The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-10-03
GERMAN ELECTORAL
REFORMS OPPOSED
Social Democrats Effort 70
Broaden Suffrage Fails
for Time Being.
WAR INOPPORTUNE TIME
Special Correspondence 10 TnE srx.

Special Correspondence 10 The srx.
BERLIN. Sept. 5.-For several month";
there has been much ado here concerning
tho coveted suffrage reform in the vari-
u States Of Germany. First and fore.
most In this movement have been the
Social Democrats. Their object Is the
establishing or common suffrage. tina, is
equal rights Of suffrage In lieu OF the
present three class system stlll prevalent
in Prussia. ON the other hand coua,
and secret suffrage long since ha. been
accepted for tho imperial elections. that =
Is for the Reichstae.
The State liz divided Into a certain
number Of electoral districts, each dis
trict requiring a given number OF inhab-
itants privileged to vote lin Prussia al
male inhabitants that have attain ed
their twenty-fourth year,. Now II. say,
the state draws a revenue of 300, 900
marks In taxes from a certain district
the formation OF the three classes OF
electors proceeds as follows The first
class is composed OF the fewest num-
Der OF voters together paying one-ihird
Of the tax revenue of that district, viz,
500, 900 marks.
Property Qualification
This system adapts Itself automati-
cally to the amount Of state revenue de-
rived from taxation. Now then the first
instalment OF 100000 marks. or one.
third OF the revenue from the population
OF this district, is covered. say, by five
individuals, each approximately paying
"A tax in the neighborhood Of 90 900
marks. These Ave voters Of tho first
class thereupon are requested 10y the
state authorities To- elect a voting dele
gate from among their number, which j.
accomplished by vote. II, for instance.
two OF these first class voting delegates
are chosen. one a National Liberal AMI
the other a Conservative. the on, secur-
ing three votes out of the nye becomes
the electoral delegate for tn first class
OF that district, which again signifies
that IL he be "A Conservative thu first a..
class OF that district will vote the Con
servative ticket. even though two OF tn
member OF the same class be Nai.ona. |
Liberals.
next fewest number OF tdYpaNers az
gregating annual taxes amou.ting To-
800 900 marks. and the delegate ~ deli
gates elected corrcspondlngly. The sx-
act number OF voting delegates for &C
class is determined by the authorities
and Is always Itopor;iu1afe 10 the Iopu-
latIon uf the electoral district. Tine thirt,
Class is ,onpescd Of TIE su,llrr ta>-
payers whose aauusI ttNos agItn d-gr'-
gate the remaining 3uo. "a" utfks. H.
nnWeN'r, the IN 'omc az any IuiiNIdutl ~
So small that he ~ exempt from taxa
ton tin Prussia less than 800 marks Il
year, it lis ssuned that lie is pa wing tine
smallest taxes possible fthrco marks).
and he is forthwith accepted as an cleo
tor OF the third ar last class.
In Prussia IL IL argued that any ono
paying, say. 1890 marks annual taxes
has greater interests "A. stake and there
fore is entitled to more nOwcr in deiet.
mining the mode of the States govern
ment than the man who's annutl taxes
amount TO but three marks.
Oppose ChRnGc.
In the movement to reform this sys-
tenn Of suffrage the Social Democrats
are more or less reliably supported 10y
the parties OF the parliamentary Left.
Opposed 20 any such suffrage innovation,
in Prussia at least, are the cunsrrVd-
tives. supported bv the Free tunservd-
tiyes and the greater part of the Zen
trum. or clerical faction. In View OF the
ka!ser's declaration a. the outbreak Of
the wal that hen,eiorth parties did not
exist for him and that he only knew
Germans. the Socialists have considered
IL oppOrtuDe nov ~ seek the ~fulflnent
Of their first desire. the establishing Of
secret and equal suffrage.
But thus far all attempts to attain
| this end have iu, had the least taugi-
Dle result. Invariably the Social peino
Gratis are turned off with the remark
tina after the war the matter might he
! taken up with better prospects, and That
the present compulsory state Of !utia-
Germanic peace among tho parties vas
scarcely conducive 10 a careful Judging
of the case in point
Others, more dogmat'c In their views.
nave absolutely refused even to consider
the contemplated suffrage reform The
latest manifestation In this respect,
which has aroused more than one ind'c-
nant protest In the press. Is the rejection
of the Social Democrats proposition by
the Free Conservative member az tie
prussian State Legislature. Herr \or-
ster, who considered II opportun" and
even patriotic in times such As these TO
tell the people that even after the war
such hopes scarcely were likely OF be-
ing realized.
In the saxon Chamber of Deputies al
the political factions and the Government
Joined forces to oppose the Social Demo-
cratic programme, The opposition d.
clared the present time most iroppu.-
tune to decide n question OF su TAR
reaching significance. So the pr'posal
was rejected with 81 votes against "a.