, 1873-01-24
VIENNA.
Her Political Organization.
How Her City Fathers Arc Elected--"
Her Police Department.
Manner of Sweeping the Streets---
Public and Charitable 1n-
stitutions, etc.


Public and Charitable In
stitutions, etc.
F1o7n Our O,en Correspondent.
VIENNA, Dec. %, 1872.
In nv last, I gaze you a brief description OF
yenna's geographical position and municipal
subdivision. + wil now proceed to tell you
something OF her political organization, munich
nal elections, executive officers, and sundry
other matters that may be of: interest to so,ne
Of your readers WHO intend coming here during
the approaching World's Fair
y1ESSA's POLITICAL oRdAS1zAT1oS.
AsI stated on former occasion, the whole
city Of vienna-the present circumference Of
which world be about twenty niles, without
couuting in the numerous suburbs, called
Vororte-is subdivided into nine Circuits, or
Districts (Beznke), Each ono Of these Cir
cults is governed by u Board Of Trustees,
called Bezirksaussc1uss, and Bezirksborstand,
or President Of the Circuit. This President and
Board possess, to very great cxteut, Executive
powers in all mattors pertaining to thelr re-
fpectiye Circnits, independent Of the City Gov
erument, although, in most cases, they are con-
side.ed as the deputed Executive officers Of the
q Gen,eindehous CTown- House, These are gen.
orally substantial and dnely-built structures,
containing in them the Offices Of the several
members Of the Board Of Trustees of the
Rez;rksborstond, Justice Of tho Peace for that
particular Circuit also the rooms for the city
police, tlremen and engines set apart for that
Circuit and a1l business, whether in connection
with the streets, water or gaspipes, Of that par
Sol, 1fvs~r 3a~
its Jurisdiction, has to pass through some
brunch OF this Town-Hou5e, no matter whence
itmay come.
~ THE GENERAL CITY GOVERNMENT
Of Vienna is represented BY Board OF Alder
.nsister), who is elected, not by tho people di-
rect but by the Board Of Aldermen. This
Board has power undor the statutes OF the
State, to enact ordinances, pass orders IN regard
to assessments and taxes, and regulate the
atrairs Of the Commune. The Mayor is the pre-
siding officer Of the Board, and, as with us, pos-
eesses the voto power On ordinances, but not on
eesolutio1s.
THE C1TT FATHERS
OF the Commune Of Vienna arc elected accord
Ing to the old law Of 1S49, which we're,
in those days Of infancy Of Austrian Lib
eraliB1n, considered good enough. But now,
theproressive ideas OF the Vienna people, and
their yearning for 4 larger scope Of political &C.
old electoral laws. By the present electoral law,
the City Fathers arc elected by each Circuit, ac-
cording to its population A very high census is
taken as the basis. The vote is not cast direct
how old one he may be, entitled to vote for
municipal officers. Only the so-called Electors
(Wahlcr) may vote, and this is the way it is
done Each and every Elector belongs to GER
tain Electoral body (Kahh9rper); according
to- The amount Of taxos an Elector
pavs determines to which electoral body he does
belong. There are three Of these latter. The
landlord, OF house-owner. who pays hundreds OF
Aorins Of annual taken into tho Treasury, boz
longs to an electoral body th.t, in proportion to
it's numbers, is entitled t. more votes than the
one that is made up of electors whose annual
taxes eznnnnt to only 10 forms. It is thus
more numerously represented than the poorer
classes. As to the laboring classes, they
have no vote at al, for very few OF
them pay an annual tax Of =, 10 aoFin1s,
one to be an o1ector. Only about two weeks
ago, the Liberal portion Of the City Council
made an effort to- have the Aleds7 Oestreachiscle
Ldndag (the Legislature o. Lower Austria) alb
rogate this old law, and replace it by more Lib
eral one, whereby tho census should be made
lower, and tho minimum standard Of taxes re-
duced to f1orina instead Ct 10, and the three
distinct electoral bodies united into one.-thus
making the elections moro popular, and having
the poorer classes, such as mechanics and labor
ers, also represented in tho City Council. The
change was, however, opposed very strongly, by
the Government, as well as tho Right, OF
Gonse1yatiTo party; T.. Tue ~. Mayor himself;
Tie City Council to further the passage
. Of the new measure, strongly opposed 1t in the
Luadtag, OF which he ia q member from the city
while being Mayor. Such thing is not IN IN.
usual occurrence in Austria. Often men will
hold several different Offices, each one Of which
nay be c1asilug against the interests OF the |
others. The Vienna people see now the evil ef |
fects OF this custom, and are cla1norous for the
Immediate resignation Of the Mayor az their
ssainst the Commune. Tho party OF tho Left |
and tho Extreme Left, who constitute the ma
fority Of the Council, threaten to resign in
body if the Mayor refuses to lay down his May |
The electors hold nightly meetings, and |
It may be possible that tho, Mayor will |
hare to give way to the popular |
,camor. Meanwhile, the Government has given
to the Commune, as quieting sop. the passage
State Legislature is increased, and whereby abe
is enabled to effect new loan of ca, 600, 600 of
forms for city purposes.
THE ExEcuTryE OFFICERS
Of the Commune are called the Nugistrd3 It
consists Of the Mayor, who is its presiding Off
GER and the heads Of tho various sections, ct de-
pa1tments. The heads of the various depart
ments ate called Sectionsrarthc The Sections
-Tath is the Chairman of tho Committee to whom
all business connected or belonging to his de-
partuaent is, in the Common Council,
referred There aro no Board OF Pub
lie Works, Water and Gas Commissioners; but
the Chairman Of each Committee ia the Execu-
tire officer Of 4 particular: department: He has
an office in tho City Hall, has assistants and
City father has to give Ills services, as in tho
United States, for nothing, and is roundly
sbased for it in the bargain. The Mdgistrat ini-
tiates measures, but the Common Council has to
pass its Judgment upon them before they are
carried into execution The Magistrat, how
eyer has power to appoint all necessary city off,
cars, such architects, civil engineers, street
supsrintendents and sweepers, chimney sweeps,
fremen, and fre-engineere etc.
TEE POLICE DEPARTMENT,
which stands under separate Police Director
ship, is very efficient. The men, as class, ara
intelligent-looking, most Of them having seen
military service. Though not as tall set as
tha Eayr VorI RropfSrav nnfica thay ara a preat |