The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-06-27
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS.
EDITORIAL OPINIONS OF THE LEADING JOURNALS
UPON CURRENT ToPIos-ooMPILED EVERY
DAY FOR THE EVENING TELEGRAPH.
THE SITUATION IN AUSTRIA.

THE SITUATION IN AUSTRIA.
From the London Spectator.
Tuesday week, the 3Oth of May, 1871, marks
an epoch in Austrian history of the most mo-
mentous kind. Since February last, when
the ministry of Count Hohen warth succeeded
the ministry of Count Potocki, the parties
in the Reichsrath have never relaxed their
attitude of mutual hostility. 1t may be said
indeed, that hostihty-for opposition would
very inad adequately describe the situation-has
been the chronic attitude of Austrian parties
time out of mind. 1t must be granted that
recently paroxysm of bad feeling has set in
nor is it difficult to understand whv this
should be SO. Successive ministries have of
late years applied themselves to the new con-
stitutionsl problem which since 1866 has dis
tracted the State. In 1866 the outstanding
quarrel between the Magyar and the German,
quarrel which in its day had caused so much
bloodshed and misery, was settled by acced-
ing to the demands of Magyars to the utmost
extent at all compatible with the continued
existence of the Austro Hungarian monarchy.
One difficulty removed another and more
formidable one has not delayed to make itself
seen and felt. The strife between German
and Magyar has only given place to the strife
between German and Slav and between Mag
var and Slav. In Cis-Leithan Austria espe-
cially has the question of the nationalities
grown to gigantic dimensions. On the one
side is the German party, powerful in their
traditions, their organization, and their re-
spectability, proud of the part they have
played in Austria's past, prouder of the
mighty future which seems to lie before their
race in the Fatherland. On the other side
stand multitude of nationalities, Bohemians,
Poles, etc., not without traditions of their
own, conscious of loDg-continued insult at
the hands of the dominant race, conscious, too,
OF possessing the great numerical superb
fu N no fnfn I,, Al r
the German Austrians, exclusion from Ger
many makes the prospect of being reduced to
subor dinate position in Austria inexpressi-
bly, bitter. After being so long the first of
Germans, the Imperial people, are they now
to welcome the behests of Slavs2 In the eyes
of the Slavs, on the other hand, Sadowa has
forever destroyed the old prestige of the
Austro-Germans. Some Slav deputies, the
advanced Czechs, for instance, decline even
to be present at Reichsrath to which they
deny all right to legislate. Even when their
votes would probably decide a question
IN their favor, they prefer to remain aloof
In contemptuous isolation, rather than
appear to recognize the validity of an assem-
bly, that ignores the claims of an independent
Bohemia If other Slavs, like the Poles, at
tend and vote, it is always under protest.
Under these circumstances it has occurred
to Austrian ministers to try and see
whether considerable Introduction of
federal principles might not afford
seme means OF harmonizing separatist ten
denotes with the general interests of the
monarchy; but here the Germans step in.
and proclaim war to the knife against
federalism. The secession of so many oppo-
nents from the Reichsrath, on the ground
we have stated, gives them their oppor-
tunity, and they use it. We have. az
result, the spectacle of two factions, each
composing majority, the one in the Palia-
ment, the other among the people, Count
Potocki, who attempted to introduce federal
ism, was rewarded by the Parliament with a
vote of want of confidence. He resigned.
His successor, Count Hohenwarth, for SINH
lar policy, was on the 26th of last month made
the subject of similar condemnation. Here,
however, the similitude ends Count Hohen-
warth has no intention whatever of resigning.
Something like Prince Bismarck in the famous
contest with the Pr1ssian Chamber of Depu-
ties, he relies, for counterbalancinp parlia
mentary weakness, on extra-parliamentary
support, and events have shown that his reli-
aHce is not misplaced. On the Both of Nav
Herr Won Hopfen, the President of the Lower
House, presented the address of the majority
to the Emperor, expressing their dissatisfsc-
ton with the Ministry. The Sovereign re-
piled that the Ministry possessed his entire
confidence Coolies Vertrauen) and dismissed
the petitioners with the admonition to aid
and not to obstruct Count Hohenwarth. The
dynasty has thus pledged itself to abandon
the ancient theory of Germanic Austria.
which has been the consistent policy of the
Hapsburgs for six hundred years. The Aus.
ro-Germans hardly exceed the third of the
population of Cis-Leithan Austria They do
not form a fourth of the population of the
dual monarchy. Deprived of the artificial pre-
eminence they have hitherto enjoyed, they at
once and necessarily sink into second place
compared with the Slav multitude. Will they
accept the situation, or will they summon
Bismarck to their aid, and by one great
secession reunite all the German-speaking
tribes under the Hohenzollerns? At least,
they are fully aware of the straits which
threaten them. According to their principal
organ, the Neue Freie Presse of the Sd inst,
the radical opposition between the Govern
ment and the Austro- Germans is plainly ad-
mitted, and with no symptoms of resignation.
The answer of the Emperor to the address
of the House of Deputies is very short,
but perfectly exhaustive. The House of
Deputies had in the most emphatic
form at their command expressed vote of
want of confidence against the Ministry. In
the address the ministerial policy was con-
demned as a failure, as destructive of the
public order, as furthering disintegration and
pessimism. The Imperial reply expects from
this very policy the restoration of settled
and secure state of things. The House of
Deputies refused to be responsible for the
conflict which again threatens. The Empe-
ror expects rather that the House of Deputies
will co operate in the adjustment of the dis
pute about the constitutional forms, and
gives them his imperial greeting in this ex-
pectation. The difference between yes and