New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-11-12
FILLING on HIS FEET.

Connt Taafre. the outgoing Prime Minister OF
tho Austrian Empire and boyhood fricnd OF HIS
sovorcign. has once more given evidence OF his
remarkable parliamentary skill and political III
gcnuitv by transforming his overthrow into
so,,c,hnr much akin to Il victory. For fifteen
vcors he has manoeuvrcd with the various fac-
tlonal parties represented in the Rclcllsrath III
such -, manner as TO maintain a working ma
iority for his Administration. 1t has been In
material TO him what the aims or the objects
of these individual parties were. ana win truly
aristocratic Indifference he openly gave them 10
understand rs much All he wanted OF th''h
WAS the assurance of their votes for TINS or 'iiA'
measure put forward by the Government. ana
If unable 10 obtain their support in any o'her
way he cynically purchased it by means OF con
cossions TO their Natonalistic claims ana aspira-
tons.
r,r some time IL has been apparent that the
era Of concessions Of this nature had reached
its utmost limit and that any further coh'ihu-
oncn OF n policy Of this kind would inevitably
tend 10 the disruption of the Austrian Empire
into "A number of distinct and AUTONOMOUS f'n
rral States bound together only 10y the weak
and pcrous bond OF 4 dynasic tie. The q'i''S
ton arose rs 10 what Count Taailr would 90
when he reached the end Of his tcthcr, and had
no more cone ,ssions 10 sell in return Tor 'he
support ~ the projects Of his Administration.
The problem has now been solved in Il man
uer thoroughly Characteristic of the versatile
statesman who has 80 long directed the dcstineS
Of the Cis.Inithian portion Of Emperor Francis
Joscph's domnions. Thoroughly aware that
- tI,., tus ri Empirp il 10
be found in the loyalty to the Crown on the
mart Of the masses. who have hitherto been en-
tircly unrcpresentcd in the National Lcgislat-
urc he. without consulting any of his parlia'
mcniary supporters. suddenly brought forward
in the Diet bill providing for the enactment
of franchise almost universal II was Il fore
gone conclusion that the project would be- de
| fcatcd since the present Rcichsrath Is com
posed well-nigh exclusively of the represent
atives Of the landowners. the bourscolsic inc
middle classes. and the well-to-do people OF the
| Empire in general. Ii stood 10 reason tha'
| thcy would meyer commit such an act OF pc
lltjcal suicide as 10 pass measure transferring
Parliamentary power and control from the
| hands Of the classes To those Of the MASSES. Oh
! course Count Taaffc's measure WAS iSnomn
| ouSly ucltd'fi. HH III HiuSt Hd'' n"'"" "''''N
| hand that il was certain 10 be But II" mas
| fallen ~ the defender Of Il popular and cnllgh
encl measure in such a manner rs vastly IL
| Increase. not only his own prestige with the
population at large. but also III" loyal AMI alice
tionatc regard Of the people of Austria TOWARD
his master, the Emperor. AT the same time. h'
| has left to those who are now called upon IL
succeed him in office burden Of popular hntrc,
and discomfort which Is bound TO render th'
| tenure Of their power exceedingly short-livco
and prccarious. In one word, Count Taane ha'
once more given m Illustration of the astound
ing skill possessed by members Of the llibcrniai
| race for always falling on their feet. partic
| uarly in politics.