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Show B SOCIALISTS OF GERMANY. B T"6 Socialists have made large gains in the elections in Ger- B many. They have won seats from thc Liberals and Conservatives B and now 2ivo Promiso of bcins M strono as tu&y wer m 190?' . B The Socialists of Germany differ somewhat from the Socialists B of America in that they have a well-defined policy and place hm- H itations on their demands as to industrial changes, although as a B political force, working within a monarchy, they arc comparatively H more radical than the Socialists of this country. Here arc a few H of their principles: H Abolition of the monarchy. B Abolition of the bundesrath and thc upper houses of the state H Bej?islatures. B Abolition of thc standing army and creation of national guard. B Responsibility of thc cabinets to the parliaments. B Election of all officers by popular vote. HI Initiative, referendum and per capita representation to all H legislative bodies. H Nationalization of all means of production. BrN Heavier tax assessments of the great fortunes and incomes. B Manhood suffrage and ballot for women. H 1 Abolition of indirect taxes and of the duties on thc necessaries H i of life. H Shortening of hours of labor by law. t Prohibition of child labor. ".;'.'; " Hh Stringent women labor laws. Hi Compulsory better safety devices. V Creation of industrial courts on broader lines. H, Improved inspection of industrial plants and home industries. H Home rule for the communities. Br The Socialists of Germany would make fairly good reformers fl In thc United States; they are, in fact, advocates of a republican H form of government. With Germany marching onward toward a H better government, with one of its moat successful parties cham- B pioning greater reforms than any party in thc "United States, it be- H gins to look as though this country is no longer the only cradle of Hj liberty. j There arc forty parties in Germany, but only live nave an B large foUowing, and they are thc Center, Conservatives, National Bl Liberals, Radicals and Socialists. The Socialists have no friends B om'ong the ot'her parties and arc hated, by thc emperor, who has B ' termed t'hem "the arch enemies of thc empire," Their growth has B oeen almost phenomenal. In 1S71 they polled 113,048 votes; in H 1877, 493,258; in 1890, 1,427,298, and in 1907, 3,258,000. This growth B nns comc 'm thc face of most dctermiucd opposition from the gov- B ornment, which suffers no Socialist to hold any important govcrn- H ment position or to receive any political honor, decoration or title. B Tlie Conservatives are, above all, a government party and the B representatives of the great landed proprietors of North Germany, B especially Prussia, thc eastern provinces of which form their strong- B hold. They are strongly monarchists, opposed to every step that B ma.v lea1 to a more direct participation of the common people in B governmental affairs and opposed to the general franchise, favoring - B instead "a franchise based upon the organic groups of the people." H The Center or Catholic party is thc strongest party numerically HI in thc Reichstag and has been the strongest almost without excep- M tion since 1874. From this it comes that thc Center has always held B the decisive vote on all questions and the government has always H had to reckon with it. Its moving principlo is the protection of the B interests of the Roman Catholic church and its equality before the m law with the evangelical or state church. It supports a high tariff m and since 1S98 has been a government party, allied with the Cpn- H servatives on all important questions and building thus what is H called the "black-blue block." 1 The National. Liberals, since thc formation of the black-blue Hj block, may be said to constitute a middle party, midway between M the extreme monarchists and the extreme democrats. Once the all- ' powerful party of Germany, whicti, supporting Bismarck, played an H important role in the formation of thc modern empire, the National M Liberals have fallen from a high estale. Hi The Radicals, who term themsolvgs, the "Progressive People's HI Party," arc made up of three previously existing radical factions B the Radical Peoplo's party, the Radical fLeague and thc German 1 People's party, all of which had delegates in thc last Reichstag. In H March, 1810, these three principal parties 'of thc left wcro united. H The Radicals arc an outgrowth of thc old Progressive party, which Hi "was organized-in 1848 by advocates of- free trade. The present M coalition advocates a systematic abolition of the protective tariff, H and equal rights for all citizens and all 'religions, with absolute re- HT ligious freedom for the individual. The program flatly demands a M "responsible, collogial imperial ministry" Peaceful arbitration of H all international disputes' is a cardinal point in the party program |