The Rudolf Steiner Archive

The first week of the Austrian budget debate is over. Its course was more turbulent and stormy than the calm and perhaps resigned tone of the first speakers had led one to expect. Even the speech by Dr. Gregr, a member of parliament, provoked a sustained movement due to its passionate, anti-government policy. But it was left to Dr. Lueger, this democrat from case to case, to provoke a scandal with his ugly suspicions of the Left, the like of which has rarely been seen even in this House of Representatives. Under the impression of a most undignified scene, the House proceeded to the vote on the disposition fund. The still doubtful votes of the Coronini Club now joined with those of the opposition and the Young Czechs, some Poles did the same, and the disposition fund was brought down. However, Count Taaffe quietly remained minister.

On the 23rd, the meeting between Emperor Franz Josef and Queen Victoria of England took place. Not only the Austrian, but also the German and English newspapers devoted extremely sympathetic reports to it. The same applies to the Queen's visit to Charlottenburg and Berlin.

The news about the health of the German Emperor Frederick is more favorable again and raises the hope that he will survive the current crisis happily.

In France, Boulanger is still the hero of the day and of the street. His first appearance in the Chamber, which was awaited with excitement and apprehension, did not, of course, turn out to be a victory for the plebiscitary general. He was just able to cope when the Floquet ministry received a vote of confidence by 379 votes to ı77, the tip of which was directed against the future dictator. Confidence was expressed in the government that it would be able to firmly uphold the republican institutions and implement the policy of progress, reform and freedom demanded by the country. However, this victory for the ministry is unlikely to last long and will not yet eliminate the danger to the Republic, as the opportunists and the Senate are once again suspicious of Floquet for raising the issue of constitutional revision.

It is now clear to what influence the peasant unrest in Romania, which is already in full decline, is attributable. The official "Telegraphul" publishes a sharp attack against the Russian envoy Hitrovo. Bucharest is expecting Hitrovo's dismissal.

The peasant riots in Bulgaria, which were also staged under the Russian protectorate, were also nipped in the bud by the government's energy. "There is probably no improvement in the political situation," said Stambulov in a political interview, "but it is perhaps better that the crisis lasts longer, as the Prince will in time be able to obtain legal sanction all the more easily."

The Taaffe ministry had a difficult time last week. The governing party acted as if it had no ill will to deny Mr. von Gautsch the teaching budget. It could easily have come to that if the opposition had not shirked its duty. However, the majority of the German-Austrian Club went over to the pro-government camp and thus saved the Taaffe Ministry, or at least the Minister for Culture and Education. However, it is very doubtful whether the cabinet will be able to enjoy its victory. The Liechtenstein school application and the Spiritus Act will apparently still cause the government a lot of trouble, and it remains to be seen whether the cabinet will be able to cope with them in the future. There is little to be said about other events in the Austrian parliament. The thirst for scandal is increasing from day to day. One committee of disapproval follows another. This is the activity of the Austrian House of Representatives, for which the people will know little gratitude.

The great disgruntlement that the appointment of General Bogdanovich has caused in the German Empire continues. While in Germany they avoid any occasion that could somehow offend the Tsar's sensibilities, in Russia there is little understanding for a similar concession. It is understandable that this appointment of General Bogdanovich, which is at least untimely, has given fresh impetus to the Boulangist movement in France, which seemed to be on the wane of late. The republican papers are now launching a campaign against the ministers Lockroy and Freycinet, who refused to sign the manifesto of the deputies and senators of the Seine against Boulanger. The declaration of the Council of Ministers that Lockroy and Freycinet did not have to sign the manifesto because the Ministry was in solidarity in all its actions and Floquet's declarations in Parliament on Boulangism were sufficient, apparently made little impression. The first edition of Boulanger's book "L'invasion allemande", in which he "analyzed and studied the events and men of 1870", is due to be published in the next few days. 2½ million copies of the book would be distributed free of charge.

Now England is also arming. The Minister of War, Stanhope, has introduced a bill to improve national defense, which was adopted by the House of Commons at first reading. Everywhere in Europe people are bowing to the iron commandment: si vis pacem, para bellum.

