Ideology and Interests in the German State (Rle: German Politics) by Gary Bonham

Author:Gary Bonham [Bonham, Gary]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: History & Theory, Comparative Politics, Political Science, World, General
ISBN: 9781317557623
Google: RWjfBQAAQBAJ
Goodreads: 24049138
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2014-12-17T00:00:00+00:00

4.5 Subsequent Mittelland Canal Bills

In deciding to close the Diet, William II announced his intention to resubmit the canal bill during its next session. Hohenlohe too indicated that the government would continue to pursue the canal project in the next session.46 An attempt was made to gain the Conservatives' consent to a new canal bill in meetings held in November 1899 between Miquel, Thielen, and Rheinbaben and Conservative deputies from the Diet. Initially the Conservatives indicated that they did not want a new bill presented at all during the next session. After the ministers insisted that a bill had to be resubmitted, the Conservatives agreed to the construction of only the western portion, i.e., the Dortmund-Rhine canal—a position that was unacceptable to the government. Although no agreement was reached in these meetings, the Conservatives were able to impress upon the government the fact that they would be more inclined to cooperate if the disciplined officials were reinstated.47

In order to achieve a reconciliation with the Conservatives, Miquel and Rheinbaben argued that these administrators should regain official positions, which in the case of seven dismissed Landrate actually occurred during the course of 1900.48 The government's desire to reach an agreement with the Conservatives—or at least to avoid a collision with them—on the canal question was intensified in 1900 by its interest in passing the second navy bill. Although a proposal for an expansion of the navy had been planned for late 1900, the Kaiser accelerated the agenda by announcing it in the autumn of 1899. A simultaneous conflict over the canal bill with the Conservatives, who were in any case not very enthusiastic about the navy bill, threatened the passage of the latter. Consequently, the government allowed the postponement of any decision on the canal bill during 1900.49

After the adoption of the second navy bill in 1900, the Mittelland canal bill was resubmitted to the Diet in January 1901. Despite the fact that the new bill contained almost all the construction projects demanded by the BdL in 1899 as compensation, the Farmers' League continued to oppose the canal in numerous leaflets, newspaper articles, and local assemblies. At this point, Conservatives and BdL leaders adopted a new delaying tactic: they demanded a revision of German tariffs more favorable to agriculture before any deliberation on the canal question could resume. In order to gain their cooperation on the canal bill, Bülow, the new chancellor and prime minister, indicated in the Reichstag on January 26, 1901 that the agricultural tariff would indeed be raised.50

Attempts were also made to gain the consent of the Zentrum to the canal. Hohenlohe resumed contact with Zentrum leader Lieber directly after the first bill had failed. The latter argued that Zentrum support would be more forthcoming if a communal electoral bill were submitted in 1900. In the AA, Holstein too recommended submitting a communal electoral bill and eliminating restrictions on associations in order to acquire the support of the Zentrum and of the liberal parties for the canal bill.51 Despite these efforts, the majority of Zentrum deputies continued to oppose the canal bill.

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