als, smarting under the _Kutlturkampj_, which was
supported by the whole body of Jewish liberalism, joined eagerly in the
new cry. In 1876 another sensational pamphlet was published, Otto
Glogau's _Die Borsen und Grundergeschwindel in Berlin_ ("The Bourses and
the Company Swindles in Berlin"), dealing in detail with the Jewish
participation in the scandals first revealed by Lasker. The agitation
gradually swelled, its growth being helped by the sensitiveness and
_cacoethes scribendi_ of the Jews themselves, who contributed two
pamphlets and a much larger proportion of newspaper articles for every
one supplied by their opponents (Jacobs. _Bibliog. Jew. Question_, p.
xi.). Up to 1879, however, it was more of a literary than a political
agitation, and was generally regarded only as an ephemeral craze or a
passing spasm of popular passion.

Towards the end of 1879 it spread with sudden fury over the whole of
Germany. This outburst, at a moment when no new financial scandals or
other illustrations of Semitic demoralization and domination were before
the public, has never been fully explained. It is impossible to doubt,
however, that the secret springs of the new agitation were more or less
directly supplied by Prince Bismarck himself. Since 1877 the relations
between the chancellor and the National Liberals had gradually become
strained. The deficit in the budget had compelled the government to
think of new taxes, and in order to carry them through the Reichstag the
support of the National Liberals had been solicited. Until then the
National Liberals had faithfully supported the chancellor in nursing the
consolidation of the new empire, but the great dream of its leaders,
especially of Lasker and Bamberger, who had learnt their politics in
England, was to obtain a constitutional and economic _regime_ similar to
that of the British Isles. The organization of German unity was now
completed, and they regarded the new overtures of Prince Bismarck as an
opportunity for pressing their constitutional demands. These were
refused, the Reichstag was dissolved and Prince Bismarck boldly came
forward with a new fiscal policy, a combination of protection and state
socialism. Lasker and Bamberger thereupon led a powerful secession of
National Liberals into opposition, and the chancellor was compelled to
seek a new majority among the ultra-Conservatives and the Roman Catholic
Centre. This was the beginning of the famous "journey to Canossa.