from the Left, the Clericals
and the Poles. The president was Prince Alfred Windisch-Graetz, grandson of
the celebrated general, one of Hohenwart's ablest lieutenants; Hohenwart
himself did not take office. Of course an administration of this kind could
not take a definite line on any controversial question, but during 1894
they carried through the commercial treaty with Russia and the laws for the
continuance of the currency reform. The differences of the clubs appeared,
however, in the discussions on franchise reform; the government, not strong
enough to have a policy of its own, had referred the matter to a committee;
for the question having once been raised, it was impossible not to go on
with it. This would probably have been fatal to the coalition, but the
final blow was given by a matter of very small importance arising from the
disputes on nationality. The Slovenes had asked that in the gymnasium at
Cilli classes in which instruction was given in Slovenian should be formed
parallel to the German classes. This request caused great excitement in
Styria and the neighbouring districts; the Styrian diet (from which the
Slovene minority had seceded) protested. The Slovenes were, however,
members of the Hohenwart Club, so Hohenwart and his followers supported the
request, which was adopted by the ministry. The German Left opposed it;
they were compelled to do so by the popular indignation in the German
districts; and when the vote was carried against them (12th June 1895) they
made it a question of confidence, and formally withdrew their support from
the government, which therefore at once resigned.

[Sidenote: Badeni's ministry.]

After a short interval the emperor appointed as minister-president Count
Badeni, who had earned a great reputation as governer of Galicia. He formed
an administration the merit of which, as of so many others, was that it was
to belong to no party and to have no programme. He hoped to be able to work
in harmony with the moderate elements of the Left; his mission was to carry
through the composition (_Ausgleich_) with Hungary; to this everything else
must be subordinated. During 1896 he succeeded in carrying a franchise
reform bill, which satisfied nearly all parties. All the old categories of
members were maintained, but a fifth _curia_ was added, in which almost any
one might vote who had resided six months in one place and was not in
domestic service; in this way seventy-two would be added