St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1918-01-26

20. Bavaria has g., Saxony and
Wurtemberg 4 each, others 8 or 2,
and II of the states have only 1
apiece. The members are really dip
Iomsts, representing the numerous
monarchs of Germany.
They do not vote individually, but
each state delegation votes as a unit
and as the ruler orders it to. Thus
the votes that Prussia controls are
cast always as a unit and as the
King Of Prussia directs. The Bundles
rat is in reality an assembly of the
sovereigns of Germany. 1t is re-
sponsible to nothing on earth, and its
powers are very extensive. 1t is the
most important element of the legis-
lature as most legislation begins in it
its consent is necessary to all 1egisla.
ton, and every law passed by the
Reichstag is, after that, submitted to
1t for ratification or rejection. It is.
therefore, the chief source Of legisla'
ton. The Princes of Germany have
an absolute veto upon the only pop.
uIar element in the government, the
Reichstag. Representing the Princes
OF Germany, the Bundesrat il a thor
oughly ~monarchical institution, a bull
wark of the m~onarchical order. The
proceedings Of this princely assembly
are secret which is n reason why
we know and hear less about it than
we do about the Reichstag.
Much less important than the Bun.
esrat is the Reichstag the only pop
puIar element in the government oil
the Empire. 1t consists of 397 mem
bers, elected for a term of five years
by the voters; that is, by men 25
years OF age or older. The powers Of
the Reichstag are vastly inferior tt
the powers of the House of Commons
or the Chamber Of Deputies or the
House OF Representatives. While it, in
conjunction with the Bundesrat, votes
the appropriations, certain ones, not
ably those for the army, are voted
for a period of years. It's consent is
required for new taxes, whereas tax
es previously levied continue to be
collected without the consent Of Par
lament being again secured.
The Reichstag has no power t.
make or unmake ministries, in
other words, to control the executive
the Emperor. 1t may reject the meas
ures demanded by he Government, il
may vote what amounts to a lack OF
confidence in the Chancellor, but te
the Chancellor it makes notoriousl,
little difference As long Is he en-
joys the confidence Of the Emperor
ne continues on his way. Bismark
was fond OF repeating from the trib.
une that he was not the servant Of
the Reichstag, but exclusively OF the
Crown. The imperial will determines
the fate, the rise and fall of the
Chancellor.
Bethmann.HoIlweg was the EN-
peror's man in body and soul. NJ
velIeity OF independence ever surged
UP In that submissive bosom. a
bureaucrat of 40 years standing, I'D.
vancing by regular graduation from
the lowest rungs Of the administra.
tive ladder to the highest, his view
remained the same, his gaze was at
every stage riveted solely upon his
superior, and his superior never was
the Reichstag. His source OF in.
spiration was in the schloss, not i
the benches OF the popularity elected
legislature. Bethmann-Hollweg was
sometimes frank, frank to the point
of rudeness. Gentlemen" he said
at the beginning Of his chancellor
ship, 81 do not serve Parliament
and was loudly a%ppIauded for his in
science by the members of the o
sentative parties of the Parliament
thus q victim of the proud mans con
tunlely. And he ended this scornfui
speech with the statement that there
was one role which he absolutely re.
fused to play. that Of the servant Of
the peoples representatives. Beth
mann-Hollweg, who has curiously been
considered a Liberal by some ill.in-
formed and putative American Lfber-
ais. had the perit Of great clarity in