The Daily News FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVIII, Issue 81917, 1 February 1907, Page 2

The Daily News FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1.

GERMAN POLITICS.

The Jlonarcliial party seem to have established themselves 'much nun-.. ~..

cnreiy through the recent German elcc lions. This re,ull has come as u great surprise. If will be roineinleied Unit the Jteiehstaif was dissolved at the ins!am-e of tne Emperor, in the middle ol December last, owing to Junction of the House in rejectiiW a Hill providing for a grant for Hie pro-ecii--ion of tne campaign against the Hottentots in .South-West Africa.

The defeat of the Government pro posals was brought about bv the action of I lie party ca led the Centre who with the .Poles and llanov.Vaii' Gllolphs. voted with the See al I).- an cats. Two- divisions were taken: in the first there was a inajwilv agamst a compromise agreed t> bv . |,e Government, and in tne second' il.e Government proposms were ivjeilcd by 10 votes. The Ciiancellor, who has power* greater than tln.se of our i wn I'reuiier, anlicipa.iug a set-back, was armed with tne decree of .lissolulion, a prerogative of the Kmpuror. and the tone of tlr speech with whiiti hcj opened his remarks showed that he was determined to carry 'the Estimates or to make war on those who opposed ( him.

The public were aware of the cisis, and a great audience assembled in the House. According to the reports of the Home papers, no vacant place coual be found on the deputies' benches, while the slraugeivj' galleries presented the appearance of tiers at the opera house on a fasiiionabe first night. Many ladies inl'arision toilettes appeared to witness the historical scene. The air seined to be charged with electricity. Every one was fully aware that a cvitienl "moineiiV in the history of tin; Ccriuan Empire was at hand. To ipiole from a report: "U hen the division list was taken, and it was found that lluelow had been defeated, a terniic uproar arose; the Conservative, and otlier reactionary and jingo parties shouted with rage," while the (Social Deiuoera.s cheered. Tiie Clericals remained silent, tioverniuent and Opposition members shouted insults to each other. Even the occupants of the strangers' galleries shoul eil and cheered jn chorus. Suddenly, when j'rinee liuelow arose, the noise ceased, and such a deep silence followed Unit the drawing of the document dissolving Parliament from his breast pocket coual be heard. Prince Uuelow unfolded the paper and proceeded to read the Emperor's proc'a mation. Shouting and general uproar followed the formal dismissal of the liciclrstiig." During the afternoon that the debate took place Von liueio-., received a characteristic telegram f i ■the Emperor, slating that the (lovcrninenl would be despicably weak if it yielded in regard to such a matter.

"1 am resolved ,o drive the weoie gang (meaning ihe members of the Keich-' stag) to '' wired the Kaiser, who thus revealed his extseine wrath with the conduct ol the Parliamentary re prcscntalives of the nation, and regards the Ueichstag's vote as unpatriotic—almost as high treason—Mince it was directed against that policy which he himself is determined ,o pur sue.

The adverse vote was due in a great measure to the scandals connected with the administration of colonial all'airs. 31 embers had given many signs of tiieir dissatisfaction, not only in reluion to these scandals, but with I heir inlcifering Kaiser and the Imperial system generally,» They snowed a ilc-ire to lie free from its trammels and to con trol the policy of (he country them selves. The Government of the Herman Kmpire is hard to define. There is only one Imperial Minister - the Imperial Chancellor. The Federal Council, the preliminary approval of which is required for ad incasuios which are to be submitted ,o the Uolcaslag. consists of plenipoleniaries of | liedifferent Herman Stales. It i« ,ii;e the Jlritish Cabin.d in so far as L dis ciis,,-. and prepares the legishaou up on llllhll the Itch-in,!;!:: wdos. \ ;. like the British House „r 1,,,,-d.s i:i ih-il this legislation, iu the form of whica approval before being submitted for the Kmpcror's signature. The Rich stag ilself cannot initiate or amend legislation. It can oniv accept, rcj-ct. or amend legislative measures which are sent down to it by l!ie Federai Council as the body which rcpioseuu tiie Federated Govern ills of Cormany. In theory, doubtless, and. in deed according to the loiter of the Constitution, the FinpeiMr, tee Federal Council, and the Itoichstag are constitutional factors of equal slanding. In practice the Emperor and the Federal Council—factors which never differ, at least openly—are permanent instiiiii lions, while the lieichstng can be sent about its busiuos.- if it does not aeree with them, as it was in December'"

The Kaiser appears ,o have worked his cards sucec-sfiilly. n,. seem, to have lurneil the i.-Mic*constitiition-ibsm versus autocratism. tu one of "Lift'e" Ooriminy and "CoMmal'' Oermaiiv, and on the-e Imperial »r.,un.ls seems to have annihilated Jie parties who l ""'"l liis '■' lial policy. In tlie old J'arl i.-nl Ihe Social ' Democrats i iln-r<-il SI. Clericals Kill. ('„« servaiives .'id. National Liberals .11. Kadiculs 3(1. According to recent eables : the Social Democrats, Itidicals. and supporters of Constitutionalism have received a severe cheek. The (ierinaiis are a peculiar people. They are amongst (lie most advanced anil democratic people in the »urM, vet th w have always been most olieilieiit wren lirouglit to their hearings by. their Imperial ina-ler. whose sway is really more autocratic than the Czar's. Some day Ihe l.lernian people may strike for frceiloin.