Chapter 813: The Years Have Not Forgiven Us
Chapter 796 The years have not spared anyone
A flurry of international environment, did not affect the Austrian Near East development program, all the work is being carried out in an orderly manner.
In the first quarter alone, the Vienna government emigrated 128,000 people from the mainland to the Near East, and nearly half of these people were rising military farmers.
Developing their own land, everyone was active. They would have gone there long ago if the government had not prevented them from doing so for fear of the remnants of the Black Death.
After all, the sooner the land is developed, the sooner it can be harvested. Generally speaking, the earliest immigrants were given preferential treatment, and could choose their land in advance.
It is still the 19th century, the scissors difference between industry and agriculture is not as wide as in later years, the background of the world’s shortage of food has not been improved, especially in the Asia-Pacific region, the most scarce food.
Agriculture is still a “money” industry, especially in the context of the population explosion in Europe, the international food prices began to slowly climb again.
In fact, Austria, the world’s top agricultural exporter, is also the largest food importer.
This is the incremental market demand brought about by population growth, the domestic food to meet their own needs, can be used to export the number of greatly reduced.
In this context, engaged in international trade in agricultural processing enterprises, in order to ensure the smooth delivery of orders, had to import raw food from overseas.
This situation, in essence, arose during the Russo-Prussian War. The Viennese government was ready to lift the restrictions on the colonies and to liberalize the cultivation and export of food from the African continent.
Only in view of the political repercussions, it was stopped by Franz. Instead, grain was imported from the Russian Empire, further processed and then exported.
In a sense, the Vienna government’s grain policy saved the Tsarist government.
Otherwise an additional African food-producing regions, international food prices fell dramatically, the high cost of cultivation of the Russian agricultural system, will be the first to suffer the end of the disaster.
There may even be international food prices upside down situation, after the loss of this source of wealth, the tsarist government can not hold out is an unknown.
Of course, the Vienna government’s food policy is not just for the Russians. International food prices fell, the biggest loss is still Austria, the world’s No. 1 exporter of agricultural products.
Austria’s political system dictates that the government must stabilize agriculture, and once international food prices collapse, the government can only subsidize grain growers out of its own pocket.
A very common practice in later times, it is still a little early.
The Vienna government is not yet so rich and generous, obviously can earn a large profit from it every year, why should it become a money-losing business?
Even if it is to suppress the Russians, it is not now. Backstabbing at this time, it is not likely that the Tsarist government will be finished early.
It was far safer to be a neighbor to a tsarist government that was sliding into the abyss than to deal with an unknown being.
The consequence of overturning the table would be the end of the pro-Austrian tsarist government, and Austria would follow with heavy losses, and the only ones who would profit would be the major grain importing countries in Europe.
Cheap food imports will reduce the cost of industrial and commercial production in various countries, thus increasing the competitiveness of industrial and commercial products.
Purely a self-inflicted vicious circle, once opened Austria itself has the advantage, will be greatly weakened.
……
Vienna Palace
The lady-in-waiting softly said, “Your Majesty, the cause of the Prime Minister’s fainting has been found, and it is said to be a lack of blood supply to the brain.
The doctor recommended more rest and recuperation. This is the resignation letter submitted by the Prime Minister, please take a look.”
This might not be considered a major illness in later generations, but in this era it would be fatal, and belonged to the kind of illness that could kill you at any time.
There were no effective medicines, and even controlling the condition was difficult. The only thing that could be done was to recuperate and then look forward to God’s blessing.
From the hand of the maid received the resignation, roughly read once, Franz did not immediately approved.
After sighing, he ordered, “Prepare the car, I want to leave the palace.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!” The maid replied
To this day, Prime Minister Felix is a flag of Austria.
Even if he was unable to perform the job of Prime Minister, as long as he put up a name and came out to show his face from time to time, he was able to play a stabilizing role.
Especially for the Greater German nationalists, Chancellor Felix himself is their spiritual leader, and has always been working for the unification of the German region.
Since 1853, Félix had been visiting the German states almost every year to discuss the issue of “peaceful unification”.