The Italian Prime Minister has thoroughly shone a light on the "irredenta" on the Apennine peninsula. In a significant speech, he emphasized that Italy was allied with Germany and Austria, but only because this was in Italy's best interests. Crispi also admitted that in addition to Italy's alliance with Germany and Austria, there was also an alliance between Italy and England.

Everything is quiet on the Balkan peninsula. Prince Ferdinand of Bulgaria arrived in Tirnova and was received with enthusiastic cheers. At a banquet organized in his honour, the Prince gave a speech in which he referred to Bulgaria's moral strength, which gave him hope that it would soon become independent of all harmful foreign influences. "This strength instills in me," the Prince concluded his speech, "a strong confidence in Bulgaria's bright future."

The health of Emperor Frederick continues to be very favorable. On the 24th, the marriage of Prince Heinrich to Princess Irene of Hesse, the granddaughter of Queen Victoria of England, took place in Charlottenburg. On the 27th, Prince Bismarck returned to Berlin from Varzin. On the 26th, the Prussian House of Representatives held its last session, in which the Volksschullastengesetz was adopted in accordance with the resolutions of the Herrenhaus. During the hearing on the election review, Richter made a sharp speech against the behavior of the conservative and national-liberal press in the Chancellor crisis and towards the Empress, so that the conservatives and national-liberals felt compelled to protest most vigorously against these accusations. In response to an article in the "Moskauer Zeitung", the "Norddeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung" and other publications close to Prince Bismarck published fierce articles against Russia's hostile behavior towards Germany in political and economic matters; at the same time, the necessity of countermeasures was emphasized. There was even talk of customs reprisals against the Tsarist Empire. For the time being, however, it was only to remain a threat.

The budget debate in the Austrian House of Representatives was closed on the 25th after Deputy Derschatta attacked the Minister of Justice in a fierce speech on account of the secret land register regulations for the Graz Higher Regional Court and Deputy Pernerstorfer pointed out the glaring abuses in Galician court practice. The bill concerning the subsidization of the Austro-Hungarian Lloyd was adopted. The Spirits Tax Act is currently the subject of negotiations. On May 26, Tisza replied to Helfy's interpellation concerning the participation of Hungarian industrialists in the Paris World Exhibition by stating that the state could not grant any support to the exhibitors and that he advised against any participation at all. Understandably, this speech caused a great stir in Paris and people were looking for Tisza's political motives.

In France, an assembly was convened by Clemenceau, Ranc and Joffrin, which decided to form a "Society of Human Rights". The republic was to be "protected against dictatorial desires". The number of voices against Boulanger also appeared to be increasing. The German imperial government decreed that all foreigners arriving in Alsace from France must be provided with a passport certified by the German embassy in Paris. This measure was justified by the activities of the French revanchist party. A number of other provisions sought to regulate the stay of French nationals in Alsace.

Prince Ferdinand of Bulgaria arrived in Sofia on the 27th; the reception was most splendid. Princess Clementine arrived on the 29th for the Prince's name day (which falls on the 30th). Great festivities are planned for this day.

In England, a British East African Society, which aims at the further exploration and civilization of Africa, was founded and granted the right by the government to levy customs duties and taxes and to organize an armed force.

At the forefront of events is the resignation of Puttkamer on the 8th. We shed light on this event in a leading position. The information circulated so far about the possible successor is based only on combinations. The appointment of the latter has probably been delayed due to the Emperor's state of health, which has unfortunately deteriorated regrettably in the last few days.

On the 9th, the delegation session opened in Pest. The following bills were submitted to the delegates: the joint estimate for 1889, the extraordinary credit for the troops in Bosnia, the supplementary credits of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Navy, the special credit for military precautionary measures, a bill concerning the extension of credits for the Navy, the final accounts for 1886, the statement of expenditure for 1887 and the Bosnian budget. The net requirement resulting from these bills is 192 million. If the amount of 17.6 million is deducted from this, which is made available to the joint government in case of urgent need - it must obtain the agreement of the Austrian and Hungarian governments for any use - the considerable sum of 175 million still remains. Approximately 96% of this is accounted for by military expenses and 29.7 million by the extraordinary armaments credit (of which ı6 million has already been used following the decision of the Crown Council at Christmas). The ordinary requirements of the army amounted to 115.9 million, the extraordinary 23.1 million and the Bosnian occupation credit 4.5 million. These figures shed all too bright a light on the political situation in Europe, which is touched upon in the Emperor's address to the delegations with the following words: "The relations of the monarchy with the foreign powers are of a thoroughly friendly character; but if, in spite of this, my government is compelled, in its dutiful care for the security of our frontiers and the promotion of our military strength, to draw on considerable credits, the reason for this lies mainly in the continuing uncertainty of the political situation in Europe." Our governments use words to express their hopes and figures to express their fears.

