New-York tribune., 1901-01-30
THE OUTLOOK IN AUSTRIA.

Increasing portents of trouble mark the prog
ress of the venerable Kaiser's reign in the els
leithan portion OF the Dual Realm Last Sep
tember it will be remembered. his long endur-
ing patience seemed to have become wellnigh
exhausted by the years of ink bottle throwing
and general rowdyism of the Abgeordnetenhaus
of the Reichsrath He dismissed it's members
and ordered new elections, with the significant
remark that these latter would he the last
constitutional means that would be employed
.'by his Government" That was interpreted TO
mean that if a Parliament were elected that
would attend TO business all would he well, but
If the new House renewed the bear garden
practices of its predecessor he would dismiss it
and govern the Empire without any Parliament.
That would be violation, or q suspension. of
the constitution But il would be a
justified by circumstances. A Parliament that
does nothing but slam desk lids and throw ink
stands is not a governing body 1t is a mob
that needs 10 be governed by the police with
clubs
Well, the elections have been held, in the
tedious and involved manner of that Empire,
and the result does not seem to be promising of
better things. 1t is true, some striking changes
in the composition of the House have been
effected. The people have revolted against the
alliance of the Jew baiters and the Clerical re-
actionaries. and have defeated so many of both
those factions happily including the notorious
DR.. Lueger and Prince Alloys Lechtensten-
that the two together will no longer command
majority of the House. The Clericals. indeed
have been smtten hip and thigh in all parts of
the Empire The Czechs have held their own
but they will no longer be able to command
majority by fusing with the Clericals and Jew
baiters. In fact, no one party and no combna-
ton of parties that may reasonably be expected
to be made. will have a majority. The party
that has gained most and that bids fair to exert
most influence in the new House, is the Pan
Germanic. whose aim is the separation of the
German provinces of Austria from the rest of
the realm and the Incorporation OF them into
the German Empire. This party numbered only
five in the last Parliament. In the one it
will number twenty-one. and il will be allied
with the German Peoples party, with more than
forty more members.
The outlook is. then. for a renewal of pande-
monium in the House. If the Kaiser fulfls his
implied threat he will send the brawIers about
their business, suspend the constitution and
govern the Empire without a Parliament In
that case two serious issues would arise One
is that the Pan-Germanic leaders would return
to their constituencies and begin agitation for
secession and union with Germany If indeed
they did not resort 10 open revolt The other is
that the Ausgleich with Hungary would be i'm
periled. since its maintenance depends upon the
maintenance Of the constitution and the Reichs-
rath- There is good reason to believe however
that the situation would largely be saved through
the fine loyalty of the Magyars The Hungarian
Government would probably stand by its King
and maintain the Ausglech even in the absence
OF farilament at Vienna. Indeed. there is a
grim suspicion, scarcely even whispered. that
Transleithia might do more than thot ond
might rush TO the Kaisers aid with force and
arms TO repress secession in the German prov.
inces. There seems imminent danger that
Francis Joseph will have to mark this late wear
Of his reign with suspension OF the constitu-
tion comparable with the arbitrary rule with
which ne began his reign II would be a mar.
rellous right about face Of fate if. having early
in his reign sent Austrian armies TO hold HIM
gary beneath his crown, he should at this late