The previous speaker said that by our method the lower classes would be oppressed with indirect taxes in order to collect the funds for the care of the poor.  But I ask you, gentlemen, what is being done in the large cities, in Berlin for instance, which the speaker thinks is splendidly governed by the liberal ring?  Here the poor man is taken care of with the proceeds of the tax on rents, which is exacted of his slightly less poor brother; and to-morrow he may have this brother as his companion in misery, when a warrant is executed against the latter for the non-payment of this tax.  That is more cruel than if the payment were made from the tax on tobacco or on alcohol.

The previous speaker said that I had spoken against the tax on alcohol.  I really do not remember this, and I should be grateful if he would prove this by quoting one word.  I have always mentioned tobacco and alcohol as commodities on which larger taxes should be levied, but I have expressed a doubt whether it is right to tax the alcohol in factories while it is being made.  Many States, as for instance France, do not levy any tax on alcohol, or assess it at a different time.  The representative, therefore, has made a mistake—­no doubt unintentionally.  When, however, this mistake will be printed, without refutation, in many papers, which are under his influence, it will, I am sure, make no mean impression.

I will not dilate on the defects of the law of liability, which will be discussed by experienced men, who have had more to do with it than I. These defects, however, added their weight to the promise we made when the law against the Socialists was promulgated—­you undoubtedly remember it and I have been reminded of it often enough—­and were my chief reasons for submitting to you the present bill.  Our present law of liability has shown surprisingly bad results.  I have convinced myself, by actual occurrences, that the suits arising under this law often terminate unexpectedly and unfairly, if they are successful.  And if they are unsuccessful, they are frequently equally unfair.  I have been assured by many creditable people that this law does not improve the relations between the employer and the employees.  On the contrary, the bitter feeling between them is increased, wherever there are many such suits, especially where there are shyster-lawyers who like to sow discord with an eye to the elections.  This is in strong contrast to the good intentions of the law.  The workingmen, however, consider themselves injured by it, because not even a decree of the court will convince them that they are wrong, especially if they have lawyers who tell them they are right, and that they should appeal their cases to four or five higher courts, if there were as many.