Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-11-30
MARK TWAIN's STORY OF IT.
The Great HumorI"t Describe. the
Scenes He Witnessed
In the ReicEsrath.

Ia II
New York. Nov. 29.-Mark Twain cables
to the World from Vienna:
In the Austrian house of deputies on
Thanksgiving day. in the midst of a deaf
eninS tumult, l saw a motion read which
nobody heard and passed, by nobody knows
WhOm-fOr, indeed. 1t was not passed at all.
1t was aimed at the obstructionists and
placed autocratic powers In the hands of
the president of the parliament. This was
a victory for the government, but was I'M
lawfully won. and was a simple usurpation
of power.
Naturally. Saturdays session would be
historical. 1 went early, arriving when the
house was empty. In half an hour two or
three hundred members We're present on
the floor, and the galleries were packed. 1
was in a gallery exactly opposite the presi-
cents tribune and had a perfect view.
There was not much noise then. but the
atmosphere was charged with suspense and
expectancy. All the vast house was hold
ing its breath. A long wait. then a stir. a
craning of necks and through a door far
to the right. the president and vice presi-
dents entered.
suits and excavations burst from the op-
position and blew them to their places. The
right answered back, and both sides roar
ed and shouted and stormed.
Two dozen socialists stood in a body
below the ministerial desks. shouting up
at the president and shook their fists fur
iously at him. He addressed some words
to the house-at least, one could see his
lips move and he spread his large hands
deprecatingly over his breast. If he is a
tyrant, he has some beseeching, persuasive
gestures not seen elsewhere but among the
angels. That gesture seemed to madden
over the barriers and up through the min
isterial benches. One in a red cravat
reached up and snatched the presidents
papers. Another seized his bell. In a mo-
r.ent, they were fighting AMI Struggling
with the uniformed servants of the house,
who elected them. At the same time, 9TH
ers of their group stormed up the side of
vice presidents. and followed them across
the floor. hammering the latter with their
fists. But l saw no blow actually reach
the president.
The socialists came back, occupied the
presidents tribune and held it like a fort.
The man in the red cravat gathered up an
armfui of the presidents papers and threw
them over the front in a sort of snow
storm.
Meantime, the whole house was bowling,
yelling and banging on the desks. A South
and less delicate epithets filled the air.
A of a sudden. that distant door OPEN
ed and down the floor of the brilliant and
and flash of sixty spiked helmets. 1t was
the most thrilling theatrical surprise 1 ever
saw. l would not have missed if for the
succession of the throne. Moreover. it was
history. and belongs among the worlds
memorable days. This force was received
with a tempest of excavations from the one
other: it was a heavy defeat for ali con-
Cerned. The handsome officer In command
cared nothing for the reception. He went
up into the tribune and requested the So
cialiSt garrison to retire. They declined.
Then he stepped aside and his men pull
ed. hauled and dragged the fighting. strus-
Cling garrison down from their fort and out
of the door-and the amazing drama was
fnished.n