The Crown Prince and Crown Princess have traveled to Bosnia and arrived in Serajevo today.

A conflict has broken out between Italy and the Sultan of Zanzibar; the Sultan has refused to implement the treaty concluded with Italy by his predecessor, which decreed the cession of the coast between Cape Delgado and the Equator to Italy.

The University of Bologna celebrated its eighth centenary on the 12th of this month.

A surprising event is the fall of the Egyptian Prime Minister Nubar Pasha, which seems to have come as a surprise even to England, where people were used to seeing him as the promoter of English interests. The immediate cause is said to be the reforms that Nubar demanded with regard to the land tax and the agricultural system, for which Nubar was unable to obtain support from the English representative Baring, who had long been his opponent. The deeper reason, however, was probably the opposition of France to Nubar, which the latter had provoked by his intended suppression of the French journal in Egypt "Bosphore" a few years ago, as well as by a statement he is said to have made about France, which "since 1870 has been a corpse that can be trampled underfoot". France seems to have played a part in his downfall.

On the 12th, elections were held in Belgium to renew half of the members of the Chamber and Senate. The Liberals suffered a complete defeat. Not only did they not win a single seat, they even lost two. A run-off election between the candidate of the moderate Liberals and the Independents is necessary in Brussels.

Prince Ferdinand of Bulgaria is about to decide on the Popov trial. He did not immediately confirm the court-martial verdict, but returned the case files to the Minister of War with the explanation that he still had to consider the matter. The reports that the Ministry had split into two parties, one or the other of which, depending on the Prince's decision, wished to resign, were declared by the "Agence Havas" to be fictitious. The Prince and Princess Clementine intend to spend some time in Eastern Rumelia.

When it was announced to the world on Friday the 15th that Emperor Frederick had died, a wave of profound emotion ran through the world. Everywhere it was felt what Frederick could have been to the German people if the treacherous illness had not prevented him. No one can hide the fact that this emperor on the throne would have represented an ethical greatness that would have given rise to the greatest hopes. Voices from all parts of the world are pouring in, expressing the deepest sympathy for the noble ruler. The funeral took place on Monday morning at ½II o'clock. Wilhelm II addressed the army for the first time after his accession to the throne. We will only highlight the most striking passages: "In the army, the firm, unbreakable allegiance to the warlord is the legacy that passes from father to son, from generation to generation; and I also refer to my grandfather, the image of the glorious and venerable warlord, as it cannot be thought of more beautifully and appealing to the heart; to my dear father, who already earned a place of honor in the army as crown prince... I vow to be mindful that the eyes of my ancestors look down upon me."

The proclamation of the new King of Prussia is reproduced here as his most important proclamation:

To my people! God's decree has once again imposed upon us the most painful mourning. Now that the tomb over the mortal remains of my unforgettable grandfather has barely closed, my beloved father's majesty has also been recalled from this temporality to eternal peace. The heroic energy arising from Christian submission, with which he was able to fulfill his royal duties despite his suffering, seemed to give room for the hope that he would remain with the Fatherland for a longer time. God decided otherwise. The royal sufferer, whose heart beat for all that was great and beautiful, was given only a few months to exercise on the throne the noble qualities of mind and heart that had won him the love of his people. The virtues that adorned him, the victories he once won on the battlefields, will be gratefully remembered as long as German hearts beat, and everlasting fame will glorify his chivalrous figure in the history of the Fatherland.

Called to the throne of my fathers, I have taken over the government looking up to the King of all kings and have vowed to God, following the example of my fathers, to be a just and mild prince to my people, to cultivate piety and the fear of God, to protect peace, to promote the welfare of the country, to be a helper to the poor and afflicted, and a faithful guardian of justice.

