Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-11-28
THEY PRESENT A PETITION.
Demand the Election Of Members
OF the ReiChsrath by Uni.
versaI Suffrage.
Presidents Of Both Houses Sympa-
thctic but Pointed Out Difficulties
or Such Reform just Now.

Vienna, Nov. 2S,--The Austrian parli-
important sessions in its history, as 1t
will have 70 decide the question OF suff-
rage and the nations attitude towards
Hungary and as the members took
their seats, a monster popular process
sion, variously estimated TO number
from 100000 to 100000 workmen, was NJ
ing past the parliament buildings in
silent, orderly impressive array. thus
voicing their universal demand Tor
equal and universal suffrage. Disorders
had been freely predicted for today.
Practically every store I'm the city was
closed and the iron shutters were down.
Tho authorities had strong forces OF
police, cavalry and infantry, ready to
maintain order, but the day hos up 20
the present time passed quietly.
The demonstrations were forbidden
ind obeyed orders strictly, but their de-
mand was emphasized as hour after
hour tens Of thousands marched past
the parliament buildings with red flags
and banners bearing inscriptions inn
rerially demanding equal, direct and
universal suffrage.
Emperor Francis Joseph spent the
day at the Vienna palace from the win
dows of which be could witness the 81
lens marching OF his people
Premier Baron Gautch Won Fr1nkeu-
thurn meanwhile was laying before The
deputies the governments bill prOVid-
ing for equal suffrage,
Every Austrian male over q years OF
age has q vote but the voters are d.
vided into Ave classes and the votes
cast by certain classes. notably the
landed proprietors. various chambers OF
commerce and urban dwellers arc in
finitely more effective In securing the
election Of a deputy than the votes cast
by the ordinary people 20 the extent
even that some times a dozen land OWE
erS' votes count as much as 100000 votes
cast by ordinary people. The result ~
this system is that the wealthy classes
can secure parliamentary protection
and favoritism az the expense of the
masses. Consequently the masses are
demanding in no uncertain tones tho
abolition Of all suffrage privileges en-
joyed at their expense The movement
applies only 10 Austria. Suffrage In
Hungary is provided by the recent Fee
Jervary-Kristoffa program and the op-
position Of the United Coalition party
In Hungary 10 this program because It
does not grant the use Ot Hungarian
works of command In the Hungarian
section Of the army today stands alone
between the Hungauans aud the en-
Joyment OF suffrage.
There Is much fear in Austria that
the new suffrage may deprive the Ger
man element In Austria Of its long held
political leadership IN national affairs.
ON this basis there IS reason to be-
lieye that the suffrage bill viii be bit
.terly attacked by the German deputies
who constitute 206 members out OF
total OF as. The Germans are followed
by the Czechs with So members. The
government bill, however while abol-
shing the existing suffrage privileges,
provides a clear system for determine
ing the number of deputies returnabe
by the various provinces on the basis
OF the number OF inhabitants I'm each
province md the total amount Of taxa
tiun paid In each province by which the
Germans VIII still have 202 members
and the CZechs a. Under this new
system the number OF Polish, Italian
Grotlan Boumanian and German dep
uties will he diminished while the
Czechs, Ruthenians and Slavonians viii
be augmented.
some 100000 representatives Of
organized labor made demon
stratlon before the department build
iugs today and paraded the streets
81 the capital in support of their de-
mand for the election OF members OF tha
reichsrath By universal equal and d.
rect suffrage
The demonstration was under tho
auspices Of the Social Democrats. Most
OF the factories ana many Of the shops
ana offices were closed. The procession
mustered on Karls Plate and. headed
b. banners, marched 70 the public
buildings, where a deputation presented
a petition for universal suffrage TO the
premier and presidents OF both houses.
The presidents were sympathetic. They
said they recognized that the foremos,
duty OF the legislature was 10 listen to
the cry for an extension Of the suffrage,
which was reaching parliament from all
classes OF society. AT the same tima
they pointed out the difficulties of deal
ing with so far-reaching a reform IN
the peculiar political and national COM
diuon IN Austria and declared that IL
would only he accompNshable when
parliament could meet TRANQUILITY with
out being swayed by outside influence.
The premier Baron Gautch Won
Frankenthurn, promised soon TO lay the
Intentions OF the government ga detail,
before the lower house, lie said he was
firmly convinced that tranquility AMI
order were the best means OF promoting
electoral reforms,