The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1897-11-29
THE SITUATION IN AUSTRTA

and rlOtOuS manifestations IN the
reichstrath have continued till the
scenes partake more of the football
field than legislative councils. A
proposal by the German opposition
to impeach the ministers for violat-
ing their powers by the issuance Of
tile decree authorizing the official
use of the Czech language in Bohe-
mia, failed by the very narrow vote
of III to III, In speaking upon
this proposal, the prime minister,
Count Bodeni, against whom the Bit
terest feeling is manifest, announced
that the cabinet would not retire,
even if the impeachment resolutions
were passed.
The situation is made the more
serious by the intense interest taken
in the matter by the Germans across
the border. Most violent speeches
have been made and letters written
affirming that the matter is one affect
ing the whole German people, and
that Austria, being historically a
German power, and its constitution
having been based on the assumption
that the prime influence would con-
tinue to be German, for such a
change to be made as would imply
the effacing of German influence was
a matter to call for the most serious
attention of all Germans.
1t is also stated that there is quite
strong movement in Austria for
reunion of German Austria with
Germany in case the increased infn-
ence of the Czechs continues.
In order to understand the situa-
ton il is to be remembered that the
Germans of Austria form only about
one-third OF the entire population of
the empire. OF the nearly 24,O0O.-
600 inhabitants, S,5oO,Oo0 are Ger
mans, 100000 Czechs, 100000
Poles, 100000 Ruthenians (Little
Russians), 100000 Slovenes, Croa-
tians and Servlans, while $4,000 are
Italians. The Czechs, Ruthenians,
Siovenes, ETC., ale all Slavic by race,
but not so closely united as to make
them compact body. The Czechs
alone have been able to present
united political front. The German
element is chiefly in Tyrol, Styria,
upper Austria. on the borders of Ba-
varia, and lower Austria, in the vi
cinity of Vienna, although there is a
considerable element throughout
Bohemia and Moravia. There the
Czechs are predominant, and it is
there that the special difficulty arises.
The Germans look upon all Slavs and
speak of them as barbarians, and
hence arises the bitterness of the con-
test. Hungary is somewhat more
favorably situated. The Magyars,
numbering 1900, 900 out Of 17,5oo,-
geo, are compact, but are surrounded
by fringe of Germans, Ruthenians,
Croatians and Rumanians. These
latter, in close sympathy with their
fellows of Bumanla proper, watch
with great interest any national de-
yelopments in the empire.
The peculiar government must
also be keptin mind. Francis Joseph
is emperor of Austria and king of
Hungary. Austria has its parliament
or reichstrath; Hungary its parlia-
ment or reichstag; while each prov
ince has its one local landtag. For
imperial interests, as foreign affairs,
war, finance, there is another parlia-
ment called the delegations. Each
parliament has its own ministry.
The head of the delegations is Count
Goluchowsky, minister of foreign
affairs. Count Badeni is prime min
ister. OF. Austria, and Count Banffy
prime minister of Hungary. The
i'm Neral evnansese are annortfona,7