Had this attitude represented the temper of the whole Hungarian people, it would have been impossible for the crown to have coped with it But the Coalition represented, in fact, not the mass of the people, but only asmall dominant minority,1 and for years past this minority had neglected the social and economic needs of the mass of the people in the eager pursuit of party advantage and the effort to impose, by coercion and corruption failing other means, the Magyar language and Magyar culture on the non-Magyar races In this supreme crisis, then, it is not surprising that the masses listened with sullen indifference to the fiery eloquence of the Coalition leaders. Moreover, by refusing the royal terms, the Coalition had forced the crown into an alliance with the extreme democratic elements in the state Universal suffrage had already been adopted in the Cis-leithan half of the monarchy, it was an obvious policy to propose it for Hungary also, and thus, by an appeal to the non-Magyar K, ,, s,6, ,, ,, s majority, to reduce the irreconcilable Magyar minority Universal to reason Universal suffrage, then, was the first and 5“”""Z° most important of the proposals put forward by Mr "mp°s'"' Ioszef Kristoffy, the minister of the interior, in the programme issued by him on the 26th of November 1905 Other proposals were: the maintenance of the system of the joint army as established in 1867, but with the concession that all Hungarian recruits were to receive their education in Magyar; the maintenance till 1917 of the actual customs convention with Austria, a reform of the land laws, with a view to assisting the poorer proprietors; complete religious equality; universal and compulsory primary education.

The issue of a programme so liberal, and notably the inclusion in it of the idea of universal suffrage, entirely checkmated the opposition parties. Their official organs, indeed, continued to fulminate against the “ unconstitutional ” government, but the enthusiasm with which the programme had been received in the country showed the Coalition leaders the danger of their position, and henceforth, though they continued their denunciations of Austria, they entered into secret negotiations with the king-emperor, in order, by coming to terms with him, to ward off the fatal consequences of Krxst6ffy's proposals.

On the 19th of February 1906 the parliament was dissolved, vwithout writs being issued for a new election, a fact accepted by the country with an equanimity highly disconcerting C to patriots Meanwhile the negotiations continued, Ministry, so secretly that when, on the 9th of April, the appointment of a Coalition cabinet' under Dr Sandor Wekerlc was announced, the world was taken completely by surprise

For two years and a half the Coalition ministry continued in office without showing any signs that they intended to carry out the most important item of their programme. The Andréssys old abuses continued: the muzzling of the press in the Universal interests of Magyar nationalism, the imprisonment Sufff-“ge of non-Magyar deputies for “ incitement against Bm Magyar nationality, ” the persecution of Socialists and of the subordinate races. That this condition of things could not be allowed to continue Was, indeed, recognized by all parties, the fundamental difference of opinion was as to the method by which it was to be ended. The dominant Magyar parties were committed to the principle of franchise reform, but they were determined that this reform should be of such a nature as not to imperil their own hegemony. What this would mean was pointed out by Mr Kristoffy in an address delivered at Budapest on the 14th of March 1907 “ If the work of social reform, ” he said, “ is scamped by a measure calculated to falsify the essence of reform, the struggle will be continued in the Chamber until full electoral liberty 1S attained. Till then there can be no social peace in Hungary.” 4 The postponement of the question was, indeed, already producing ugly symptoms of popular indignation On the 10th of October 1907 there was a great and orderly demon» stration at Budapest, organized by the socialists, in favour of reform. About 100,000 people assembled, and a deputation handed to Mr ]usth, the president of the Chamber, a monster petition in favour of universal suffrage The reception it niet with was not calculated to encourage constitutional methods The Socialist deputy, Mr Mezoffy, who wished to move an interpellation on the question, was howled down by the Independents with shouts of “ Away with him! Down with him!”5 Four days later, in answer to a question by the same deputy, Count Andrassy said that the Franchise Bill would be introduced shortly, but that it would be of such a nature that “the Magyar State idea would remain intact and suffer no diminution.”° Yet more than a year was to pass before the promised bill was introduced, and meanwhile the feehng in the country had grown more intense, culminating in serious riots at Budapest on the 13th of March 1908.

At last (November 11, 1908) Count Andrassy introduced the long-pronused bill. How far it was from satisfying the demands of the Hungarian peoples was at once apparent. It granted manhood suffrage, it is true, but hedged with so many qualifying conditions and complicated with so elaborate a system of plural voting as to make its effect nugatory. Every male Hungarian citizen, able to read and write, was to receive the vote at the beginning of his twenty-fifth year, subject to a residential qualification of twelve months. Ilhterate citizens were to choose one elector for every ten of their number. All electors not having the qualifications for the plural franchise were to have one vote Electors who, eg., had passed four standards of a secondary school, or paid 165. 8d in direct taxation, were to have two votes. Electors who had passed five standards, or who paid £4, 35 4d. in direct taxes, were to have three votes. Voting was to be public, as before, on the ground, according to the Preamble, that “ the secret ballot protects electors in dependent positions only in so far as they break their promises under the veil of secrecy ”

It was at once seen that this elaborate scheme was intended