When I ask God for strength to fulfill these royal duties that his will imposes on me, I am supported by the trust in the Prussian people that the retrospect of our history grants me. In good days and in bad, the Prussian people have always been loyal to their King. I also count on this loyalty, the bond of which has proved unbreakable towards my fathers in every difficult time and danger, in the knowledge that I repay it wholeheartedly as the loyal prince of a loyal people, both equally strong in their devotion to the common fatherland.

From this awareness of the reciprocity of love that binds me to my people, I take confidence that God will grant me the strength and wisdom to exercise my royal office for the good of the Fatherland.

Potsdam, June 8, 1888, Wilhelm.

The Imperial Diet is convened by imperial decree on Monday, June 25. The Emperor himself will open it with a speech from the throne.

In Austria, it is the delegations that are currently the focus of political interest. It is worth mentioning above all the friendly and deeply political manner in which the alliance with Germany is being treated by the Hungarian statesmen, so that Count Kalnoky could rightly say that it had hardly happened before that an act of state concluded in secret had been brought into the public eye in this way and welcomed with such universal approval. Reference was also made to the importance of the alliance with Italy, and it must certainly also give satisfaction that Kalnoky was able to say that the conclusion of the last trade treaty with that empire, which placed trade relations on a secure footing, had shown how the leading Italian statesman, Crispi, was directing policy with energy and enlightened understanding towards the closest possible union of his country with Germany and Austria-Hungary. With regard to the political situation in Europe, we have probably learned nothing new. Count Kalnoky also emphasized that none of the causes which last winter and earlier had made peace appear endangered had diminished. The concerns arise not only from the conditions on the Balkan peninsula, but rather from the general Eutopean situation, from the balance of power in the individual states and the profound differences of opinion not so much between the cabinets as between the populations. As far as Bulgaria was concerned, Austria-Hungary's sympathy for Prince Ferdinand was clear enough, and the only obstacle to official recognition of the latter by the Monarchy was the fact that Turkey, which was entitled to take the initiative, had not yet done so. - During the discussion of the war budget, Reich Minister of War Bauer emphasized that in future more care should be taken in the training schools to cultivate the Hungarian language among officers, but that this should not be detrimental to the common army language. The ordinance was approved unanimously.

The reception that the Austrian Crown Prince and Princess received throughout Bosnia was extremely gratifying.

According to the latest news, Prince Ferdinand of Bulgaria is likely to settle the Popov affair in a manner favorable to the latter. The ministers seem to agree with the Prince's will, and there can no longer be any talk of a cabinet crisis. The Prince departs with Princess Clementine for Philippopel, where Prime Minister Stambulov awaits him.

The run-off elections in Belgium gave the Catholics all eight seats in the Senate and one in the Chamber.

In Madrid, a ministerial crisis took place as a result of differences between the influential Marshal Martinez Campos and the Minister of War, whose military reform was opposed by the latter. The newly formed Sagasta cabinet declared in the Chamber that it only wanted to be a continuation of the previous one.

On Monday Wilhelm II spoke to the German people in the Reichstag and on Wednesday in the Prussian House of Representatives. They were words that are capable of creating clarity in every direction. The new ruler proclaimed that he was determined "as Emperor and King to follow the same paths on which his blessed grandfather had found the trust of his allies, the love of the German people and the benevolent recognition of foreign countries". For us Germans in Austria, the Emperor's words about the German-Austrian alliance are of particular importance: "Our alliance with Austria-Hungary is generally known. I adhere to it with German loyalty, not merely because it has been concluded, but because I see in this defensive alliance a basis of European equilibrium, as well as a legacy of German history, the content of which is supported today by the public opinion of the entire German people and corresponds to the traditional European law of nations, as it was undisputedly valid until 1866." These words emanate from a profound understanding of the circumstances, so in keeping with the spirit of Germanness and its historical development, that they must make a strong impression on every German and evoke deep satisfaction. The Emperor's declarations on foreign policy are thoroughly reassuring. Everywhere in Europe the words of the new ruler of the Germans were greeted in the most sympathetic manner.

