Evening star., 1906-09-07


name instead of the name of their father.
You cannot help admiring the archduke
for the loyal manner in which he stuck to
his wife, and she is said to be entirely
| worthy Of the sacrifices he made for her.
She carries herself under these embarrass-
ing relations with great dignity: and she
Is respected by everybody for her character
better intellect than her husband and is
criticised only for her strong ultra-mon-
tame views.
The Heir Presumptive.
The heir-presumptive is Carl Francis. a
young man eighteen years Of age. son OF the
Archduke Otto and a nephew Of the nephew
Of the emperor. While his character has not
yet fully developed he Is said to be very
promising young prince. full of energy and
promising young price, full Of energy and
ambition, fond of his books and athletic
sports at the same time, good horseman
and an all around popular fellow.
There is quite q complication in the Hun
garian succession, however. The compact
between the two nations provides that the
successor of the emperor shall be the King
of Hungary, but nothing is said about the
queen. The Hungarian law does not know
which are prohibited by the law of Austria.
The heir to the throne Of Austria cannot
marry q woman who Is not Of royal blood,
but the King of Hungary can marry whom
ever he pleases-even peasant girl, II he
likes-and the question that Is perplexing
| a good many people here Is whether the
Hungarians will follow Austria and deny
Sophie Chotek a right to the throne, or
whether they will acknowledge her and her
children and admit them to the succession.
1t Is intimated that the Hungarians pro-
pose to trade on the situation with Franz
Ferdinand, If he ever comes to their throne,
and secure some concessions from him In
exchange for giving his throne to his wife.
But the archduke is SO unpopular in Hun
gary that 1t is doubtful whether the parlia-
ment of the people will ever accept him as
their king. He does not know them and
they do not know him. He has never Wis
tied Hungary. He has never shown any
desire, and has never recognized the ne
cessity either as heir presumptive or as an
ordinary prince, to visit the kingdom Of
which he will some day be the ruler. or to
do anything that will bring him into closer
touch with the people.
This Indifference is of course, very bad
policy on his part and is difficult to explain
except on the theory of the general
tipahy which the Austrians and Hungarians
feel toward each other and on his natural
characteristics. He is cold, hard, unlovable
and intense in his prejudces. He spends
most of his time hunting In lonely sections
of the country and in performing the rou-
tine military duties which required Of
an Austrian archduke. He has no friends
greater pleasure in the society of his wife
than with other companions He is un-
sympathetic and repellant, particularly be-
cause of his exclusive tendencies, and ex-
formality from those who surround him.
The people of Austria, and particularly
the Hungarians, talk with great freedom
concerning their future king, and since fate
has brought him into the line of succession
to the throne they consider that he is guilty
of unutterable folly in refusing to make
friends with his future subjects. Therefore
the question Is always asked:
What will happen when the present en-
peror dies?"
ut all depends upon what happens be-
fore" was the answer that was given to
me.
Strained Relations.
The relations between Austria and Hun
gary are very much strained. The bond
which unites them may be severed at any
time. conflict has been going on for
sixty years, but has never threatened the
existence of the dual monarchy so seriously
as 1t does today. Hungary is striving for
independence; for the right of self-govern-
ment: and is demanding popular rights
and legislative prerogatives which Francis
Joseph will not grant. Their respect for
him is SO great that the Hungarians bow
respectfully to his judgment but they do
not cease to strive, and when a less popu-
lar and a less powerful and tactful man
comes upon the throne things are likely to
be different
"Why don't the Austrians let Hungary
go?" / asked. Sweden has lost nothing
by her separation from Norway, and the
bitterness and rivalry between those dual
Kingdoms was never SO great as between
the people down here"
Because the empire would lose its pres
tige one of the great powers Of Europe
and would drop from the first into the third
class at the moment OF separation" was
the reply.
And that jealousy Of prestige. with re-
spect for the old emperor. seems to be the
only bond that holds the two nations to-
gether. There is ''Pan-German" party
which advocates the dissolution Of the en-
pire and the annexation of Austria to Ger
many. but the advocates of that idea are
few in numbers and very unpopular.