The result of the German elections, which began on Tuesday,
will be a severe blow to the Emperor, who has most unwisely taken an open part in denouncing the Social Democrats. That party, which is really the party of resistance to privilege, militarism, and heavy taxes on food, is winning all along the line. It has already carried at the first ballots five of the six seats in Berlin, and fifty-two other seats, including fresh seats in every important town except Magdeburg, KOnigsberg, and Frankfurt. The Socialists also return eighteen Members in Saxony out of twenty-three, and will, it is nearly certain, when the result of the second ballots is known, be found to be the second strongest of the nine groups in the Reichstag. The Ultramontane Centre will, it is supposed, remain the strongest, being one-fourth of the whole House ; but even that is not yet certain. The popular vote for the Social Democrats has, it is believed, leaped up from two millions to three out of eleven millions of potential voters, and out of less than eight millions who actually do vote. There is, of course, great pressure on all the defensive parties to vote together at the second ballots; but German groups are tough, and fusion without acceptable leaders is very difficult.
