CABLE NEWS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIII, Issue 30, 5 February 1907, Page 7

CABLE NEW S.

[ar ELEcrmc tbleohaph. — corxnionT.] ■» ■ ■ ■ THE GERMAN ELECTIONS. A DOMINATING INFLUENCE IN THE REICHSTAG. THE RADICALS' FEARS. FIRST BALLOT FIGURES. frness Assccimojn (Received February 5, 8.10 a.m.) BERLIN, 4th February. Many German Radicals dread the prospect of the Clericals and Conservatives dominating the Reichstag. At the firEt ballot tho polling was as follows : — Prince Bulow's supporters ... 4,925,500 Clericals, Poles, and Social Democrats 5,896,000 The increase of Social Democrats' poll, compared with 1903, was 250,000. Numerically they are the ilargest party. 'Ihe results of the second ballot are not yet available. To arrive at a proper appreciation of the significance of the figures given in the above message it is neceEeary to study the positions of the parties prior to the election. The defunct Reichstag consisted at time of dissolution of 397 members, elected under a complex franchise by the different cities, towns, States, principalities, etc., composing the German Empire. Tho strength of the chief parties and the number of votes they represented, were, approximately, ns follows : — Party. Members Vote*. Sooial Democrats ~ 79 3,000,000 Centre .. „ - - 99 1,875,000 Con*erv»tlves .. - « 62 950,000 National Liberals 51 1,300,000 Other nifties Inoludliig 30 > Radicate and 15 Poles .. 116 2,400,000, The strength in votes of 'the four chief parties In 1874, 1887, and 1898 was,, approximately, as follows : — 1874. 1887. 18S8. 1903, Social Democrats 353,000 763.000 2,107,000 3,010,800 Centre. 1,668,000 1,616,000 1,465,000 1,875,300 Conserva- .. 360,000 1,147,000 859,000 850,003 'Liberal* 1.842,000 1,678,030 971,000 1,313,000 In the present elections there has been a combination of the Conservatives and National Liberals — hitherto deadly enemies even on the colonial question — in support Of tho Government. This phalanx includes within it also the Pan-Ger-mans, tho Agrarians, and nearly all the smaller groups which have any quarrel with the " Centro " or the militant Social Democrats. The cdalition battlo cry was — " Hurrah for the Colonies ; Down with the Centre Party." Thb "Centro" Party declared itself undismayed by the forces against it, nnd 'in its manifestoes justified its refusal to vote war supplies on the ground that nothing less than this otep would impress the Kaisef's advisers with the discontent throughout the country. It also made a good deal of the general restlessness with respect to the Kaiser's personal rule. One of tho party's most effectivo weapons was a pamphlet •written by Hcrr Erzberger, in which the j "cruelties and mistakes of colonial officials are "" — to quote an unfriendjy critic — " faithfully catalogued.'' Herr Rorcn is the leading speaker of tho " C&ntre " on colonial matters. Its leader , is Dr. Spahn. Tho Social Democrats, or Socialists, based their appeal to the nation on a denunciation of the management of the German colonies, a protest against the undue influence of th© Kaiser and an attack on the- receht alterations in the Protectionist tariff. They claimed that they were fighting rtgainst "Caesariftm" and an "Imperialism" which had saddled the Empire with a budget of £39,950,000 for the nrmv. £14,550,000 for the navy, and £5,150,000 for pensions. The leaders Vbintod to the growth of the Imperial debt from £36,050,000 in 1888 to £200,000,000 in 1906.