Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-08-15
THE MAKEUP OF
AUSTRIA-HUNGA-
RY AS A POWER
Exeter, n. H, News-Letter.)

|
| In spite of its important position.
| both geographically and politically,
but few people realize exactly what
they mean when they speak OF Aus
tria- Hungary and to many the words
Austria and Hungary seem inter
changeable terms for the same coun-
try. What, then, is Austria, what is
Hungary, and why are they always
braeketed together?'
The Austrian empire is a constitu-
tional monarchy, formed of three
kingdoms bohemia, Galicia and Dali
matia), two archduchies. Upper and
Lower Austria, and collection OF
duchies, courtships, and margraves OF
princely rank; all of them united in
the person of the Emperor Francis
Joseph.
| The adjacent and entirely indepen-
dent kingdom of Hungary, in addition
to Hungary proper, includes Croatia,
Slavonia and Pennsylvania, countries
formerly independent but now,
through intermarriage, conquest and
inheritance, all possessions of the
apostolic king of Hungary, who hap
pens by a purely historic chance to be
also sovereign of the empire Of Aus
tria. The possession Of a unifying
link in the person of their common
ruler has led to the Ausgleich or
Compromise" whereby the two
countries, for mutual convenience,
have agreed to join forces in main
tanning joint diplomatic and naval and
military services. Beyond this the
two countries are entirely Independent.
No country in Europe, except Hun
gary, contains within its borders 80
many diverse nations and tongues as
the Austrian empire. Each or the
three great ethnic stock of Europe Is
represented-the Latin, the German
and the Slav, with the latter pre-
dominating, as to 1t belong 100000
out of the 100000 inhabiting the
empire The Hungarian, or more
properly, the Magyar, is perhaps the
keenest patriot in Europe, and he
manifests his enthusiasm by seeking
to impose his language and customs
upon his Slavonio fellow-citizens with
a persistence that neither opposition
nor passive resistance can diminish.
In these lands, SO mixed in nation
atty and language, there Is no less q
variety Of religion; Roman Catholics
preponderate, but Greek J Orthodox.
Uniat Greeks, Lutherans, Calvinists.
Jews, and even, Armenian Gregorians
are found within their borders. The
customs union between Austria and
Hungary has rendered these countries
a commercial unit; but roughly speak
ing Hungary is the agricultural and
pastoral country, while Austria Is In
dustrial. Hungary is also the rich
est country in Europe In mineral de-
posts, the range Of which is singu:
larly wide.
Austria is, after Switzerland. the
most mountainous region in Europe,
more than four-fifths of her vast ter
ritory being 600 feet above sea level.
Mountain climbing Is the great ma
tional game, like baseball in the
United States. Old. young, middle
aged, all take a keen interest In 1t.
Even Emperor Francis Joseph is an
enthusiastic mountaineer at more than
so years of age. In his time he has
scaled most of the great peaks OF hiss
country.
Vienna, the imperial city, the capital
of Austria, owns her own electric and
gasfight, street railways and omni-
buses. ice manufacturing plant ware