The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-11-01

The present political crisis in Austria
needs little explanation. In the Aus
TRAN or Cis-Leithan parliament the min
lister of the interior, Count Taaffe, recently
introduced bill the effect of which would
be TO nearly double the number Of electors,
which Is now about 1000, 900. or one in
twelve of the inhabitants. This bill was
opposed not only by the Conservatives but
by all the German Radicals. This IL due
TO the question OF race domination. At
present the popular branch Of the rsichs-
rath. or parliament of the Cis-Lsithan
kingdom, is composed OF 353 members.
elected by all citizens who are Of age and
possessed of q property qualification. ow-
Ing 10 this property qualification the Ger
mans possess . representation altogether
out Of proportion 20 their numbers. The cis-
Lothian kingdom comprises ten provinces,
the Germans being mainly concentrated
in six OF these, namely: Lower Austria
Upper Austria, Salxburg, Syria. Carinthia
and Northern Tyrol. The czech and other
slavs arc principally found in Bohemia,
Moravia, Austrian Silesia. Galicia. Bnko-
wilma and Dalmatla. These last named
provinces collectively contain about i5.-
900. 600 inhabitants.
The Slay provinces are relatively poor
and the number Of their people able TO
meet the property qualification for the
suffrage is relatively small. so that the
present electoral Law practically cripples
the Slav and favors the German element of
the population. Count Taaffs by his new
franchise bill proposed 10 reform this
inequitable suffrage and place all the in
hsbltants of the various provinces Of
Austria upon an equal footing. His meas
are abolishss the property qualification,
and extends the right to vote TO all persons
who can read and write, provided they
have attained their twenty-fourth year,
have accomplished their military obiiga-
tons, and have lived in one place for at
least six months. Even illiterate persons
are permitted to vote in case they pay d.
rect taxes. and have either served their
time in the army or are now in the service
Of the state in some capacity.
Such bill would be hailed with enthu-
siasm by tho Radicals and Socialists. for
IL is almost as close an approach TO uni
versal suffrage as the new Belgian law,
but il can not be carried through the lower
house OF the Austrian or Cis-Leithan PAR.
lament because il is opposed not only by
the Conservatives bat by the German Rad.
ieals. The Radicals oppose il on the
ground that Il would result in the ascend.
aney ct the slavonic element in the parlia-
ment The Radicals desire an extension
Of the franchise, bat insist il must be
made on some principle which would
maintain the Germans in political pre-
ponderanoe.
Count Tasfs disIikss Prussia. and
wishes to avert the absorption Of the Ger
man provinces Of Austria in the German
empire. Count Tasfs thinks that de-
GermaaiFsng OF Austria is necessary 10 the
preservation Of the unity Of the empire Of
the Harsbargs. His 6rss attempt has
failed chiefly because the present emperor
Of Austria is friendly 10 Prussia, but some
day his plan Of giving the Austrian slavs
parliamentary representation propor-
tienase 70 sheir numbers is likely TO be car.
giea ou..