesitation. took sides with
France
The German government, having
never seriously thought Of war. was,
therefore. doomed to dcfoat, when its
game OF bluff WAS called. TO cover
up the defeat negotiations wore de-
layed as much as possible, but moth
ing was gained.
Every new turn in the duel of tho
diplomats gave the opposition new
arms against the government. and tho
nnal result. made known some weeks
ago, practically means that Morocco
has become part OF French Northwest
Africa. giving France IA aolid colonial
empire aecond In extent only to India.
During the negotiations ali kinds Of
calamities happened. panic upset tho
arose. and conservative colonial poll
ticians used as harsh expressions
against the Chancellor and Minister
OF Foreign Affairs as the Socialists
had ever done. In spite OF all official
donials 1t lie even certain that the
government appealed to the Socialists
TO got them to arrange demoustra-
lions against war In order to cover
the retreat OF the government.
The land. which France has ceded 10
Germany in Africa, is worth next TO
nothing. being known as the house
of the sleeping disease" an unhealthy,
feverstricken district, consisting main
ly OF swamps.
No wonder the German people are
furious against their present rulers.
who have been outwittcd on every
point In regard to Africa. and who
have created Increased Ill win against
Germany In Belgium. The immediate
danger of war has vanished. but the
hatred against England has been
given new nourlshment, and the people
will rack their brains to diacovcr a
way of getting revenge for the hu-
miliations Suffered during the last
six months.
With the greatest energy the oppoI
sitien has taken every possible advan-
tage of the present situation. So
cialists and Liberals are hooking a
government which has acted so stupid
ly and created so much unrest for
mere negative results, and the Con-
servatives are furious, because they
are unable to defend their govern
mnt.
But the increased cost of living
Will prove oven moro disastrous 70 the
present system and drive Thousands
of voters into the opposition camp.
For years the people OF Germany
have complained OF the high prices Of
agricultural products, and they have
now become firmly Convinced that
these are almost exclusively due to
the tariff. The argument of the con-.
servative parties that indirect taxa+
ton Ia never felt has lost Its power to
convince any one In Germany.
The last by-elections plainly show
the direction Id which the wind Is
blowing. When the government put off
the general elections until January 10
was with the hope that the people
would forget the new taxes IN their
Joy at the anticipated diplomatic VIC
tories over France. which failed to
materialize. Everything seems to have
conBpired against the government, even
the weather.
Two elections are especially signif-
cant, those of Dusseldorf and Kon-
stanz. In the former district the Con-
servatives In 1907 polled a9.259 votes.
the Socialists, 25,389; the Nationals
Liberals. 1864. and at tho final cleo
lions the Conservatives won with 49,
BIT votes, against 26.2a8. This year
the Socialists triumphed with as,asa
votes. against 35,6s8. At Konstana
the Conservatives won the former cleo
tion with 1897 votes, against S,59s
This year Liberal
was elected with 1914 votes. against
1i,o45.
Even Bethmann- Hollwes's chief
claim to distinction. the constitution OF
Alsace-Lorraine, Is source Of only
small satisfaction It han added RI fbo
strength. OF the parties who desire a,
reunion with France, and to Offset
this German Conservative voters have
had to Join forces with tho. Socialists.
Everything seems to show that the
coming elections will mean q revolu-
ton in German politics, Tho blue-black
block fs bound to lose its majority.
Iar. 49,.