Part 33
3. _Progressive_ (_Freisinnige_, literally, "free-minded").--This faction is a cession from the old Progressist Party of which La.s.salle was a member for a few months. They are Radicals of a very moderate type, and are opposed to the junker bureaucracy. There are two wings--the People's Party (_Freisinnige Volkspartei_) and the Progressive Union (_Freisinnige Vereinigung_). It is a const.i.tutional party, and has counted in its ranks such eminent scholars as Professor Virchow and Professor Theodor Mommsen. They are in favor of ministerial responsibility, are free traders of the Manchester type, opposed to state intervention and state insurance, but favor factory inspection, sanitation, and other social legislation. They are in favor of freedom in religion, trade, and education, and espouse ballot reform. They have a well-organized party, but do not seem effective in winning elections. They share, to some degree, with the Social Democrats the prejudice of the religious folk against free-thinking and religious lat.i.tudinarianism. It is the middle-cla.s.s party of protest against bureaucracy.
4. The _Center_, or Catholic Party, is a h.o.m.ogeneous, isolated, well-disciplined, inflexible group, dominated by loyalty to their religion. Whenever they have co-operated with the government it has been in return for favors shown. The ranks of this party were closed by the _Culturkampf_, which resulted in the expulsion of the Jesuit orders and the separation of the elementary schools from the Church.
The party is reactionary in politics and economics.
5. _Anti-Semitic._--The name discloses the ideals of a party inspired by dread and hatred of an element that comprises less than 1.5 per cent. of the population, and whose political disabilities were not all removed until 1850 in Prussia and 1869 in Mecklenburg. This party was formed in 1880, largely through the agitation of the Court Chaplain, Pastor Stocker, whose diatribes were peculiarly effective in Berlin, where some very disgraceful scenes were enacted by members of this party.
6. _Independent groups_ are formed by the various nationalities that are under subjection to German dominance. These are the Danish, Hannoverian, Alsace-Lorraine, and Polish groups. They usually are grouped with the Center.
7. There are also a number of independent members in the Reichstag.
They adhere loosely to the larger groups, but as a rule merit the name given them--_Wilden_, "wild ones."
The accompanying table (p. 297) shows the distribution of seats in the Reichstag, for the past thirty years.
2. SOME MODERN GERMAN ELECTION LAWS
_a.n.a.lysis of the New Election Law of Saxony_
_A._ One vote--every male 25 years of age.
_B._ Two votes, every male, as follows:
1. Those who have an annual income of over 1,600 marks ($400).
2. Those who hold public office or a permanent private position with an annual income of over 1,400 marks ($350).
3. Those who are eligible to vote for Landskulturrat (Agricultural Board) or Gewerbskammer (Chamber of Commerce) and from their business have an income of over 1,400 marks. (This includes merchants, landowners, and manufacturers.)
4. Those who are owners or beneficiaries of property in the kingdom from which they have an income of 1,250 marks ($312.50) a year, and upon which at least 100 tax units are a.s.sessed.
5. Those who own, or are beneficiaries of, land in the kingdom, to the extent of at least 2 hectares, devoted to agriculture, or forestry, or horticulture, or more than one-half hectare devoted to gardening or wine culture.
6. Those who have conducted such professional studies as ent.i.tle them to the one-year volunteer military service.
_C._ The following have three votes:
1. Those who have an income of over 2,200 marks ($550).
2. Those in division B, 2 and 3, who have an income from office or position of over 1,900 marks ($475).
3. Those who are not in private or public service and have a professional income of over 1,900 marks. (This includes lawyers, physicians, artists, engineers, publicists, authors, professors.)
4. Those in B, 4, whose income is over 1,600 marks ($400).
5. Those in B, 5, with 4 hectares devoted to agriculture, etc., and 1 hectare to gardening or wine culture.
_D._ The following have four votes:
1. Those who have an income of 2,800 marks ($700).
2. Those in B, 2 and 3, or in C, 3, with an income over 2,500 marks ($625).
3. Those in B, 4, with an annual income of over 2,200 marks ($550).
4. Those in B, 5, with 8 hectares devoted to agriculture or 2 hectares devoted to gardening or wine culture.
_E._ Voters over 50 years old have an extra vote (Alters-stimme), but no voter is allowed over four votes.
Sachsen-Altenburg, in 1908-9, modified its election laws as follows: The legislature is composed of 9 representatives elected by the cities; 12 by the rural districts; 7 by the highest taxpayers; one each by the Chamber of Commerce, the Board of Agriculture, the Craft guilds (Handwerks-kammer), and the Labor Council (Arbeiter-kammer).
The vigorous protest of the Social Democrats did not avail against the pa.s.sage of this law.
