The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-05
BOHEMIA TIRED OF BONDAGE.
CZECHS MAY PLUNGE THE EMPIRE
INTO CIVIL WAR.


Triple Empire by Placing Bohemia
on an Equal Footing With Austria
and Hungary.
Copyright, 1897. by the Associated Press.
London, Dec. 4.-International questions
have been temporarily overshadowed by
the gravity of the situation in Austria,
where things are as gloomy as imaginable.
In addition to the imminence of a civil war,
the next few hours may possibly witness
a historic revolution in the relations be-
tween Austria and Hungary. which might
mean the reconstruction of the map of
Europe.
1t is hardly an exaggeration to say that
the factions are drawn up like contending
armies. The Germans have appealed to
the compatriots on both sides of the from
tier and are apparently prepared to run
all risks to keep the hated Czechs in sub
lection. The Czechs make no secret of
the fact that their final aim is to abolish
the dual empire and make it a triple en-
pire by placing Bohemia on an equal foot
ing with Austria and Hungary. To grant
these demands would set Hungary on fire
and destroy the foundations of the pres
ent imperial system. 1t looks as though
the employment of force is the only solu-
tion of the question, but against which
faction will it be used?
The question of the provisional Ausg
leish bill (or agreement to prolong for a
year instead of ten years the compact be-
tween Austria and Hungary pending ar
rangements for a longer compacD, is, if
possible, a question even more grave than
the threatened civil war The Hungarian
diet has given Baron Won Gautsch Won
Frankenthurn, the Austrian premier I'M
til Monday next in which to state whether
he can reasonably expect the Augsleish
bill to pass, and, failing a decisive an
sWer, Baron Banffy, the Hungarian pre-
mier, will introduce on Monday a bill
whereby Hungary will act independently
as regards the duties to be levied, contin-
uance of commercial relations with Aus
tria and the renewal of the charter of the
Austro- Hungarian bank. The compact
between the two portions of the dual
state thus lapses, and though the status
quo may be maintained temporarily Hun
gary will establish her claim to the right
of independently disposing of these ques-
tions. 1t is easy to see that victory will
only whet the Hungarian appetite and
that it will be but short step to the
hurl Europe into furnace of terrible pos
| sibilities.
Apparently the only hope of escape is
| that the personal ascendancy of the old
| emperor will once again enable him to
solve an apparently impossible situation.
Failing in this, the Reichsrath will be dis
solved and reign of absolutism will be-
gin in Austria and technically. Hungary
will have resumed her independence, the
first step toward federation as distinct
from a dual Austro- Hungarian monarchy.
The Indian war continues on the old
lines The British advances and subse-
quent retirements leave but a small i'm
preston on the tribesmen, who will not
submit. The whole warfare Is discourage
ing, as it promises to be inconclusive and
looks as though the results might be
summed up in a nutshell-bloody war,
| weakened frontier, angered neighbors,
humping bill.
The uncomfortable suggestion current
that the British regiments, with but one
or two exceptions, have gone through the
scrimmages less creditably than the Six
has and Ghurkas, if true, will have an effect
on the native element, extremely grave.
For should the Sikhas get sWelled heads
and imagine themselves a match for the
British, it will raise such a tempest as has
| never yet been seen in the annals of In
dia.
| ended in a fiasco is no surprise, though
much regretted. The extreme gravity of
| the situation cannot be over-estimated.
! The address, in which the delegates of the
| strikers submit the results to the mem
| bers of the union, is almost discouraging.
| 1t emphasizes their opinion that the condi-
| tions the employers are resolved to exact
strike at the most cherished principles or
trades unionism. In conclusion, it says:
Nothing but the sense of the sufferings
| and the sacrifices which the quarrel has
| already imposed upon our fellow laborers
could have induced US to submit proposals
of such humiliating character for con-
| sideration."
The above is an admission of the fact
already known that the strikers are re-
| duced to q pitiful plight.
| The whole aspect of the industrial world
here is much depressed. In addition to
| the engineering troubles, the amaigamat-
| ed society of railway servants has issued
| strike notices to 10000 of its members, and
the cotton industry is also threatened
| with paralysis.
The army bill takes precedence over all
others in the coming session of the Brit
| ish parliament, and the government is
preparing to force the measure through
! before Easter. The question of raising a
| larger army for Great Britain is the topic
| of the hour, and even the bogy of the pos
sibility of an invasion has been raised.
| All the conservative and many of the lib
eral speeches are largely devoted TO
| sketching the possible combination of the
powers against Great Britain with the
view of convincing the public of the ne
| cessity for an increase of the militia.
| Sir Arthur B. Fairwood, Bart, conserv-
ative member of parliament for the south
| west division of Lancashire, in a speech
| at Liverpool on Thursday, in discussing
| Great Britain's frictions and the attitude
| of the other powers toward Great Britain,
spoke of the foreign policy of the United
| States as being difficult to forecast.
Speaking broadly he explained the United
| States would be slow to draw the sword
| in any quarrel excepting with herself but
| at the same time he added "her domestic
| and political divisions are so keen her
| politicians are so unscrupulous as to the
/ means they use to injure their opponents,
| and their press is so sensational and ef-
| fective, that any day the United States
| might unwittingly and without real intent
be found in conflict with some other
| power.
"At the bottom of the Americans hearts
there is regard for England, but their
| minds are so overloaded with old preju.
/ dices that we could not with reasonable
certa inty calculate on which side of an Is.