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7'HE SOCIALISM OF TO-DAY.
present too much isolated. Upon the solution of this question
depend the future of States and the fate of civilization. It
remains to be seen whether the different classes of society
have enough forethought, energy, and wisdom to contribute to
the constitution of a new order of things. If they give proof
of these qualities, they will be governed by free institutions and
elected rulers ; if not, they will be kept down by the iron hand
of Cæsarism.” Herr VVagener, like Prof. Huber, advocated
the immediate formation of trade councils, in which working
men should have their representatives, and which should be
invested with the right of settling wages. In England it is
well known that, in cases of strikes, masters and men often
submit their differences to arbitration. The proposal, then, is
to create a body of permanent arbitrators, and to give an
executive force to their decisions.
From 1866 to 1870 foreign affairs absorbed all attention,
and orthodox Political Economy was all-powerful in the
councils of the Government and in the Chambers. It was
there represented by distinguished men, such as the Minister
Delbrück, the Deputies Lasker, Braun, Bamberger, Julius
Faucher, etc. It is to their influence that are due the abolition
of laws against usury, a policy of free-trade shown by the
reduction or suppression of certain custom duties and the
monetary reform, upon the basis of a gold standard, necessitating
the forced sale of silver. The Imperial Chancellor did not
interfere, because “ it did not belong to his department.” But
his ideas are not by any means those of the orthodox economy.
The Protectionists have always placed their hopes in him, and
he recently proved, by bringing about an increase of the
custom duties, that he is on their side.*
* In 1876 I was present in Eisenach at the “ Social Science Congress”
of the Kathedersocialisten. In the first sitting Herr Rudolf Meyer rose
to propose that the question of German industry, and of the means of
remedying the intense crisis through which it was passing, should be placed
on the orders of the day. As Herr Meyer was a friend of Councillor
Wagener, it got noised about that he had been sent to Eisenach by the
Chancellor in order to obtain a vote in favour of protection. To escape
the danger it was ruled from the chair that, since the question was not on
the programme of the congress, it could not be discussed. We may add
that this supposition was unfounded, for shortly afterwards Herr Meyer
