Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1899 American Edition.djvu/715

 CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT — FINANCE 359

summoned annually by the Emperor, alternately at Vienna and Budapest. They deliberate independently of each other, their decisions being communicated reciprocally in writing ; and if, after three such interchanges, they do not agree, then all the delegates (or an equal number of members from each Dele- gation) meet together, and, without discussion, settle the matter by vote. The three ministries or executive departments for common affairs are : —

1. The Common Ministry of Foreign Affairs and of the Imperial House. — Count Agcnor Maria Adam Goluchowski, Privy Councillor ; born March 25, 1849.

2. The Common Ministry of War. — General Edmund Edl. v. Kriegham- mer, General of the Cavalry, Privy Councillor, Minister of War for the Whole Monarchy.

3. The Common Ministry of Finance. — 'QeniQ.v^.mdeKdllay, Privy Coiiti- cillor, born December 22, 1839. Appointed Minister of Finance for the Whole Monarchy June 4, 1882.

To these departments must Ije added : —

The Common Court of Public Accounts. — Dr. Ernest w?i PZertcr, Privy Councillor, Appointed July 10, 1895.

The Ministers arc responsible for the discharge of their official functions to the Delegations.

Common rinance*

The cost of the administration of common affairs is borne by both States in a proportion agreed on by the Reichs- rath and Parliament (Orsraggyiiles), and sanctioned by the Emperor-King. The agreement (Ausgleich, Kiegyez^s), which requires to be renewed every ten years, expired in 1897 without a fresh understanding having been reached. By the old arrangement which, in the meantime, continues in force, the net proceeds of the common customs are deducted from the amount required ; then 2 per cent, of the remainder is debited to Hungary ; and, lastly, of the remainder 70 per cent, is paid by Austria, and 30 per cent, by Hungary. A common loan may be taken, and the Heating debt, consisting of bills, is guaranteed jointly by both. The other dobts are not regarded as common ; but Hungary pays, on account of ordinary debt contracted before 1868, a yearly sum of 30,312,920 florins.

The following table shows the expenditure, and the sources from which the revenue was obtained, in thousands of florins, for the years indicated, those for 1897 and 1898 being the sanctioned estimates ; —