When we take up our history books and read the accounts of the greatdeeds that have been done, we are very apt to wonder how the people feltin those times, and if it was not much more exciting to live historythan it is to learn it.
We have an opportunity of judging for ourselves how it feels, for we arenow living through a very important chapter of history.
Cuba, Turkey, Haiti, and Hawaii are all making history for us that willmake very stirring reading for the scholars that come after us, and nowAustria has joined in the procession, and is giving us an episode thatwill make one of the most exciting pages in that country's history.
The present occurrences in Austria are of the utmost importance to theworld. They show that the time has passed when kings can rule asabsolute monarchs, and that the voice of the people must be listened to.
We told you of the anger of the Austrian people against Count Badeni andhis Government, and how the Emperor approved of him and his work, andwas determined to uphold him in spite of the opposition.
We also told you that there is a clause in the Austrian constitutionwhich gives the Emperor power to act on his own authority withoutconsulting the people, in case of emergency.
But Francis Joseph, Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary, backed bythis powerful clause, has not been strong enough to protect his PrimeMinister, and in the face of the anger of the people has not dared touse the privilege which the constitution gives him.
This is a great chapter in history. It all happened in this way:
We told you in the last number how the Government rushed a resolutionthrough the Reichsrath, which gave the President of the House the powerto suspend unruly members and prevent them from entering the chamber.
As soon as the Reichsrath reassembled, it became evident to theopposition that the Government considered the resolution legally passed,and intended to act on it.
This so enraged the deputies that no sooner was the sitting declaredopen than they rushed to the President's tribune, seized the papers onhis desk, tore them, and scattered them over the house.
The attendants had not been prepared for this rush, and had allowed someof the angry members to pass through the gate which had been made in thefence around the tribune.
As soon as they realized what was passing, they fought and buffeted theintruders, until they had expelled them from the enclosure, and thePresident declared the sitting adjourned.
This had no effect on the furious mob with which the chamber was filled.
One of the members again made a rush for the tribune. The gate had beenclosed, but, climbing over the fence, he made a dash for the President'sbell and portfolio.
The President, amazed at this daring, pushed him away. In an instant acrowd of his friends, howling and shouting, swarmed over the fence, anda regular fight began on the tribune itself.
The deputies had by this time lost control of themselves, and proceededwith blows and kicks to drive the President and Vice-Presidents of theReichsrath off the tribune, or raised platform, on which the Presidentsits.
One of the