The San Francisco call., 1897-12-12

III my judgment the dissolution OF
Austria Hungary and the absorption of its
Germanic elements by the confederation
of which Bismarck is The genius, is in
evitable."
This remark made profound impress
sion on me at the time, uttered as it was
by ). Brlnsley Richards, the Vienna corre-
spondent of the London Times, and the
best political observer as we'll as the most
conservative critic, in Southeastern
Europe. The occasion was a period of e1-
citement at the Austrian capital arisin e
from fierce insurrectionary movements in
bohemia. The undercurrent of the
emeute was the secret aspirations of the
people for the concession of a crown, with
monarchic autonomy similar to that con-
ferred upon Hungary. The Manifestations
took the form OF racial prejudice and pop
ular resistance to German preponderance
IN the administration of affairs. That
was eight years ago, but the present spec
tacle of parliamentary anarchy was then
looming in the elective horizon.
Are you really of the opinion so largly
shared by Others" | asked, that Bis
marck is at the bottom Of an intrigue de-
signed to sap the central authority and
cause the empire to crumble, so that the
Prussian house might through revolution,
rather than an aggressive policy, acquire
dominion over the entire German race ?'
"On the contrary, l am sure that Bis
marck has no such aspiration. Austria
Hungary is a bulwark he would defend
rather than destroy. His policy and
words have gone hand in hand on this
subject Again, he detests revolution,
and would prefer TO gain an end for the
state by any other means, particularly
where a considerable number of German
people was concerned. No, the downfall
of the empire, when it comes, will not be
the consequence of intrigue or external
pressure. The integrity of the Hapsburg
house and the preservation of its author
ity over the Balkan frontier are matters
above all to Germany.
The trouble lies not in outward enmity
1t is internal, and seems to be of the
nature of an incura BILE political disease.
Its virus is revolutionary and although
the Aus rian- Germans do not foresee the
consequences, TO me it looks as though
they in time would become politically the
instruments of annihilation by assuming
the attitude of hopelessly obstructive
minority in the parliamentary family of
the empire. 1t will end. l believe, in an
upheaval growing out of repressive do
mestic laws strenuously supported by the
German minority, and the abrogation bv
failure of consent to the consti utional
provision OF compromise on the budget,
which is entered into each decade between
Hungary and Austria.
Mr.. Richards astute observation of
1889 brings us to the present crisis as a
proof of his sagacIty aud foresight
1t may be said now with reason, though
there need be no apprehension of an i'm
mediate iultillment of expectation, that
the stability Of the empire is most threat
ened by the policy OF the German mon
archists.
The Austrian statesman who di dain-
fully treated Italy as geographical elo-
cution can no longer attempt to fatter
the entity of Austria-Hungary without
being compelled to avow that it Is scarcely
a political expression. The empire COM
prises so many natIonalities that it has
ceased altogether to be union.
While the race which is the protege of
the Eagle of the Hapsburgs easily
dominates the others, this privilege is
equivalent only to the appearance of
unity. Since the others have gained con-
sciousness of their vitality in aspiring to
special independence by com m on courtesy,
anarchy menaces the ancient empire.
The single solid bond that maintains the
edifice is the Emperor. As yet the per-
sonality of Francis Joseph is more re-
spected than the crown itself, a fact which
does not open a very reassuring perspec.
live to his successor.
1t is true that the Emperor's reign, be.
gun at the age of Is years in 1913, while
the revolutionary propaganda deeply agi-
tated the Continent, continues through
insurrections changes, internal disorders
and external defeats to strengthen the
courage of his old age. A sovereign
rather melancholy and tempered by in
Vulnerable misfortunes he opposes sue
cessfully his great prestige to the in
creasing difficulties of his authority and
the fatalities his power and stubbornness
cannot prevent.
The racial segregations of the Austro-
Hungarian state, the ba bel OF tongues
and the religious antagonisms. make il
seem impossible that the equilibrium OF
the EN- prs can endure IL Is only main
tanned at the price of continual calcula-
ton, in discovering the inherent weakness
OF revolutionary claims aud by the oppo-
sltion to them OF forces radically hostile
IN spirit.
Thus conceived and practiced, the i'm
perial politics are made to survive through
absorbing care for details, through the
fragility OF the respective elements under
mining it, but which obey the imperial
authority in the last extremity only from
fear of otherwise becoming the play hing
OF rival faction in the state.
Latest statistics roughly show the fol-
lowing enumeration of races in the en-
pire: 10 $50, 600 Germans, 7.770 000 Czechs.
Moravlans and Slovacks, 7,508. 600 Magyars
(HunGariansl, 1879 900 Croats, 8, 900 OOO
Poles. 1865, 900 Ruthens, 2,940, 900 Rumani
or Wallachians, 1.325,O00 Siovens and
$4,000 Italians.
Such are the larger membe of thi. in
congruous government, without taking
into account the numerous fractional
parts, each of whi ch is consumed with
political leaiOusy and struggling for n