ion of 1897 had given him so many followers in the Reichsrath,
Badeni advised that his election as burgomaster should be confirmed. There
was violent antipathy between the Christian Socialists and the German
Nationalists, and the transference of their quarrels from the Viennese
Council Chamber to the Reichsrath was very detrimental to the orderly
conduct of debate.

[Sidenote: Socialism.]

The limited suffrage had hitherto prevented socialism from becoming a
political force in Austria as it had in Germany, and the national divisions
have always impeded the creation of a centralized socialist party. The
first object of the working classes necessarily was the attainment of
political power; in 1867 there had been mass demonstrations and petitions
to the government for universal suffrage. During the next years there was
the beginning of a real socialist movement in Vienna and in Styria, where
there is a considerable industrial population; after 1879, however, the
growth of the party was interrupted by the introduction of anarchical
doctrines. Most's paper, the _Freiheit_, was introduced through
Switzerland, and had a large circulation. The anarchists, under the
leadership of Peukert, seem to have attained considerable numbers. In
1883-1884 there were a number of serious strikes, collisions between the
police and the workmen, followed by assassinations; it was a peculiarity of
Austrian anarchists that in some cases they united robbery to murder. The
government, which was seriously alarmed, introduced severe repressive
measures; the leading anarchists were expelled or fled the country. In
1887, under the leadership of Dr Adler, the socialist party began to revive
(the party of violence having died away), and since then it has steadily
gained in numbers; in the forefront of the political programme is put the
demand for universal suffrage. In no country is the 1st of May, as the
festival of Labour, celebrated so generally.

Badeni after the election sent in his resignation, but the emperor refused
to accept it, and he had, therefore, to do the best he could and turn for
support to the other nationalities. The strongest of them were the
fifty-nine Poles and sixty Young Czechs; he therefore attempted, as Taaffe
had done, to come to some agreement with them. The Poles were always ready
to support the government; among the Young Czechs the more moderate had
already attempted to restrain the wilder spirits of the party, and they
w