The Austro-Hungarian delegations have almost finished their work. The Austrian delegation has already completed all the bills in the second reading, and the 47 million credit requested for extraordinary army expenses has been adopted unanimously. It will therefore probably be possible to conclude the session on Thursday. Against the 47 million credit, the delegates argued that in future those expenses which are to be regarded as permanent should be included in the ordinary army requirement, and that the lump-sum credits, which are beyond the control of the parliament, should not become too high. Apponyi's words in the Hungarian delegation concerning the transformation of Austria's passive policy on the Balkan question into an active one are noteworthy. Austria-Hungary should not sit back and watch Russia's policy on the Balkan peninsula, but should use all its influence to bring about legal recognition of the actual existing conditions. Kalnoky's speech in the delegations' budget debate, which firmly denied that Austria was thinking of any conquests on the Balkan peninsula, caused a change of attitude against Austria in Greece, where it had not been understood until then that Russia and not Austria was the enemy of the free development of the Balkan peoples.

Prince Ferdinand of Bulgaria is still facing the condemnation of Popov as an unresolved issue. The latest news seems to indicate that the matter will be resolved without a ministerial crisis.

The Boulangists are divided among themselves, Michelin and his comrades will henceforth only follow the General if he accepts the radical program they have drawn up. The French Council of Ministers rejected the Institut de France's request to lift the Duc d'Aumale's banishment.

In Spain, the Chamber rejected an amendment concerning Spain's official participation in the Paris Universal Exhibition.

On June 8, the House of Lords passed the Salisbury Bill to reform the House of Lords. The Bill empowers the Queen to appoint no more than five peers for life each year, three of whom must have held a senior position of state and the remaining two must otherwise be of public importance. The total number of peers may never exceed fifty.

In Belgrade on June 24, at the banquet organized in honour of the Cabinet, King Milan made a toast containing remarkable political statements. The King said that only the errors committed in Serbia's politics in the last seventy years have recently led to the dismissal of a ministry based on the trust of the people.

Emperor Wilhelm II's two speeches from the throne were received throughout Europe in the most favorable way imaginable, including in Russia and even in France. If one disregards a few Russian newspaper voices, which are disgruntled by the sharp emphasis on the unity of Germany and Austria-Hungary, it is clear that the new ruler is greeted in the most sympathetic manner in the Tsarist Empire. The meeting between Emperor Wilhelm and the Tsar, which will take place in the middle of July, will certainly contribute to strengthening those relations which the Emperor described in his speech from the throne as a special need of the heart.

On July 2, Puttkamer was succeeded by Undersecretary of State von Herrfurth. The new Minister of the Interior is not affiliated with any of the parliamentary parties, but is an experienced civil servant. This appointment shows the amount of political insight the new Emperor has at his disposal. In Germany, the realization of this seems to be gaining ground. The German federal princes are said to have particularly emphasized the extraordinary impressions they received from the manly seriousness and great political tact of William II, and Prince Bismarck, according to the unanimous reports of the German newspapers, could not emphasize enough to some Prussian Pairs the devotion of the ruler, his firmness of will and calmness.

The National Liberals decided not to renew the cartel with the Conservatives.

The Austro-Hungarian delegations closed their meetings on June 28. The delegates, correctly recognizing the dubious European situation, approved all the demands of the army administration, but not without emphasizing that they had now reached a level beyond which they could no longer go; they had made the utmost demands on the taxpayers' ability to pay. A look at the delegation negotiations reveals a pleasing picture as far as Austria's orientation policy is concerned. The agreement of our Foreign Office to the situation in Bulgaria and the emphasis on Greece's claims to its free development are proof that Austria knows what the Balkan peoples want.

On July 1, Count Apponyi gave a speech to his constituents in which he explained the motives that guided the delegations when they gave their consent to the high demands of the joint government: "We want peace and are firmly convinced that determination will secure peace, but wavering will lead to war."

In the German Association in Prague, Prof. Knoll gave a speech on the political situation. He rebuked the behavior of the Germans in the last part of the session in several ways; in particular, he turned against the Viennese pseudo-democrats and the anti-Semites.

The ambassador in London, Count Karolyi, took permanent retirement on June 20.

On 28 June Pope Leo XIII issued an encyclical in which he decisively condemned the idea of freedom advocated by the moderns and constructed a "true concept of freedom" in the spirit of the Church, which does credit to his scholastic sophistry but is decidedly alien to modern consciousness.

