1880.] on Social Democracy in Germany. 423 



establishing what tbo Germans call a state of dry siege ? By com- 

 promise ? Certainly not. Socialism is a fallacy. 



The attitude of a Government towards any movement arising in 

 the nation against its wishes, should always be guided by the thought 

 that it is not brought face to face with an extraneous and a hostile 

 force, but with its own fellow-citizens. Whatever measures are 

 taken, evidently are taken by one part of the nation against another 

 part. From the nature of things that part, however small a minority, 

 is strengthened by any measures which savour of persecution. In 

 the long run the fiimily instinct which exists in nations will assert 

 itself. A statesman who does not think of his own ends, but of the 

 continuity and the ultimate good of the nation, will therefore do all 

 he can to remain neutral in all social and religious struggles, unless 

 they constitute a real peril to the very existence of society. The 

 worst thing that can happen to an author or an artist is not violent 

 criticism, but that his work should be ignored. This applies to parties 

 and the action of Government towards them as well. Whatever it 

 notices it magnifies. The licensed victualler unnoticed is nowhere, 

 legislated upon or against he becomes an important factor ; the clergy 

 in the Ehenish provinces left alone Avere not very influential, but 

 under the control of the authorities, they become popular heroes. 



The socialist leaders are quite aware of this. They know that 

 every term of imprisonment adds to the numbers of their followers, 

 whatever disagreeable results this may have for themselves. They 

 want a struggle, not victory. Victorious, they would quarrel over 

 the spoils and immediately meet with resistance too strong for them. 

 One of the best speeches in favour of the Eepression Act, introduced 

 in 1878 in the German Parliament, was delivered by the socialist, M. 

 N. Hasselmann, though of course he voted against the bill. The 

 socialists afford a great opportunity to any statesman who wishes to 

 keep the nation in a feverish condition. All he has to do is to point 

 to their nefarious doctrines. This is the result of what the socialists 

 are pleased to call their "Idealismus" which, however, does not 

 shrink from calling the execution of Hodel " murder," and the 

 murder of General Mesensow an "irregular execution." The Act 

 against the socialists which has just been renewed is to quell " die 

 Untergrabung der bestehenden Staats- und Gesellschafts-Ordnung," 

 and gives excejDtional power to the police. 



The Austrian Government is not placed in the same difficulty as 

 the German Government, because Austrians do not care for theories 

 unless they see pecuniary results. If in Saxony, where social 

 democracy is strongest, those results were to follow, it is probable 

 that social democracy would get a following in Austria. At present 

 no special measures are enacted by the Austrian Government. It 

 relies on the efficacy of a strict law for the expulsion of foreigners 

 by the police, and the control of the right of public meeting. The 

 police, who are always represented at these meetings, would at 

 once close them in case anything revolutionary were taught. No 



