PROF. VON HOLST'S LECTURE.

A very instructive and interesting discourse was delivered by Prof. Von Holst last evening in Sanders Theatre on "Parlementarismus" in Germany. The failure of Germany to play a leading part in the politics of the world has been in a great measure due to the somewhat chaotic condition of her own political system. The saying, "Place Germany in the saddle and she can ride" is theoretically true, but the exertions of Bismarck and others of her leading statesmen to do so, has not been such as to wholly justify the assertion. That such is the state of affairs is no doubt accounted for in part by the fact that a system of indirect political suffrage prevails, which is based upon property qualifications. Whether direct or indirect suffrage is best for that country is, and for many years has been, an absorbing question with her statesmen.

It is argued by the opponents of direct suffrage that history with the exception of the United States offers no example of its success with the single exception of the United States. But in the latter country it may be said that the conditions are vitally different from those of Germany, and because it has proved a success in the one is no reason why it should in the other. For instance in France direct personal suffrage involved the country in a ruinous revolution. In England no one claims that by a system of limited suffrage the political freedom of the people is in any degree curtailed. Moreover in Germany no salaries are paid the members of the Reichstag, which is the body directly representative of the interests of the common people. This is, of course, conducive to a purity of politics which in this country is unknown. The advocates of direct personal suffrage claim that the introduction of that system into Germany would be better for the country inasmuch as the poorer classes of people would be ensured, more direct representation in the national legislature. And by the salarying of members of the Reichstag, a better representation of the statesmanship of the country would be obtained. As the great personal expense incumbent on each member of the Reichstag, deters many men from becoming candidates, who are fitted in every respect to take a prominent place in the management of national affairs. But the mere fact that no salary is attached to the office deters many men from seeking who would be likely to devote themselves more to their personal interests than those of their constituents. In Germany, what is here popularly termed as the party machine does not exist, owing to the fact that no offices with salaries attached are at the disposal of the Reichstag. But little is paid out for campaign purposes, as the candidates for offices which afford them no pecuntary returns cannot afford to do so.