Los Angeles herald., 1905-11-29
AuStrianS Make Big
Demonstration
Troops Fire on Crowds
in AusterlitZ
Two Persons Are Killed and Thirty
Wounded-Premier Assures People
That Concessions They Ask
Will Be Granted
BY Associated Press.

BY Associated Press
VIENNA, Nov 2S.--Today marked a
new epoch in Austrian history. for the
Austrian people throughout the entire
country made known their demand for
ed"al suffrage and even as this de-
mand was being voiced, the crown,
through Premier Baron Gautch Won
Frankenthurn, in parliament was as
suring the people that its will would
bedone. The premier promised to
bring in by the end of February a
bill providing for full and free. uni
versal, equal and direct suffrage.
The people made known their de-
mand by a series of demonstrations in
all the principal cities and towns Of
the country. From o%ly one town,
Austerlitz. are serious disorders re-
ported. There the troops fired on dis
orderly demonstrators. killing two and
Woundfng thirty. Otherwise, the de-
lronstrations We're characterized by
the maintenance of order and dignity
Hundreds of thousands of men pa
raded today, thus emphasizing their
demand for political freedom. Such
demonstration was never before wit
messed in Austria The most impress
sfve feature of tSe whole day i'm Vi
emma was found in the fact that not a
single voice was raised as the masses
marched silently, but earnestly, and
with unmistakable determination.
Parliament opened at II o'clock, and
az noon Premier Baron Gautch Won
Frankenthurn announced the granting
OF suffrage to the people. Between
10 a. m. and p. m. fully 175, 900 men
and women marched past the parlia-
mentary buildings. each person wear
ing red cloth band bea ring words
imperatively demanding the granting
of equal suffrage.
The demonstrators turned out in
much larger numbers than had been
expected, and The days occurrences
have made deep and serious impress
sion upon the country at large. The
piemier'S words in parliament re-
lating to suffrage made favorable
impression, particularly upon the Ger
mans, who are gratifed because of
the governments promise to protect
the various nationaities composing
the population of the empire In this
they see an assurance of the continu-
ance of their national predominance.
The next election to the chamber of
deputies will take place next year,
probably during the summer.
Emperor Sees Demonstration
Emperor Francis Joseph spent the
day at the Vienna palace, from the
windows of which he could witness the
silent defiling of his people.
Premier Baron Gautch Won Franken-
thurn, meanwhile. was laying before the
deputies the governments bill provid-
ing for equal suffrage.
Every Austrian male over "a years of
age has n vote, but the voters are
divided into five classes and the votes
cast by certain classes, notably the
landed proprietors, various chambers
of commerce and urban dwellers are
infinitely more effective in securing the
election of a deputy than the votes cast
by the ordinary people to the extent
even that sometimes a dozen land
owners votes count as much as 300, 900
votes cast by ordinary people. The re-
suit of this system is that the wealthy
classes can secure parliament tary pro-
lection and favorltism at the expense
of the masses. Consequently the
masses demanded in no uncertain tones
the abolition of all suffrage privileges
enjoyed at their expense. The move
ment applies only to Austria. Suffrage
in Hungary is provided for by the re-
cent Fejervary- Kristoffy program ana
the opposition of the United Coalition
party in Hungary to this program be-
cuse it does not grant the use of Hun
gary words of command in the Hun
garian section of the army, today
stands alone between the Hungarians
and the adherents of suffrage.
Germany May Lose Control
There is much fear i'm Austria that
the new suffrage may deprive the Ger
man element in Austria of it's long
held political leadership in national af-
fairs.
on this basis there is reason to be-
leve that the suffrage bill will be Bit
terly attacked by the German deputies,
who constitute ninety-siX members out
of a total of 42S. The Germans are
followed by the czechs with eighty
seven members. The government bill
however. while abolshing the existing
suffrage privileges, provides a clear
system for determining the number of
deputies returnable by the various
PROVINCES on the basis of the number of
Inhabitants in each province and the
total amount of taxation paid in each
province by which the Germans will
still have 202 members and the czechs
ninety-four. Under this new system
the number of Polish, Italian, Croatian,
Roumanian and German deputies will
be diminished, while the czechs, Ruth
enians and Slavonans will be aug
mented.