Over the years, much was achieved. Although real unification was still a long way off, economically and culturally they had come together.
The Customs Union was a must. No one could refuse the Austrian market, and the economic prosperity of North Germany could not be achieved without Austria’s support.
As of now, the Sacred Shield can already circulate freely in the German region without any restrictions, and there are even sixteen states within the North German Empire that list the Sacred Shield as their sole legal tender.
Culturally, there are even more various exchange tours. People from any state can freely travel and work in the German region without the need for a visa.
As the founder of all this, Prime Minister Felix was naturally embraced by all nationalists.
……
“Your Majesty, here you are again.”
A familiar voice rang in Franz’s ears.
Seeing Felix, who was walking shakily, Franz knew that there was no more spirited Austrian Prime Minister here now, only a windswept old man remained.
“Well!”
The thousand words that were in his mind when he arrived were now reduced to a single word.
Felix laughed, “You shouldn’t have come. Every time you leave the palace you send off an old friend, making it seem like I’m about to meet God.”
It was a joke and a fact. As the Emperor, Franz did not need to visit his ministers, and if he did, he was basically seeing them for the last time.
Embarrassed, Franz touched his nose and said, “Save it, God is too busy to see you right now!”
After more than thirty years of living together, the two are both ruler and subject, but also friends.
Especially after Felix went through a life and death experience, the two became more casual, and at the moment there were more friends than kings and subjects.
From Felix’s behavior, Franz understood that he was determined to quit the political arena, and it was impossible to retain him.
Although the European world is not as hierarchical as the East, but the rules of etiquette is still inevitable, appropriate distance is the way to get along.
A mature politicians can not make this mistake, only after leaving behind the relationship between the king and the minister, can do so casually.
Felix nodded, “That would be best, but you’d better not come, I still want to live to see the unification of the German region!”
Obsession? Maybe so, anyone who had done a job continuously for more than thirty years and suddenly had to leave would also have feelings.
As a final curtain call, who wouldn’t want a glorious finish?
However, Felix was very clear that the German region could not be unified in the short term, and it was impossible for him to push for the unification of the German region regardless just for the sake of one of his obsessions.
Prior to this, Felix had always thought that he could accomplish the great cause of unification of the German region in his own hands, subconsciously ignoring the problem of his own age.
This sudden illness brought him to his senses. In the era of per capita life expectancy of more than forty years, has been 85 years old Felix, equivalent to spend the life of two ordinary people.
The years are not forgiving, and his windy body makes him have to bow down.
Perhaps by virtue of past achievements, even if it can not fulfill his duties, Felix can still continue to stay in the position of prime minister, but the innate pride does not allow him to do so.
In the past, Felix is the most hate “dominate the position does not do the work of the people”, in the prime ministership, he has always been to combat the behavior of the empty pay.
Over the years, more than four dozen officials have been sent home for this reason.
In order not to become his most hated person, Felix did not give Franz the opportunity to open his mouth to retain.
Looking at this proud, yet stubborn old man, Franz helplessly shrugged his shoulders: ”Just don’t come, make it seem like I’m a calamity.
But you want to see the German region united, then you can’t be idle, have nothing to do but go around the German Unification Organization more often and guide those little guys.”
This time Felix didn’t reject Franz’s goodwill, and giving up power wasn’t as simple as saying it. If his body couldn’t hold out, he wouldn’t have retired so early.
Felix joked, “I will go! But to unify the German region, it is still mainly a matter for the government.
Your Majesty, you have to be quick. Otherwise, the day God is free and wants to summon me up, then I’ll just have to watch from the sky.”
Franz rolled his eyes, looking down on life and death that didn’t exist. Maybe not so much when you’re young, but once you get older, you feel more and more that life is precious.
In mock humor, he replied, “Don’t worry, the German region will definitely be united before you reach your one hundredth birthday.”
Deep inside, Franz was not calm anymore either. Truly in fifteen years’ time, he had also reached the age of life’s ancient Laixi, and there were not many years left for him to toss and turn.
(End of chapter)