Saxe-Weimar recently modified its election law as follows: All citizens of communes were given the right to vote. The great feudal estates (165 persons in 1909) elect 5 representatives to the Diet; the rest of the highest taxpayers, i.e., those who have a taxable income of over 3,000 marks, elect 5. The University of Jena elects 1 member, the Chamber of Commerce 1, the Handwerks-kammer (Craft Guilds) 1, Landwirthschaftkammer (Agricultural Board) 1, the Arbeitskammer (Labor Council) 1. There are 38 members in the Diet: the remaining 23 are elected at large.
3. STATISTICAL TABLES
STATE INSURANCE IN GERMANY
_Industrial Insurance in Germany, 1908._
Sick benefits: Number insured 13,189,599 Men 9,880,541 Women 3,309,058 Income 365,994,000 marks Outlay 331,049,900 "
Accident Insurance: Number insured 23,674,000 Men 14,795,400 Women 8,878,600 Income 207,550,500 marks Outlay 157,884,700 "
Old-Age Pensions: Number insured 15,226,000 Men 10,554,000 Women 4,672,000 Income 285,882,000 marks Outlay 181,476,800 "
From 1885 to 1908 a total of 9,791,376,100 marks ($2,447,844,025) was paid out in industrial insurance. (Compiled from _Statistisches Jahrbuch des Deutschen Reiches_.)
LABOR UNIONS IN GERMANY
=================+===================+=============+====================== _Name of Union_
_Membership_
_No. of
_Amount in
Unions_
Treasury--Marks_ -----------------+---------+---------+------+------+----------+-----------
1908
1909
1908
1909
1908
1909 +---------+---------+------+------+----------+----------- Social Democratic
1,831,731
1,892,568
11,024
11,725
40,839,791
43,743,793 Hirsh-Duncker
105,633
108,028
2,095
2,102
4,210,413
4,372,495 Christian
264,519
280,061
3,212
3,856
4,513,409
5,365,338 Patriotic
16,507
9,957
69
91
57,786
24,858 "Yellow"
47,532
53,849
79
85
386,305
437,602 Independent*
615,873
654,240
1,357,802
1,655,325 -----------------+---------+---------+------+------+----------+----------- * This is a nondescript group of local organizations, containing (1909) 56,183 Poles, as well as the organization of railwaymen, telegraph operators, postal employees, all in the government service, and organized as friendly societies rather than as fighting bodies.
Government employees are not supposed to partic.i.p.ate in "Unionism."
Compiled from _Statistisches Jahrbuch des Deutschen Reiches_.
TABLE SHOWING VOTE CAST IN REICHSTAG ELECTIONS SINCE THE FOUNDING OF THE EMPIRE*
==========================+==========+==========+==========+==========+ Election Year
1871
1874
1877
1878
Population of Empire
40,997,000
42,004,000
43,610,000
44,129,000
Number of voters
7,656,000
8,523,000
8,943,000
9,128,000
Number who voted
3,885,000
5,190,000
5,401,000
5,761,000
Per cent. of vote cast
51.0
61.2
60.6
63.3
==========================+==========+==========+==========+==========+ Conservative
549,000
360,000
526,000
749,000
Imperial Conservative
346,000
376,000
427,000
786,000
Anti-Semites
...
...
...
...
Other Conservative Groups
...
...
...
...
Center
724,000
1,446,000
1,341,000
1,328,000
Guelphs
73,000
72,000
86,000
107,000
Danes
21,000
20,000
17,000
16,000
Poles
176,000
209,000
216,000
216,000
Alsatians
...
190,000
149,000
130,000
National Liberal
1,171,000
1,499,000
1,470,000
1,331,000
Other Liberal groups
281,000
98,000
89,000
69,000
Progressist or Radical
361,000
469,000
403,000
388,000
People's Party
50,000
39,000
49,000
69,000
Social Democrats
124,000
352,000
493,000
437,000
==========================+==========+==========+==========+==========+ ==========================+==========+==========+==========+==========+ Election Year
1881
1884
1887
1890
Population of Empire
45,428,000
46,336,000
47,630,000
49,241,000
Number of voters
9,090,000
9,383,000
9,770,000
10,146,000
Number who voted
5,098,000
5,663,000
7,541,000
7,229,000
Per cent. of vote cast
56.3
60.6
77.5
71.6
==========================+==========+==========+==========+==========+ Conservative
831,000
861,000
1,147,000
895,000
Imperial Conservative
379,000
388,000
736,000
482,000
Anti-Semites
...
...
12,000
48,000
Other Conservative Groups
...
...
...
66,000
Center
1,183,000
1,282,000
1,516,000
1,342,000
Guelphs
87,000
96,000
113,000
113,000
Danes
14,000
14,000
12,000
14,000
Poles
201,000
203,000
220,000
247,000
Alsatians
147,000
166,000
234,000
101,000
National Liberal
747,000
997,000
1,678,000
1,179,000
Other Liberal groups
429,000
...
