New-York tribune., 1895-12-22
WHO WILL BE THE HEIR 7
AusrRIA's EMPEROR TO CHOOSE A Sue
CESSOR

NOW tndt tne question: VI ditcrlIlS tne oIuci VI
the succession to the throne OF Austro-H ungary
has become a matter Of public discussion in the
semi-offical press Of Vienna and in the Imperial
LEGISLATURE II may be regarded having passed
out OF the domain OF mere court gossip and of club
rlmor into that Of practical politics. and such
has become worthy OF serious attention abroad
II was first mooted at the time of the death OF
Crown Prince Rudolph. was revived when Arch
duchess Marie Valerie gave birth TO her eldest
boy and has now come once more TO public atten
ton through the severe illness OF Archduke Fran
els Ferdinand. who is AFFLICTED with consumption
and whose days are consequently numbered His
death will. unless the order of succession is al
tered. have the effect Of rendering his younger
brother Otto heir presumptive to the throne an
eventuaty which neither the Emperor nor yet
the nation can contemplate with equanimity.
For Otto is the black sheep of the reignng fam
ily and the most universally execrated member
Of the house OF Hapsburg. The estimation in
which he is held by his countrymen may be gath
cred from the fact that when some time ago he
exhibited at Of the art shows OF Vienna a
water-color which he had painted. representing
wild boar surrounded by its progeny, it the
standing joke for people to ask one another what
they thought Of "Otto's letzte Schwenerei''-Ot-
to's last piece of hoggishnessw He is not only
lbertne. but also drunkaro. and his behavior
10 his charming wife, a daughter OF Prince George
of saxony. has been Of so disgracefu character
that on two occasions she has been compelled TO
leave him and to return to her family
Once ne brought number of roisterers into
his palace at night and. after having drunk him
self into state OF absolute crazness, invited his
boon companions 10 come upstairs with him to
his wife's apartments in order that they might
see how an Archduchess looked when in bed.
otoly fnr Ha~ Jpnna oil oh +hara
was present in the Palace at the time of the
aides es-de-camp who. hearing the noise and know
ing the character Of The Prince to whose house
hold he attached. feared that the Arch
duchess might stand in need of protection. So,
when the drunken crowd of men and women ar
rived upstairs they were encountered by the
young officer. who drew his sword and threatened
10 run II through any one save the Archduke who
attempted TO pass This, and this alone, saved
the poor Archduchess from the crowning indg-
nifty which her blackguard husband had pre-
pared for her. AS 1t was. he escaped with three
months close arrest imposed upon him by the
Emperor while the young aide-de-camp was sent
back 10 regimental duty and received consdera
bic promotion.
On another occasion Archduke Otto disgraced
himself by stopping a PEASANTS funeral while
he was out riding with some friends in the
country around Prague and by leaping his horse
backward and forward a number Of times over
The coffin. So great the scandal created by
this incident that II was brought up for discus
SION in the Imperial Parliament in Vienna. the
well-known Deputy Pernerstorffer declaring in
most impassioned and eloquent speech that 1t
unjust to reproach the students Of the Uni
versity with exccsses when the younger men,
bers Of the imperial family themselves set such
an example. On the following day party of
young nobemen. boon companions also Of Arch
duke Otto, invaded the house of the Deputy in
question and administered 10 him terrible
thrasbinS. injuring him so severely that he was
obliged to keep his bed for some weeks after
ward.
About a year ago the Archduke received
severe pistol wound in the right shoulder, which
made necessary his going long leave of alb
sence. An effort was made on the part OF the
friendly and semi-official press to attribute the
wound not to an accident. but to an attempt at
suicide. The story. however. was In fragrant
contradiction with rumors current in court cir
cles. which led one 10 believe that ne mad re-
ceived the injury in duel his adversary being
~ other than his biother-in-law. Prince John Of
saxony VINO had resented the treatment OF his
fsvorite sister by her worthless husband. One
thing at any rate. is certain. and that is that
when a man attempts 10 commit suicide he does
not generally discharge pistol al MS rleHt shoul-
Ger.
Emperor Francis Joseph not only detests his
nephew. but is known once TO have struck him
in the face in a fit Of fury at some piece OF
blackguardism that the Prince had perpetrated
For he sees reflected in Prince Otto all the Crown
Princes worst faults. without single one OF
-RudFs" many redeem:ng qualities.
To all this it may be replied by way Of argu
nnent that Il is not Otto, but his father, Arch
duke Charles Louis who stands next to the En-
peror in line oc succession. But Charles Louis
although younger than Francis Joseph, is in
fnitely more broken by age and infirmities; and
besides In spite OF his being as respectable as
Otto rs the reverse his ascent OF the throne would
present from a national point OF view, almost as
many disadvantages as that OF his son. Indeed,
mis- succession would probably result In a revolu-
ton in Austria itself and IN an nsurrection on
the part of Hungary against the continuance OF
Austrian rule.
OF all the princes in Europe this Archduke
10 assuredly the most reactionary, the most
bizutted and the most narrowminded Brought
I'D BY the Jesuits-not those of the present
day. but by those of half a century ago-he
personiaes all that antiQuated Hapsburg hor-
ror of everything in the nature OF constitutional
government ard popular rights which led to
the Revolution Of 1S4s in Austria and Of 1S4s
In Hungary. and resulted in the abdication or
Emperor Ferdinand. Throughout the present
reagh Archduke Charles Louis has shown him
self g. most uncompromising foe of everything
In the nature Of reform and progress he Is
completely under the influence OF the ultra
moutane section Of the Catholic Church. and in
the conflict which has been raging between
Church and State for several years past In
connection with the civil marriage and registra-
ton iaws.in Hungary he has thrown the whole
weight of his influence against the Govern
ment alike at Vienna and at Budapest. openly
attacking his brothers constitutional advisers.
AT the present moment. when the crisis has