Omaha daily bee., 1903-06-13

Predictions Of a general break up OF the |
Austro-H Hungarian empire have not been /
wanting during the last dozen years or so, |
founded on various political perils sup |
posed to menace that country and on the |
somewhat doubtful imperial succession. But |
the most sagacious political observers at
tach little weight TO them. In their opinion |
Austria has not yet fulfilled its mission, |
and has a good many pages of unwritten
history to round out before its record is |
completed. DIR. Adolph stransSy, leader Of |
the young czech party in the Austrian |
legislature, says that any dissolution of
the realm of the Hapsburgs is not within |
the range Of possibility. The leader OF the |
Christian social party, Dr. Albert Gessman, |
says that the empire is not only entitled to |
further existence on the ground of it's his |
torical development, but the most important |
neighboring states will feel themselves COM
PEELED in their own respective interests to |
insure the continuance of the dual mon
archy. Count Banffy, Hungarian EXPIRE |
mier, also scouts the rumor Of a possible |
dismemberment for a long time to come |
hundred years or more-which is rather |
long range firing for political prophecy, and |
he adds that both Austria and Hungary |
are aware that failing the common bond |
which insures their twofold independence, |
neither could survive except through the |
hardest Of struggles" The necessity of It's |
maintenance Is not altogether a political |
one; from the econoraic standpoint Austria |
and Hungary are thrown on their mutual
resources, and this is a factor which is
daily growing in importancs.
Reduction of military expenditures In the
colonies is a question of the day in France.
In 1902 the military budget for the colonies
was Sl9,OOo,OOo This year It has fallen to
$4,000 600, with some resultant alarm. The
Temps, which says II will not be suspected
of an excessive weakness for that sort of
expenditure" still enters a strong plea for
colonial defense After Fashoda, the Par
lament voted an appropriation for a COM
prehensive plan of colonial defense, but 1t
has been clipped and curtaled under the
pressure for economy. The French colonial
system falls into three great divisions:
Western Africa, the Congo, Madagascar and
Indo- China. At the present time they are
garrisoned by $500 troops, 5000 in Indo-
China, 1900 in Madagascar and 5000 in
Africa. The Temps insists that they should
be so thoroughly armed and equipped that,
in a crisis, each portion of the colonial sys-
tenn would be capable Of defending itself.
This would certainly swell, instead of re-
duclng the annual budget, the dimensions
Of which, they are, give the minister Of
finance sleepless nights.
The results Of the resent uprisings in
Croatia were a good deal less serious than
at first reported, but were sufficiently en-
blematic of the popular unrest The Aus
trian premier. DR.. Won Korber. announced
officially that only two persons had been
killed by gendarmes and that one OF these
had thrown himself on a soldiers bayonet
He added, however, that the stories about
scores killed and hundreds wounded would
probably have been true II 1t had not been
for the discipline and forbearance Of the
troops, whose steadfastness was guar
nntee OF order. Count Khun HedcTvary
the banus of Croatia, is convinced that the
| whole revolutionary movement in that
| country may be traced to the parliament
tary deadlock in Hungary. All the various
elements of opposition in Croatia, he said.
in a recent interview, have combined in
demanding financial separation from Hun
gary. Public excitement was intensified by
the fact that few of the railroad officials
knew any Croatian and that Hungarian
names had been adopted where Croatian
names had been used before. The socialists
| had taken advantage of the opportunity
| afforded by the prevailing discomfort, and
| the priests aided IN the circulation OF rev.
olutionary placards. In some places, he
| declared the rioting was of distinctly
| anarchial character, but the military soon
restored order. It is plain that the con-
dition of the populace is highly infiam-
mable
The resolution of the chamber OF mines
Of johannesburg urging the government to
| import indentured coolie labor for the con-
| struction of new railways was adopted
after a speech by Sir Percy Fitz Patrick.
who argued that this course would not
only relieve the strain on the labor mar
ket, but would afford an opportunity Of
| testing legislative safeguards in the regu-
| lation of imported labor All Africa, he
| said was based upon cheap, colored labor
| It not only set the pace, but fixed the
! limit of accomplishment, and unless II
| could be procured far more plentifully than
| at present It would be necessary to revise
all estimates and possibly might mean the
| establishment of position similar to that
In western Australia, where they had the
greatest gold field in the world, but no
labor to work it. He then went on to tell
what had been done to attract native labor
TO the Rand. The raising of wages by 100
/ per cent IN a lew HAOhlhSI bhS SA
bonus to time expired boys" and the pro-
vision of a very greatly improved diet and
many additional comforts had failed to
effect the object in view. On the mining
industry of the Transvaal an immense su-
perstructure was raised-social, commercial.
Industrial and political-and 1t was en-
inently desirable that every obstacle to its
expansion should be removed Imported
labor was required for the railways. and
he urged the mining industry and the
whole community to say so boldly. They
could not surrender any native labor with
out forcing the question of importing
Asiatlcs into immediate prominence. 1t Is
understood that japanese will be imported
to build the railways, and return to their
own country when the work is completed.
Among the ancient buildings at Vienna
now undergoing demolition, Is the once
famous ball house, or racquet court, at
tached to the Hofburg. Ball playing with
racquets was introduced by Ferdinand /,
. who brought It from Spain. An official
master of the court was appointed, and by
degrees four others were built for the pub
lie in various parts Of the city. The one at
the Burg was burned down in 1926, a fact
noticed in the Burg archives. Upon the
| aama anot "a larger one was built, to which