New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-07-17
irrevocably that it will not pay 81 30 an ounce
for silver? Think of it,
rs he THE HEIR PRESUMPTITEF

~
In view of the impending visit of ArchdulIc
Francis Ferdinand Of Austria who is expected
70 arrive within the next few days at San
Francisco for the purpose of making some
what prolonged stay in the United states. par
tic,Ilar interest attaches itself 10 the question
concerning his rights of succession t. the Aus
fro Hungarian throne. At the time when ne
left Europe. last autumn, t. crcumnaygate the
Globe he was generally regarded as heir pre-
sumptivc to his unce's crown, and although
hc has never been officially proclaimed or
rccocnzcd as holding that position, Yet gen
oroI imDrosSion has prevailed that his visit to
this country was undertaken with view OF
educating him more fully for his future duties
as monarch of one of the greatest empires oi
the Old World. Since then however, his
status with regard to The succession has under
gore a notable modification through the birth
in February last Of a son to Archduchess Va
lcric. who is the younger of the two daughters
Of the Emperor. The latter is, therefore, now
in the possession OF direct male issue IN the
person of his youngest grandchild. who, beng
horn an Austrian Archdukc, differs therein
from the sons of His MaicSty's eldest daugh-
fer Gisclla. who are born Bavarlan Princes,
their father being a son or the Prince Regent
The most extraordinary mystery surrounds
the laws governing the succession to the Aus
trian Crown. which is regulated entirely and
exclusively by what are known as the family
statutes OF the house of llapSburg. These are
kent a profound secret. only known to the
monarch himself and to the Minister OF the I'M
pcIial household, Count Kalnocky, who Is
hound by the strictcst oaths not to dIvulge
their tenor. With regard t. the widespread
but erroneous impression that the succession Is
ordered by the >O-clllcd Pragmatlc sanction
of lib it is merely necC sSary to point out
that the latter bore reference 10 the chlcftaln-
ship of the now dcfunc confederation OF ter
man Princes known rs the Holy Roman I'm
.pifc. dignity which was theoretically. at any
rate of an elective character. When III 1916
the Holy Roman Empire came t. an end. ana
Francis II. abandoning the elective position
of Holy Roman Emperor, WAS reduced to the
hereditary dignity of an Emperor of AUSTRIA
the latter country constituting the ancestral
possessions Of his family. the Prasmaiic Sane
ton ceased f. operate and the succession 10
the newly created Imperial throne Of Austria
became subject to the family statutes OF the
serted by some OF the most eminent historians
and archacolocStS Of the present day that the
pragmatic sanction is a mythical cum MT
that it is not included in the Imperial archives
either of Austria or of Hungary and that even
had il not been abiogaicd BY the destruction
of the Holy Roman Empire. il could not be
permitted TO influence the succession + the
throne. On several occasions the Hungarian
Diet has requested permission to inspect the
original protocol of the Pmsmatic sanction.
but without success. and the scml-oiclal papers
of Vienna and PC,th have even gone 50 tar
rs f. admit that it has disappeared and is no
where to be found.
The succession 10 the throne Of Austria Is
therefore matter which for the present. nj
any rate. depends entirely upon the personal
wishes of Francis Joseph, and upon the inter
prctat;on which he may choose to put upon
the secret family statutes of his house lnaS-
much as his next brother the Archdulc Charles
Louis, has of late embarked upon domestic
and foreign policy damotricaly opposed to
that of his own and of his Government it is
quite possible that the rumor> to the effect that
hc h., decided t. designate rs his successor
the fifant Sln Of his daught r Valerie may be
well founded. Archdukc Charles Louis and
his wife are unpopular with the people, and
have acquired an uncnyiablc reputation for
bigo,ry and ant-lbcfal terdcnc,S. sentiments
which are known 10 be shared by the Arch
dixie, eldest son. Francis Ferdinand, now
about 10 become our visitor. II was but the
other day that the Archdukc and the Arch
duchess tool; part in a public meeting at Vienna
organized for the object of dcnouncng the
presence of franci, Jo>cph'> ally, King Hum
bert at Rome and demanding the restoration
Of temporal power to ia" Pope, and they have
also in a similarly indiScIcct manner given
public expression t. their hostility to the lib
cral and enlightened reforms which the Hun
garian Government is AT the present moment
cndcavoring t. enact. and which are beng
bitterly opposed by the cudal ariStoclacy and
by the Catholic clergy of the Magyar King
dom. II is on the cards. therefore, that Francis
Joseph. finding that his brother is determined
from conscientious and hi.otcd motives, 10
undo everything that he has laholcd to effect
and 10 naugratc Il rcaCtOnary policy may at
longth officially designate his successor in the
person Of hi, grandson. n choice which would
be more popular in every way in Austria and
in Hungary than that of the Archdukc Charles
Louis whose possible advent 70 the throne is
regarded with feelings of universal apprchcn-
sion al home and abroad.
a.