...
...
Progressist or Radical
649,000
997,000
973,000
1,160,000
People's Party
108,000
96,000
89,000
148,000
Social Democrats
312,000
550,000
763,000
1,427,000
==========================+==========+==========+==========+==========+ ==========================+==========+==========+==========+ Election Year
1893
1898
1903
Population of Empire
50,757,000
54,406,000
58,629,000
Number of voters
10,628,000
11,441,000
12,531,000
Number who voted
7,674,000
7,753,000
9,496,000
Per cent. of vote cast
72.2
68.1
75.8
==========================+==========+==========+==========+ Conservative
1,038,000
859,000
935,000
Imperial Conservative
438,000
344,000
333,000
Anti-Semites
264,000
284,000
249,000
Other Conservative Groups
250,000
250,000
230,000
Center
1,469,000
1,455,000
1,866,000
Guelphs
106,000
109,000
101,000
Danes
14,000
15,000
15,000
Poles
230,000
252,000
354,000
Alsatians
115,000
107,000
127,000
National Liberal
997,000
984,000
1,338,000
Other Liberal groups
258,000
235,000
285,000
Progressist or Radical
666,000
558,000
538,000
People's Party
167,000
109,000
92,000
Social Democrats
1,787,000
2,107,000
3,011,000
==========================+==========+==========+==========+ ==========================+==========+=========== Election Year
1907
1912 Population of Empire
61,983,000
65,407,000 Number of voters
13,353,000
14,442,000 Number who voted
11,304,000
12,207,000 Per cent. of vote cast
84.7
84.5 ==========================+==========+=========== Conservative
1,099,000
1,126,000 Imperial Conservative
494,000
383,000 Anti-Semites
261,000
...
Other Conservative Groups
272,000
424,000 Center
2,159,000
1,991,000 Guelphs
94,000
91,000 Danes
15,000
17,000 Poles
458,000
448,000 Alsatians
107,000
157,000 National Liberal
1,696,000
1,723,000 Other Liberal groups
435,000} Progressist or Radical
744,000} 1,506,000 People's Party
139,000} Social Democrats
3,259,000
4,250,000 ==========================+==========+===========
* In round numbers. From Kurschner's _Deutscher Reichstag_, p. 24.
PARTY REPRESENTATION IN THE REICHSTAG
THE YEARS ARE THOSE OF GENERAL ELECTIONS--EXCEPTING 1911
--------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+ _Party or Faction._
1881
1884
1887
1890
1893
1898
--------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+ RIGHT Conservatives
50
76
80
72
67
53
German or Imperial
Conservatives
27
28
41
20
28
22
"Wild" Conservatives
1
2
--
1
5
4
Anti-Semites
--
--
1
5
16
14
League of Landowners
--
--
--
--
--
5
Bavarian Land League
--
--
--
--
4
5
--------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+ CENTER Center
98
99
98
106
96
102
Poles
18
16
13
16
19
15
Guelphs
10
11
4
11
7
9
Alsatians
15
15
15
10
8
10
Danes
2
1
1
1
1
1
"Wild" Clericals
2
--
--
--
--
--
--------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+ LEFT National Liberals
45
51
98
41
53
48
RADICALS United Progressives
47 }
{ 14
13
(Radicals)
} 64
32
64 {
Other Progressive
}
{
groups (Radicals)
59 }
{ 23
29
People's Party
8
7
--
10
11
8
"Wild" Liberals
3
3
3
5
1
3
--------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+ Social Democrats*
12
24
11
35
44
56
--------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+ --------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+ _Party or Faction._
1900
1903
1906
1907
1911
1912
--------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+ RIGHT
Conservatives
51
52
52
58
59
43
German or Imperial
Conservatives
20
19
22
22
25
14
"Wild" Conservatives
7
6
1
4
2
2
Anti-Semites
13
11
14
20 } 29
13
League of Landowners
4
3
4
7 }
Bavarian Land League
3
3
3
1
--
2
--------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+ CENTER
Center
102
100
100
104
103
90
Poles
14
16
16
20
20
18
Guelphs
7
7
7
2
3
5
Alsatians
10
10
10
8
7
9
Danes
1
1
1
1
1
1
"Wild" Clericals
1
--
1
--
--
1
--------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+ LEFT
National Liberals
53
50
51
54
51
45
RADICALS
United Progressives
15
9
10
14 }
(Radicals)
}
Other Progressive
} 49
42
groups (Radicals)
28
21
20
28 }
People's Party
7
6
6
7 }
"Wild" Liberals
3
2
--
4
4
2
--------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+ Social Democrats*
58
81
79
43
53
110
--------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
