New-York tribune., 1905-08-13
WEARIED OF HIS GROWN.
Francis Joseph May Surrender 1t to
His GrandnepheT.

~sxf Thursday Archduke Charles Franci, %
.vstria celebrates his eighteenth birthday and ~
,he same time. the attainment OF his majority
-hile Friday his grsndUncIe. Emperor Francis
Yos,ssh beconnes seventy-ffve years of age The
s-uxsap position OF these two birthdays is this wear
:, altogether exceptional Importance The Fm-
-s-rr was himself only eighteen years and three
,or,hs old when ne was brought to the throne
.lr.ugh the abdicszion OF HIS uncle Ferdinand
.,s b the renuncLation OF his own father Arch
agke Francs NhSTs' or ms nights or succession
nc crown
The reasons WHICH chiefly in,neTlea F,nero-
rs-s,rand to abdicate were the demands made upon
a. 70 conoede 10 the people subject 10 hts r,,la
,.--ain rights and prerogatives TO which they COR
sssered they were entitled. but which be himself
ssr that he could not possibly grant without ,so
r,f,-s his oath 70 maintain unimpaired the sove-
.fr- authority which he had inherited He ,el,
..s. he owed a well defined and definitely s.,,,,
,.,sd dury 10 the grand old House Of Hapsburr
,-s,s as much any obligations &c his peorle
.bgse claims relatively new and who de-
,pdes reforms that might might not contribute
:. ne welfare OF the empire. His younger brother
.r.bduke Francis Charles. felt the same wav
horf the matter. could not bring himself 10 WELD
>. ropuar clsrnor and that is why ne stepped aside
and put forward in his stead his eghteen-year-old
x,n nov Emperor Francis Joseph. who bv reason
~ his youth was more free from conservative
,-s.udices more pliahle and better able to .iald
vsthour exposing himself 10 a charge Of weakness
.hsn his elderly relatives.
VERY ruch the same situation exists AT the
rresert ranent in Austria. and more especially in
Hungary as AZ the time Of the accession
n F-aucis Jcseph. Now. as on that occasion
there is an aged monarch. broken by domestic
he-eavsments and sorrows. on the throne. who
having all fis life long made a series of sacrifices
n the demands cf his people each time az the ex-
neu=e q the prelugatives OF the Crown now
feels that he has rsachad the extreme limit and
.iat he can 20 no further In Austria his con
cessor 10 popular representation and 10 nation
sligr ssnjrstions have resulted in A species Of
psrlsueatsry deadlock. which has brought legis-
lerive government Ar Vienna into contempt
and rsralyzed the administration OF the state
as well as the economic development OF the
sunpire In Hungary the condition of affairs
& even worse The Magyar people. as
v,it hasrg themselves upon their constitu-
,iorsl rights demand OF him concessions with
regsrd 70 The Hungarian moiety OF the i'm
rerssl army which lse considers ne cannot grant
save al he expense Of the safety os the entire
susI empire Moreover. he inTerprets the pro-
visions - re Hungarian constitution in q manner
thar does not coincide with the construction placed
,..,r il bv the Msgyars. Parliament and people
&c united against him IN the matter. and threaten
n follow the example Of Norway. and TO break
,soee altogether from Austria. and possibly also
from the dynasty-
The Emperor has so often vowed that he could
uor give way in the matter. that II Is difficult 10
soc how he can now recede from the position
which he has taken up On the other hand. mat
ters cannot 60 on as they are al present. since
The deadlock Is even more pronounced and acute
than in Austria