That was the time when a Jew-baiting chaplain—Deckert was his name—preached from the pulpit and in pamphlets in the most vehement terms against the Jews—with success. This induced the “anti”-union to enter the field and to appear with a protest before the president of the House of Deputies. But I will let my husband himself have the floor. He published in the _Neue Freie Presse_ the following article, the contents of which will best show what was going on in the camp of the Anti-Semites, and what thoughts and purposes were awakened thereby in the camp of their opponents: THE PRESENT SITUATION Now the wily old magician Once again his leave has taken! Spirits that owed him submission Now shall at my call awaken. I his cell invaded; I have learned the spell! I’ll do—spirit-aided— Miracles as well! Goethe: _Der Zauberlehrling_ For twenty years now the “Magician’s apprentice” (_Zauberlehrling_) has been trying his experiments in Austria. The old master who knew how to exercise and to exorcise the spirits has gone; constitution, parliamentarianism, the fundamental law of the state, have become mere documents, and the unbridled spirits are up to their mad tricks. And now, since it has resulted as all who were not hiding their heads in the sand saw that it would result, the cry of dismay echoes through the land: Lord, the need’s immense! Those I called—the spirits— Will not vanish hence! Or perhaps it will still be claimed that they were never summoned? Would any one wish to deny that we looked on with remarkable patience, endured them,—yea, verily, absolutely defended them,—instead of calling on the master who would have driven away the demons while there was still time? Yes, if with us a system had not grown into a standard separating so-called “serious” politicians from dilettanti! The system, which is called in plain English “I dare not” (_Ich trau’ mich nicht_), has been wrapped up by the “serious” in a distinguished-appearing vesture, and elevated under the title of “Opportunism” to the concept of political wisdom. What this Opportunism has on its conscience is fearful! It is the brake, the slave chain holding back every energetic activity, hindering everything, making every transaction impossible; it is the cause of the broken-winged condition that obtains to-day, of the distrust, of the fatalistic _après nous le déluge_; it is the cause of the universal discontent and apathy on the one side, of the loud shouts of triumph, the renewed efforts on that side yonder, which is now only one step away from its appointed goal.