The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-10-02
SUCCESSOR ID
 AUSTRIAN THRONE Is Often in the Eyes of the
 People FRANZ JOSEF IS OLD Many Public Meetings Are Being Held Throughout Germany As Pro- test Against the High Cost
 of Provisions
FRANZ JOSEF IS OLD

Berlin. October 2.-(Special.) .)-A1though Emperor Franz Josef of Austria is in ex- cellent health, the fact that he is Sf years of age has caused the European diplomats and his own subjects to turn their eyes on his successor the. Arch duke Franz Ferdinand. Very little is known to the public of this member of Austrian royalty. He desires obscurity and whatever he desires he generally ob- tains. He is very retiring, a student. philosopher with a passion for gar dening.
 Despite his quiet manner and avoid ance of publicity, however, it is believed l'by many that when this man comes to the throne he will wield powerful in- fluence on the destinies of Europe. He Is a Jesuit. Therefore, it goes to say that he is influenced by the vatican. The vatican Is controlled, as far as diplomacy goes. by the great statesman. Cardinal Merry del Val. It is claimed by some well informed writers that it is the am- bition of Merry del Val and Archduke Franz Ferdinand to make Austria the most powerful nation in Europe.
 To gain an idea of the character of man the archduke is 1 need only refer to the Balkan troubles nearly two years ago when the whole of Europe was brought to edge of war and held there shivering for a week. When the war clouds had been dispelled it was found that Austria had annexed Bosnia and Herzigovina- At that time 1t was not known as to just who was responsible for this bold stroke, but since then the affair has been sfted by many of Eu- ropes leading statesmen and 1t can be said with almost mathematical certainty that the guiding spirit in the Bosnian affair was Archduke Franz Ferdinand. If this Is true, and there seems to be no doubt of 1t, then the Archduke is the ruling spirit of Emperor Wilhelm of Ger many, for although the Emperor made a great deal of noise in the Bosnian business, he was merely the assistant and not the master Conceding that this be true, then Archduke Franz Ferdi- nand is the virtual commander of 4,O0o.- GOO German soldiers, of the large German fleet. of the Austrian army and of the Austrian navy, which is building with feverish rapidity.
 Long life to the aged Emperor But when the peaceful old man departs from this world one may look for some bold strokes by Austria
 The continued and rapid Mse fin the price of meat and other articles of food causes increasing anxiety throughout Germany. Public meetings are being held in Berlin and many provincial towns, protesting against the fiscal pol icy which has given rise to this extra ordinary state of affairs and calling on the government to open the from tiers for the free importation of the foodstuffs until prices are reduced.
 One of the most remarkable of these meetings was held at Castrop, where the burgermeister, addressing his peo- pie, said
 Things have gone so far that the worker of today is hardly in a posi- tion to buy a pound of meat. This state of affairs cannot continue The working people are suffering from in sufficient nourishment.
 These high prices have their origin in the empires preposterous fiscal pol icy. with its high duties. The work ing classes are in state of high dis content and rightly so, and I do not hesitate to state this publicly.
 Observe. this mayor of Castrop is no socialist agitator, but the head of a town where socialism has few sup porters
 An inspector of mines in Westphalia declares that the scarcity of food Is remarka ble. He has noticed that the miners breakfasts are growing scan- tier
 Evidently the worst had not yet been reached. The butchers guilds announce that in a few days their prices must be raised still higher.
 The situation in south Germany causes much anxiety owing to the i'm pending decision of the Austrian gov ernment to prohibit the exportation of cattle from Austria to Germany. In spite of the heavy duty on imported cattle south German towns have found it cheaper to consume Austrian meat than their own. Over 1000 beasts are exported weekly to Germany for consumption in Frankfurt Mayence, Munich, Nuenberg, Augsburg and even as far as Dresden and Cologne. Over 50 per cent of the consumption of Munich Is of Austrian origin.
 The mere threat to prohibit this ex- port has raised the price of south Ger man cattle another 20 per cent.
 That the Belgians take their troubles lightly is evident by the manner in which