Prince Ferdinand of Bulgaria confirmed Popov's sentence and subsequently pardoned him. In this way, he satisfied the two opposing parties in the ministry and resolved a difficult issue in a way that was most favorable to the country. Some of Popov's friends were arrested for demonstrating.

The Salisbury ministry has happily withstood the onslaught of opposition. Morley's vote of censure was rejected by the House by 366 votes to 273.

In France, the Floquet ministry is in a bind. It cannot stand up to the opportunists in the Chamber. The Chamber of Deputies accepted the motion against the Ministry that the Budget Commission could only take decisions if 17 members were present. The second defeat was the election of the Budget Commission itself, in which the opportunists were represented by 20 members and the government supporters by 13. In addition, Rouvier, Gambetta's Finance Minister, one of the most outstanding leaders of the opportunists, was appointed President of the Commission. Flourens interpellated on the 3rd because of the affair in Carcassonne, where the Maire defied the orders of the judiciary and is said to have compromised the government; but the cabinet received a vote of confidence.

In the United States, Cleveland of the Democrats and Harrison of the Republicans are now the final candidates for the presidency.

Emperor Wilhelm will depart on July 5 and arrive in Peterhof on July 20. Count Herbert Bismarck will accompany the Emperor

On Friday a Crown Council took place under the chairmanship of the Emperor, in which the latter called upon the Councillors of the Crown to be devoted to him in the same way as his father and grandfather, and in which he said that he wished to govern exactly in the spirit of his ancestors, that the Embassy of 1881 should be the basis of social legislation and the treaties with Austria and Italy those of foreign policy.

More and more reports emerged that the Minister of Education, Gautsch, was planning to allow Czech lawyers to take their state examinations in Bohemian if they renounced state appointments. The German National deputies Steinwender (in Villach), Bendel (in Reichenberg) and Richter (in Korneuburg) held voters' meetings to report to their constituents on their activities in the Reichsrat. The latter demanded that they leave the Reichsrat if the interests of the people were harmed in a similar way to the spirits tax law.

On July 5, news arrived that King Milan had intervened at the Serbian Synod to obtain a divorce from Queen Natalie. However, he finally agreed to a mere separation. This is linked to the demand that the crown prince be taken from his mother's side and brought up in the country. The Queen is currently in Wiesbaden, where she is to remain until the trial is concluded. The Bishop Demetrius of Nisch and the Minister of War Protic have gone to the Queen to reclaim the Crown Prince and initiate the divorce. The bishop has already traveled home to report to the synod on his unsuccessful mission, while Protic has remained in Wiesbaden to bring the crown prince to Serbia once the matter has been decided.

In France, the Senate adopted Article 37 of the Recruitment Act in its second reading, which sets the period of active service in the army at three years and the reserve service at six and a half years. The Count of Paris sent a manifesto to the communes in which he presented the monarchy as the stronghold of communal freedom. It was confiscated. On Sunday, General Boulanger gave a speech at a banquet in Rennes, in which he again declared the dissolution of the Chamber and the revision of the Constitution to be a necessity. On ıo. a banquet was held in Saint-Sevant in Boulanger's honor.

In the House of Commons, Fenwick moved a motion to reintroduce parliamentary allowances for deputies, which Gladstone supported. The motion was defeated by 192 votes to 35. Parnell moved a motion to appoint a committee to investigate the charges brought against the Irish leader. The large number of unfinished business will necessitate a fall session of parliament.

In the Netherlands, owing to the advanced age and weakened health of the King, a guardianship must be appointed for the young Princess Wilhelmine, who is to ascend the throne according to the law of succession, to be shared by the Queen and several distinguished Dutchmen. The chamber therefore convenes on the 16th of this month.

In Italy, the Senate approved the government bills concerning the railroads and financial measures. Prime Minister Crispi, then Ministers Magliani and Grimaldi are awarded the Grand Cross of the Austrian Order of Leopold.

It is reported from Sofia that the Minister of Finance has demanded that the government authorize the suspension of payments for the East Rumelian tribute because the Porte refuses to recognize the East Rumelian postal service and the operation of the Bellova-Vakarel line by the Bulgarian company. - Prince Ferdinand travels to Burgas and Varna with Duchess Clementine and Kalofer's suite. The officers arrested for the Popov demonstration were set free.

