New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-02-25

- Emperor Francis Joseph's action in dissoivine
Hungary~s national Diet must not be regarded
6 piece OF tyranny. and the dispatches from
Festh which denounce the step as an aIteiAp'
on the part of the aged monarch 10 sune nm
ger3an liberty are altogether misleading liz
venerable sovereign has no intention WflAtsoeNei
OF ruling without the people On the contrary
he desires 20 increase the extent OF uhen NOl0e
;n the affairs OF the nation. Confronted by DE-
,,ends made hv the parliamentary majority OF
the Magyar legislature which he considered as
contrary 10 the letter and 10 the spirit OF lhe
constitution which he had sworn on June O.
1867, 20 observe-demands that he regaroeo as
unjust 10 more than half OF the populaoh OF Inc
kingdom OF Hungary and as constituting d PeiI-
alike 20 nation and 10 throne-he mas aIli'Ou'0
his determination OF appealing TO the whoie OF
his subjects comprised in the 1Taiisl
norton Of his dorninions. He declined 10 REGARD
she rsrlisr1eut at Pesth as representing the
,-,e continents and wishes OF the population OF
the Magyar kingdom in its entirety. in view OF
the fact that legislative representation IS NlFtu-
ally rnonopolized by 5-25 per cent or the popuia-
zion OF Hungary proper. leaving the millions OF
Croatia and Slavonia with practically no voice
Fl al n the government; ana he proclalileu ms
,,.sol,,. "a Grant universal suffrage. Inasmuch
rs the Iungar.ans constitute about one-thlfo OF
the population OF Hungary. they objected TO this
sx-ension Of the franchise and both houses OF
the Parliament al Budapest pronounced them
selves bv overwhelming majorities against the
scheme Emperor Francis Joseph declined TO
yield 10 their views on the question OF FRANCHISE
dissolved both houses by imperial decree on
nsonss,- last as he was entitled 20 do by the
terms Of the constitution and is now by means
uf q proclamation ordering general election
throughout the length and breadth Of the land
on a basis Of universal suffrage. He believes
rprlv
.be views OF the nation as a whole. instead OF
merely q noisy minority thereof In one word.
his present action must be construed as A refer
enduna 10 the entire people on the demands
made upon him by mere political faction al
Pesth il is a. appeal by the Nestor Of Euro
pean sovereigus 70 the democracy against what
can only he described as an oligarchy. And
that is why the aristooracy, once the bulwark OF
his throne. is now found aTrayed against il
Before going any further. il may be Wei
90 set forth briefly Why Francis Joseph was jus
titled IN declining 10 look upon the Parliament
which he dissolved last Monday as representa-
tive Of the views Of the people Of the Trans
leithan moiety Of his dual empire To begin
with. the population Of the entire kingdom com
r-sses about 100000 and OF these less than
100000 are Hungarisns. The suffrage has
hitherto been restricted almost entirely 70 these
FTungarars but only 10 those Of them possessed
Of certain property qualifications. Thus. 1867
600 are landowners with al least two acres Of
sand each. Yet more than half Of these, or oil
per cent have no vote. Thanks 10 this, the
number Of electors is, as I have pointed out
above. less than g per cent Of the population. as
compared with 2S per cent IN France, while in
England one-sixth of the population parlia-
Tneutsry electors. OF course universal suffrage
will chenge this condition OF affairs in Hungary
and VIII break the legislative monopoly which
the rich classes Of Magyars have enjoyed until
now. In fact the next House Of Representatives
al PestE, elected on a basis Of universal suffrage
bids fair 10 show very large party. If not
ma5ority, OF non 1Iagyars added 10 which there
viii be q considerable representation Of the petty
Hungarian landowners. peasants and egri-
cultural and urban laboring masses. Naturally
this prospect is gall and NORWOOD 10 the Hun
gsrian mobiles, small and great alike. who cannot
bear the IDEA that a labOrer or peasant should
have the same right 10 vote as the squire OF the
great landlord. In fact, the Magyar aristocratic
GLASSES are so determined 10 prevent the loss OF
the virtual monopoly Of legislative power which