Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-11-30
PEACE IN VIENNA, AT PRESENT.

PEACE IN VIENNA, AT PRESENT.
For tho present peace has been Sc
cured IN Vienna, and the parliamentar,
situation somewhat cleared up by th'
resignation OF the Badeni ministry anC
the adjournment by Francis Joseph o
the Rechsrath, until further orders. ThI:
appears to have been the only feasible
way. not only OF stopping the rioting in
the Reichsrath, but Of quoting the tu-
multi among the populace of Vienna,
which threatened to develop into a gene
raj revolution. so far as that city was
concerned. As II was, order was not
restored in the streets until body Of
Hussars had used their sabres pretty
freely and the police distributed among
the crowd a newspaper announcing the
ministry's retirement.
There are nine distinct nationahties
represented in the Austrian Reichsrath.
and many more party factions, and
| these in turn represent for the most
part embers Of racial antagonism and
political discord that have for long
time smouldered throughout the Austrian
division of the dual monarchy. As the
readers of the Dispatch are aware, the
lntensest flame i'm the Reichsrath was
caused by decree Of the Austrian Gov
ernments, raising the Czech language
TO coordinate dignity with the German
ia Bohemia and Morava. This was vio-
lently resented by the Germans, who
constitute the more wealthy and intelli-
Ill. 10, h.
other issues that famed the general
tire, notably that Of renewing the
Ausglcch. the decennial financial COM
pact between Austria and Hungary,
which involved the prOportionate con-
tributions of the Cisleithan and Trans
the common expenses. Austria claimed
that it was unjust that Hungary, which
has been steadily growing in prosperity,
should continue to bear no more than 80
per cent. Of the common burden, and
many Hungarian statesmen assented TO
an increase. However, the time before
the expiration of the Ausgleich was so
short, there were so many points of
difference as to detail. and there was
SUCH a strong disposition in Austria to
demand concessions injurious to Hun
gary and which it was certain she
would not make, that it was proposed to
renew the old compact for year, pend
ing further negotiation.
Hungary promptly agreed to this, but
the Austrian Germans would not even
allow the proposition to be discussed in
the Reichsrath. Not only that, but they
coupled Badenrs countenance of the pro-
position with his responsibility for the
Czech language decree, and made the |
two ground for demanding his impeach- |
ment. The impeachment movement was |
defeated by a narrow majority and the |
failure of the Reichsrath to vote a re- |
newal of the compact promised to lead |
TO serious complications between Austria |
and Hungary-complica menacing to |
the general basis of union, and which were
calculated to encourage greatly the ex-
treme Hungarian Nationalist. Under
these conditions it became all the more
essential that Badeni should continue to
cater to the anti-German elements and
to consolidate these and build
up on them a majority. But this effort,
rs we have seen, came to naught The
game not only resulted in stirring up
ealousies, one OF another, among the
several groups representing in the Reichs-
-ath the minor nationalities. but set the
ierman political factions in the body to
lighting one another. The fnality of the
situation was that every one seemed to
% at war with every one else, and no
legislation of any character was possible.
The scenes enacted in the Reichsrath du-
ing it's last few sittings are perhaps
in the history Of legislative
assemblies, except, perhaps, by the scenes
hat disgraced some of the carpet-bag- |
GER scallawag, and negro Legislatures
hat after the war were foisted by the
Republican party upon the South.
Whether Baron Gautsch, who has been
allied upon to form new ministry, will
De able to manage the present Reichsrath
my better than could Badeni, is a
question. The chances are, however,
against him. His personal popularity and
to the contrary, notwith-
it looks as IL clean
sweep offers the only solution
o the trouble.