wever,
only indifferently successful. In 1888 the party was once more
reconstructed.

[Footnote 678: In the Chamber the Czechs, Poles,
and Clericals controlled each approximately 55
votes.]

Among the diverse groups by which the Taaffe government was supported
there was just one common interest, namely, the prevention of a return
to power on the part of the German Liberals. Upon this preponderating
consideration, and upon the otherwise divergent purposes of the
Government groups, Taaffe built his system. Maintaining rigidly his
determination to permit no radical alteration of the constitution, he
none the less extended favors freely to the non-Germanic
nationalities, and so contrived to prolong through nearly a decade and
a half, by federalist support, an essentially centralist government.
Government consisted largely, indeed, in perennial bargaining between
the executive authorities on the one hand and the parliamentary groups
on the other, and in the course of these bargainings it was ever the
legislative chambers, not the Government, that lost ground. The
bureaucracy increased its hold, the administrative organs waxed
stronger, the power of the Emperor was magnified. The ministry became
pre-eminently the ministry of the crown, and despite strictly observed
constitutional forms the spirit of absolutism was largely
rehabilitated.[679]

[Footnote 679: The forcefully expressed view of an
eminent Austrian authority, written during the
parliamentary deadlock which marked the close of
the last century, is of interest. "His [Taaffe's]
prolonged ministry had decisive effects upon the
political life of Austria. It rendered forever
impossible a return to Germanizing centralism. It
filled the administrative hierarchy with Slavs,
who, remaining Slavs, placed at the service of
their national propaganda their official influence.
In combatting the Liberal party it restored the
power of the court, of the aristocracy, of the
Church, and it facilitated the obnoxious
restoration of clericalism, by which Austria to-day
is dominated. It at the same time aroused and
corrupted the