Emperor Wilhelm began his journey to Russia on July 3rd with a large entourage, arriving in Kiel on Saturday morning to continue his journey by sea on the imperial yacht "Hohenzollern". The Emperor's meeting with the Tsar is to take place at sea on Thursday the 19th. On the same day, the German monarch will arrive in Kronstadt, where he will reside during his stay in Russia.

The character of Emperor Wilhelm is illuminated in an interesting way by a recently published essay by his former tutor Hinzpeter.

The German political association of Saaz held a traveling meeting in Kolleschowitz on the 15th, at which Deputy Krepek gave his report. He strongly criticized the government's financial measures and regretted that nothing was being done to remedy the sad situation of the farmers. On July 9, Representative Steinwender presented his report to his constituents in Bleiberg-Kreuth, where he sharply attacked the government's approach to the liquor tax issue. The annual meeting of the German Association took place in Brno on July 16 under the chairmanship of Promber, a member of the Reichsrat. At this meeting, the association's efforts were described as being guided by the motto: "National, loyal to the state and united"; the Liechtenstein school proposal was rejected in the most decisive manner.

The Serbian crown prince has returned to his homeland. Queen Natalie had to hand over her son at the determined request of the German authorities. Queen Natalie stayed in Vienna from Sunday evening until Tuesday and left from here for Paris.

It is reported from Sofia that Zankoff will soon return to Bulgaria from Constantinople and will offer his hand for an understanding between himself and Stambulov.

On the 12th, Boulanger submitted a new motion in the French Chamber for a revision of the constitution and the dissolution of the Chamber. The manner in which he did so, and the outrageous insults he hurled in the faces of his opponents, caused quite a stir. Finally, the general handed over the letter he had brought with him, stating that he was resigning his seat. The result of Boulanger's appearance was a duel with swords between Floquet and Boulanger, in which the latter was seriously wounded in the neck.

On the 13th, the unveiling of the Gambetta monument took place on Carousel Square. Floquet gave a speech highlighting Gambetta's importance. Freycinet particularly praised the steadfastness that Gambetta maintained at all stages of the war and the dedication with which he devoted himself to the army.

On July 14, the celebration of the 99th anniversary of the storming of the Bastille took place in Paris. President Carnot gave a speech to the assembled maires in which he declared that the destiny of modern France could not be separated from the Republic.

In the English House of Lords, Argyll moved a vote of confidence in the government for its policy towards Ireland. This was passed unanimously.

In the last ten days of July, the celebration of the nine hundredth anniversary of Christianity in Russia takes place in Kiev. A few days ago, a ukase was published by the Tsar, which significantly changes the existing military law. The total period of service will now be ı8 years, five years in the active army and 13 in the reserve. As a result, the Russian army increased from 500,000 to 600,000 men.

In Austria, the budget debate is less and less what it wants to be and should be according to an old custom: a true reflection of the views prevailing in the state, of the diverse political, national and economic forces. This year more than ever we had to lament the lack of great political ideas in our parties and the concealment of this lack through the exclusive spending of political small change. We Germans are the worst sufferers. While our opponents are in possession of power and thus know how to assert their claims, even without basing them on sound political principles, we are dependent on the way we represent our cause to give us the influence we deserve.

