Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-16

other the ''moribund of Austria. In
death of the sultan or the emperor. it wa
said. would precipitate war or change sensi
IDLY the map Of Europe.
Recent events, however, have singularl!
dissipated that situation. which was for
bidding because 1t forbode war. rap
prochement OF Germany and Turkey ant
now the elections in Austria have given
new lease of life to the governments when
according to the prophets. were destined u
disappear in a cataclysm.
Universal suffrage has completely over
turned the old order Of things In austria
The Austrians themselves were totally un
prepared to learn of the victory or the So
cialists. whose two divisions. the socia
democrats" and 1.-The Christian socialists
now form the dominant parties OF tht
reichsrath.
Socialism in Austria it should be said just
here, has none of the Objectionable char
France. Germany and Russia. 1t Is not al
filiated with "internationalism" or an
archism," nor is 1t even anti-monarcnicai
The correspondent of the London Times
IT have not observed a single attack upon
the monarchical form of the state. nor upor
the person of the emperor, during the whole
socialist electoral campaign"
The new reichsrath, manifestly socialistic.
marks an epoch in the history of a country
governed heretofore by a
Changed regime so absolutely differ
Conditions. ent. The old system of four
curias or wards is abolish
ed. and the new, with universal suffrage. it
is assumed. will do away with the race dis
tinctions and render Austria homogeneous.
The first curia was composed Of large land
holders. who elected So deputies. The Sec
ond, composed of cities. elected 11S depu-
ties. The third, composed of chambers of
commerce, elected p deputies. The fourth.
composed of the rural districts. elected 129
deputies. The fifth, which existed only
since 1896, was called the curia of univer-
sal suffrage and elected y deputies.
This mode of election ended in an extraor-
binary inequality. A certain large land
holder in the Tyrol represented only
voters, while in other wards single dep
uty represented 10000 voters Universal
suffrage is therefore justified Ii only as a
question of equity in representation.
The complete and revised returns OF the
elections of May % were received In Vienna
with feeling akin to CONSERVATION. The
composition Of parties in the new reichs-
rath, excluding those of Gallicia, may be
indicated thus: Social democrats, 81; Chris
tan socialists and anti-Semites, 81; Ger
man clericals or conservatives, Catholics
who will henceforth be identified with the
Christian socialists, %; German progress
siyes, %; German populists or radicals, "a;
German agrarians, u; liberal pan-Germans,
ID: pan-German radicals. 3; young cZechs,
Al; old Czechs, 6; realist Czechs. 2; agrarlan
Czechs, %; clerical Czechs, 10; radical
Czechs, 10; SIovene clericals. %; Slovene lib
erals, 3; Italian liberals, 4; Italian clericals.
10; Croats. 8; Serbs hitherto unrepresented,
g and Rumano-, ).
u
1t is difficult to diagnose the possible
affiliations of the twenty-one parties which
now compose the Austrian
1wenty-One chamber.
Parties. The social democrats. who
numbered only eleven in the
old chamber. number eighty-three In the
new. 1t is the strongest single party IN
the new reichsrath. The Christian social
lists, If these may be counted with them.
the conservative clericals, will be strong and
acting with the social democrats, as as
sumed, the combination VIII be able TO
form working majority.
The London Times correspondent at VI
emma writes: 1T is doubtful whether a
strong clerical majority can be formed in
the new house, since the democratiZa ton
of the Polish party seems to be making
such progress that the more conservative
Poles may be compelled to yield to their
less clerical colleagues" And the CORE
reactionary and no radical legislation Is
possible, inasmuch as the social demo-
Gratis, with the German and Czech liberal
elements would suffice to prevent 1t. 1t
must therefore, be the task of government
to formulate program OF mature and mod
crate reform such as to command a work
ing ma jority."
Another dispatch from Vienna says: 1.-THE
CONSERVATION among the German and Czech
middle class parties at the annihilation OF
their political representation is almost pa
thetic, but verify they have really deserved
the whirlwind they have reaped. me Neue
F'reie Presse, which witnesses the destruc-
ton of much that 1t holds dear, comically
endeayors to divert attention from the
wreck Of the German Jewish liberal party
by arguing that the Christian soclaists
have not gained as many seats as they
might concelvably have gained. and by
haunting the young Czechs with their ad-
versity.
German and Czech nationalism comes the
overthrow of Italian irredentism at Trieste
and it's disappearance The middle-class
irredentists. mostly of Levantine and Jew
ish extraction. who have fattened upon
radically insincere agitation at Trieste.
have now seen the electorate turn from
them and choose two local socialists.
y
In Hungary the results of universal suf-
frage in Austria has created sort of be-
wilderment which may be
Effect in perceived in the incoherence
HUNGARY. of the press and a feeling of
disquiet among the people.
LIE Temps says that if the Austrians have
conquered universal suffrage it Is to Hun
garian nationalists they owe 1t. For ADDS
LIE Temps eff the Hungarian nationalists
had been less untractable Baron Fejervary
would not have introduced electoral re-
form" .
The London Times expresses the opinion
that the socialist victories in Austria are
signs that people are awakening to the flu
tility of racial discord and are turning their
attention to true political and social reform
The coming to power of the clerical social
lists must exert great influence over Hun
gary, for the party has been not only anti
Semitic, but also anti-Magyar.
Austria has entered upon the experiment
of universal suffrage, it is said, under the
emperor's inspiration and guidance. 1t is a
bold venture, but inasmuch as the emperor
has kept socialism we'll in hand and aloof
from the fnsanities that attach to socialism
elsewhere 1t augurs we'll for its success and
the proposed regime of reforms 1t will in
augurate.
To weld such heterogeneous people into