Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 16.djvu/228

* POLITICAL PABTIES. 192 POLITICAL PARTIES. Austria. Bolii'inia, Moravia, Silt-sia, and Styria into tlu- fold of Protestantism and Old Catholi- cism. The nationalist jjroups or parties arc the Czechs Poles, Riithenians, Slovenes, Italians, Croats and Humans. Of these the most impor- tant are the Czechs. This group has its aristo- cratic and democratic wings, the Old and oung Czechs, who have united in recent years in a demand for the recognition of the Czech nation- alit.v through a union of Bohemia, Jloravia. and Silesia as a kingdom, united with Austria only by treat v. as Hungary is, and not organically. The Austrian Slavs, with the exception of the Poles, are very friendly to Russia, while the liberal Germans naturally lean toward Oermany. These are united with the Magyars of Hungary in com- mon fear of Slavic domination. The political status of Cisleithania under these conditions is most unsettled. Us Keichsrat is notoriously dis- orderly, and thorough party organization is im- possible. Self-interest and the popularity of the Kmperor Francis .loseiih 1. are the two ele- ments that keep the heterogeneous body together. For Hungary (Transleithania), see Hungaby below. ]5alkax States. In the Balkan States — Bul- garia, Kumania, and Servia — pro-Russian and anti-Russian sentiment has had a principal share in the alignment of parties, especially in Bulgaria. In Hulgaria, before llii- uiiioii with Eastern Rumelia (188.5), there were Radicals, who demanded union, and Conservatives, who were satisfied with the existing condition. After the union, in the face of Russia's bitter opposi- tion thereto, the Radicals became anti-Russian. The Bulgarian Nali(malists seek to unite all JIacedonia under Bulgaria, and therein Bul- garia's interests clash with those of (ireece. Ru- mania, of all this group of States, is the most settled in its political life. The parties are Con- servatives and Liberals, the government of the parliamentary form, and the two ])arties have alternated in the Alinistry. In Servia the par- ties are Liberals, who are [Ji-o-Russians; Radicals, who are pro-Austrians; and Progressists, who also lean to the side of Au.stria. Bei.oum. The chief parties are two — Clericals or Catholics, and Liberals or anti-Catholics — and there are in addition the groups of Prot- estiints and Socialists. The Protestants have slight influence in Parliament, and both these groups act with the Lil>erals against the Cler- icals. I'ntil 1847 there was a struggle against the Crown to establish party government through a res])onsihlc Ministry. Since that year the Ministry has been taken from the majority in the (^haniher of Deputies. The parties have alternated in control, but since 1884 the Catholics have held the Government and have gathered to themselves the conservative elements of society repelled by the growing jiolitical importance of the Socialists. In 180."! an active agitation resulted in the adoption of practically universal suffrage. Since that time the Liberal Party has virtually fallen under the control of the Socialists. The elections of 1902 resulted in a decided Catholic victory. Canada. Political parties worthy of the name made their first effective appearance after the War of 1812. in "a struggle for responsible gov- ernment against the rule of an autocratic Gover- nor and his Camarilla." Aroused by the political monopoly and social arrogance of a grouj) of royal oilicials known as the ••Family Com- pact" (see Ca.nada, section on History), op- position took the shape of a Reform Party, under the leadership of Mackenzie, Ralph, l!id- well. and Baldwin, advocating an elective legis- lative council, reform in the administration of Crown lands, independence of the judiciary, pop- ular control of revenue and the civil service list, and abolition of clergy reserves. The '•Fam- ily Compact." rapidly enlarging into a Conser- vative or Tory ]iarty. under the leadership of Robinson and Strachan, was forced into a con- test which resulted in a Refcuin victory in ISI!!). Under the new regime a responsible and lil)eral government was partially introduced, the Upper House being made elective, the Anglican Church disestablished, the clergy reserves secularized, and the I'niversity of Toronto thrown open to Xonconformists. Parties soon formed anew; u|^)on the question of "re|)resentation by jiopulalion ' — an attempt to remedy the unc(|ual representa- tions of I'ppcr and Lower Canada as eslablislieil in the I'nion of 1840. The Grits represented the aggressive elements, under the leadership of George Brown, and the Tories the ojjposl- tion, led by Cartier and Macdonald. This new contest" of parties, endiittercd by racial and religious difTerences, produced in 1804 a complete deadlock in ( anadiaii poliiics and Ii^gis- lation. The situation was temporarily relieved by the formation of a coalition, a compromise Ministry under Macdonald and Brown, and the adoption of the much-agitated confederation of the provinces (1807). Confederation, however, soon produced new lines of party distinction rather curiously interwoven. Conservatism allied itself with Nationalism, and advocated the strengthening of the confederation. Liberalism affiliated itself with Provincialism, and decried undue interference in local affairs. In 1873-74 the Radical Reform Party succeeded in gaining control of political affairs; but in 1878, owing to its advocacy of free trade and the ('onserva- tive adoption of a 'national' or protective policy, it was again reduced to the opposition. From 1803 to 180C the Liberals gained rapidly in popular favor. In 1800, under the leadership of Wilfrid Laurier, and by the union of their tariff policy with a radical oppositiim to feileral in- terference in the noted school controversy of Manitoba, they succeeded in overthrowing the supremacy of the C<m.servatives. I'nder the new order the Manitoba school question has been settled, slightly to Liberal disadvantage: reciprocity has given way to a preferential tariff favoring England: a popular plebiscite in favor of prohibition has been disregarded, notwith- standing a prohibition plank in the Liberal platform of 1803: and labor difficulties promising in 1890 the formation of a labor party have been at least temiwrarily settled. The Lilierals have succeeded in holding their own against the skillful ojiposition efforts of Sir Charles Tupper and the other Conservative leaders, carrying the elections of 1000 by decisive majorities and retaining their complete domination of the Do- minion House. ]Iuch friction is introduced into Canadian politics by the race question, religious differences, and the fear or hope of American annexation. At present efforts are being made to form party lines upon the question of British imperialism, with disturbing factors in the recent