The Germans in Austria have experienced a peculiar fate in recent times. The time is not so far behind us when there was practically no national German party. As long as the leadership of the state was in their hands, the Germans pondered an abstract ideal of the state, which was simply based on the liberal template. They ignored the actual circumstances. It was believed that the spirit of the people could be guided by the idea, forgetting that the guiding raison d'état had to spring from the spirit of the people in reverse. There could be no question of favoring the German element, if only because no thought was given to the individuality of the people. One member of parliament even said at the time that the German and any other existing nationality was irrelevant for the Austrian state, which would have to adopt a purely Austrian nationality(!). But when the government passed into other hands, the German people soon found that liberalism could not be the appropriate weapon to effectively counter the onslaught from all sides. The national idea, of which very little had been incorporated into the principles of the liberal party, had to be called upon to help. Do not misunderstand us. We do not want to fall into the error of many of our younger politicians, who would prefer to deny the importance of this party altogether. We do not misjudge the amount of spirit that rests in this party, we know quite well that the factual work of parliament is mostly carried out by it; but there can be no doubt that it has never grasped the cultural mission that is incumbent on the German people in Austria. To mention just one thing: how miserable it is when nothing but purely utilitarian reasons (for official communication, etc.) are put forward time and again in favor of the German state language. This party lacks understanding for the fact that the non-German peoples of Austria, in order to reach that level of education which is a necessary requirement of modern times, must absorb what the German spirit and German labor have created, and that the level of education of a people cannot be reached in any other language than the language of the people concerned. What has no past has no future. If the peoples of Austria want to compete with the Germans, then they must above all catch up with the process of development that the Germans have undergone, they must acquire German culture in the German language, just as the Romans did with Greek education in Greek, and the Germans with Latin education in Latin. The process of development of the peoples, which is a necessary result of history, should be the point of view from which, for example, the struggle for the establishment of Slavic educational institutions is waged. But how petty these battles have often been waged by the liberal party! The liberals regarded the national cause only as a means of promoting liberalism. This forced the German people to form a party in which the national idea was paramount and which sought all its strength in the roots of the nation. Great were the hopes we all placed in the men who, as the embodiment of this idea, entered the House of Representatives and formed the German Club. Now, we thought, it must be shown what the German is capable of when he relies entirely on his Germanness, but only on this. And who could doubt that this ability would be great if it were only expressed in the right way? But if we ask ourselves now, after the proponents of this idea have had a number of years to demonstrate their strength, does the success even somewhat meet our expectations? then we must answer: no, decidedly not. The reason for this phenomenon is to be found in the fact that the German idea has not entered Parliament at the same time as the men. If it had, then its representatives, once they had united to form a closer alliance, would not have been allowed to separate again so easily. The German idea in its true form must prove strong enough to push all personal special interests, indeed all subordinate political interests, and finally the often petty interests of certain constituencies into the background. The fact that it was not able to do so in the German Club simply shows that the figure represented there was not the right one. And where has it ever been voiced in the House, where has a more important state action been placed in its perspective? For example, we placed the greatest hopes on Representative Steinwender. When did he fulfill them? We are referred to the Pino case. What Steinwender did there may be quite meritorious: it was not a national act; it was even quite indifferent to the national cause. Indeed, it seems to us that much of what this member of parliament put forward belonged anywhere but in parliament. The same applies to Mr. Pernerstorfer's best-known action, his hospital story. We have often admired the manly demeanor of this Member of Parliament, but he has hardly ever touched on the highest national interests of the Germans. Knotz treats the national question as if the Bohemian governorship were the only issue in question. In our opinion, this is not national politics after all, it is simply parochial politics, and there is no need to wonder that the ruling system cannot be shaken in this way. From the very beginning we did not like the fact that the German Club relied almost entirely on negations instead of the positive national idea. There was far too much focus on combating the mistakes that had previously been made, instead of improving the cause itself. Fighting those who thought differently gradually became the main thing, and defending one's own ideas took a back seat. Instead of uniting in what they had in common and moving with their special interests within the framework made necessary by a great cause, they allowed themselves to be driven as far apart as possible by differences that had nothing to do with the main issue.

Today we have Herbstians, Plenerians, Sturmians, Steinwendians, Schönerians, etc., who all know what divides them, but who pay no attention to what unites them. This is because they do not understand how to subordinate personal interests to objective interests. They do not realize that one does not become a statesman by putting forward purely subjective, arbitrary views, but by placing oneself at the service of a great idea that is well suited to dominate the times. The man has to serve the idea, not the idea the man. Otherwise one is simply swept away by historical development as a zero, for in the end ideas always prove to be stronger than men. The German party lacks that great trait which alone could exert the right effect on the opponent. Unfortunately, we also lack a journalistic representation of the national cause in the sense indicated. Apart from the weak means with which we dedicate ourselves to the cause, there is no organ today that works in this direction. But it is precisely a journal that is independent of all parliamentary parties that could be of most use to the cause. Such a journal, indeed only such a journal, could allow itself an independent critique of all parties.