El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-05-27

|
| alive, and while he lives he will re-
mann the sole arbiter in this matter.
1t is possible that he may accede to
a wish expressed by his nephew Franz
| ferdinand, but it is far more likely
that he has already made up his mind
in regard to the succession, and if so
it, is extremely improbable that any
| wish expressed by any member of his
family will have the slightest weight
with him. Even the emperor, how
ever, is not free to do as he pleases. 1t
is said that his desire to have the
throne descend at his death to his
daughter, the Archduchess Marie
Valerie, wife of the Archduke Francis
Salvador, or to some one of her chill
dren, but this would necessitate a re-
vision of the pragmatic sanction, by
virtue of which in 1928 Emperor
Charles vi. settled the crown on his
daughter Maria Theresa and her heirs
The rule, then, being that the Austro-
Hungarian throne shall always de-
scend to direct male heirs, the success
sion at present lies between the sons
of Archduke Charles Ludwig Of these
neither Franz Ferdinand nor Otto is
this was clearly the main reason why
he was recently thinking of following
Charles Wis example and settling the
crown on his daughter or on his
grandson. That Franz Ferdinand
should voluntarily resign his claims on
the crown in favor of his little nephew
Karl will seem strange to those who
know how elated he has always ap-
peared at the conviction that he
would succeed the present emperor.
This conviction was first weakened
when he became seriously i'll a few
years ago. All Austria thought that
he would die of consumption, and quite
NATURALLY his brother Otto took his
place at court. Franz Ferdinand.
however, recovered and he very soon
made 1t quite clear that he was not |
willing to resign his claims to the |
goodly heritage in favor Of anyone. In |
every possible way, both at home and |
at foreign courts, he let it be known |
that he and he alone was to be ruler |
of Austria-Hungary after the present
emperor's death. Now, it is claimed |
that neither he nor the Archduke Otto
is qualified to hold the reins over this
'"'' anu hoIeioSeHeOuS empire, and
that the emperor would be much pet
ter pleased to have as his successor
his youngest daughter, the Archduch-
eSs Marie Valerie, or one of her chill
dren. On this latter point he does
not seem to have quite made up his
mind. AT first he planned to have his
laughter appointed empress after his
death, but the latest report was that
ne desired to have her son, the Arch
luke Francis Charles Salvador, ap-
pointed as his successor As the arch
luke is now only 6 years old. it is evil
lent that the real ruler of Austria
Hungary for some years would be the
Marie Valerie. who
would presumably act as regent II it
De asked Can the emperor safely
break the Austrian law of succession
n this manner" The answer is
hat the consequences of such an act
nay De more serious than is at pres
mt supposed. True, the great powers
would not raise any objection, and the
outlook is that the Austrian parlia-
nent would assent to any such change
n the law, though possibly not with
tut some murmuring In Hungary. ,
however, there would assuredly be ]
ONE strong opposition. The consent
# two-thirds of the members Of the E
hungarian parliament would be neces- :
airy in a case of this kind, and to gain
heir consent would not be easv In {