The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-10-21

German members OF the Left. Why Is IL
that German Radicals in Austria take so
different q view Of the extension OF the IRAN
chise from that which is taken by their po-
ltical brethren In Prussia, and why DO the
latter heartily applaud the former for their
inconsistency?
1t Is n question OF race domination that
lies at the bottom Of this seeming anomaly.
At present the popular branch OF the
Reichsrath. or Parliament oft Cis-Leithan
kingdom. is composed OF 359 members,
elected by all citizens who nre OF age and
possessed OF property qualification. Owing
to this property qualification, the Germans
possess representation altogether out OF
proportion to their numbers. The Cis-
Lothian kingdom comprises ten provinces,
the Germans being mainly concentrated
in elk of these. namely. Lower Austria,
Upper Austria. Salzburg, Styria. Carin-
thia. and Northern Tyrol. The Czech and
other Slavs are principally found in Bohe-
mia. Morava, Austrian Silesia. Galicia.
Bukowina. and Dalmatia. These last
named provinces collectively contain about
fifteen million inhabitants. a minority OF
whom, indeed. arc Germans, just as there
Is a non-German minority In most OF the
so-called German provinces. Taken as q
whole. the Slav provinces OF the Cis-Lethan
kingdom are relatively poor. and tho num-
Der OF their people able to meet the prop
erty conditions OF the suffrage Is relatively
small. The practical effects. therefore. OF
the present electoral law are to cripple
the Slav element Of the population and to
favor the German one.
By his new Franchise bill. Count TAAFFE
proposes to remedy this inequitable state
OF things. and to place all the inhabitants
Of the Cis-Leithan kingdom upon an equal
footing. His measure abolishes the prop
erty 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 mill
tary obligations, and have lived in one
place for at least six months. Even illlterate
persons are permitted to vote in case they
pay direct taxes. and have either served
their time in the army or are now in tho
service Of the State in s,Hme capacity. In
Prussia such a bill would be considered
godsend by the Radicals and Social
lists. for 1t represents almost as close
an approach to universal suffrage as
does the new Belgian law. Nevertheless.
1t cannot be carried through tho lower
House OF the Reichsrath. and will have to
be withdrawn. being holly opposed. as We
have said. not only by the Conservatives.
but by the German Radicals. The latter
are encouraged by Frankfort and Berlin
newspapers to persist in their resistance.
on the ground that the passage OF the
measure would result In the ascendancy Of
the Slavonic element in the Cis-Lethan
Parliament. 1t Is not denied that an extern
sion Of the franchise is desirable. but this
should be arranged. it is commended. on some
principle which would maintain the Germans
in political preponderance. AS nobody is
able to hit upon such principle. outside
Of the ono embodied in n property qualitica-
ton. it seems unlikely. for the present at
all events. that any change in the electoral
law will be effected.
At the root of Count TAAFFEs proposal
lie his dislike of Prussia and his determine
ton to avert the absorption OF the German
provinces Of Austria in the German empire
an absorption to which they are now I'M
questionably drifting. That is why he has
been willing to make almost any conces-
sions to the Young Czeclls. short OF those
which would fatally impair the authority OF
the HAPsBURGs and the unity of the en-
pire. That is why the Slavs in the Cis-
Lothian kingdom have been allowed to
exercise a degree OF autonomy far superior
to that which is conceded to their kins-
men in the TRANSIT Lothian division. Count
TAAFFE. in a word. would institute proc
ess OF DISCRIMINATING Austria. believing
this to be prescribed by tho fundamental
duty OF self-preservation. 1t is true that his
first attempt in this direction seems fail
ure, and perhaps it will not be renewed as
long as FRANCIS JOSEPH lives. But the next
sovereign may be no friend to
Prussia. and it is probable that the plan Of |
giving the Austrian Slavs parliamentary
proportionate to their num-
bers will be ultimately carried out.
The Herald quotes Chairman FENNELL |
Of the Independent Citizens Democracy as |
that Republican followers in Fed |
oral places have prevented a com bination he- |