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THE SOCIALISM OF TO-DAY.
sentiments.—Peasant associations. They are divided into
two principal groups : that of Bavaria, whose organ is the
Bauernzeitung, and that of Westphalia, whose paper is called
the Westfalischer Bauer. The Bavarian group must count
twenty thousand members. In the reunion of the Westphalian
group, held during the summer of 1878, under the presidency
of Baron von Schorlemer-Alst, the total of twelve thousand
members was reached, including two thousand adhesions
obtained that year.—Christian Social associations. They
receive members from all classes, as their object is simply to
discuss the social question and to propagate the movement.
They have spread everywhere, and the number of their
members is very large.—Catholic aid-associations for working
men. They make loans without interest.—Catholic associations
for maidservants and workwomen. — Catholic savings and
credit associations, under the patronage of St. Joseph or St.
Boniface, framed on the model of those of Herr Schulze-Delitzsch.—Working
men’s associations for production. These
are not numerous.—Associations for diffusing literature on the
social question from the Catholic point of view.—Building
societies.—Catholic associations for the wives and daughters of
working men, etc., etc. The whole movement is represented
by a great number of newspapers. The two best and most
influential are, for Northern Germany, the Christlich-Sociale
Blaetter, published at Aix-la-Chapelle under the management
of Herr Sellings; and for Southern Germany, the Arbeiter-Freund,
which appears at Munich under the direction of Herr
Schimpf.
If we enter into somewhat minute details, it is to show
the power of the Catholic Socialists. The strength of this
party in the Imperial Parliament increases at each election,
and it has become one of the principal factors of German
politics, the effects of which are felt throughout Europe. Its
influence will enable us to understand better why Prince
Bismarck, if he has not yet “gone to Canossa,” has at any rate
permitted the Pope’s nuncio to come to Kissingen. The
alliance of Democratic and Catholic Socialism is evidently the
principal danger that threatens the whole work of the chan-
