Prince Bismarck has been again defeated. After a severe debate
of two days, during which the Chancellor delivered two long speeches, and a declaration that he regarded the measure as the corner-stone of his edifice, the Bill establishing a tobacco monopoly was thrown out on Wednesday, by the crushing major- ity of 276 to 45 votes. All parties, including many strong Con- servatives, combined against him, and this although he declared the Bill important to the military system, without which his diplomacy would have been ineffectual. The majority saw that, the monopoly would liberate the Imperial Government from all effective control, and faced even the threat of dissolution. On the following day, the Reichstag voted by 155 to 150 "That. Government do no further disturb the tobacco industry of the- country by schemes of taxation or monopoly," and immediately- after Parliament was prorogued to November 30th, nearly six months hence. It is improbable that it will meet again, though there is no chance that the constituencies will reverse the- judgment of their representatives. They are tired of taxation for military purposes, and, it is said, greatly doubt the effect of the Protectionist system, which makes everything dear.
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