al manhood suffrage
the Clericals and the Poles supported it, but the Conservatives and
National Liberals of all shades stood by the Government, and the
resolution was overwhelmingly rejected. The elections of June, 1908,
at which, as has been pointed out, seven Social Democratic members
were returned, demonstrated that even under existing electoral
arrangements dissatisfaction could find some expression. The National
Liberals and the Free Conservatives, who had been outspoken in
opposition to the extension of the suffrage, lost, respectively,
twelve and four seats. When, however, the Radical resolution
reappeared it again was thrown out.

*281. The Project of 1910.*--By popular demonstrations in Berlin and in
other important towns throughout the kingdom, the Government was
brought to the conviction that it was not expedient to maintain too
long its hitherto inflexible attitude. In a speech from the (p. 262)
throne, January 11, 1910, the sovereign announced the early
introduction of a measure for electoral reform, and a month later it
became the unwelcome duty of the new Chancellor, von Bethman-Hollweg,
to lay the Government's project before the chambers. Instantly it was
evident, not only that the proposal had been prepared entirely under
bureaucratic direction, but that the real purpose of the Government
was to carry through the Landtag an electoral bill designed to appease
the reformers without yielding the essential features of the existing
system. The project provided, in brief: (1) that the tripartite system
be retained, though the quota of taxes admitting to the first class
should be reduced to a uniform level of five thousand marks (no weight
being given to payment beyond that amount), and voters of specified
degrees of education, or occupying certain official positions, or
having served a stipulated number of years in the army or navy, should
be assigned to the higher classes, with but incidental regard to their
tax contributions: (2) that _viva voce_ voting be retained; (3) that
the choice of electors be by districts rather than by Urwahlbezirke;
and (4) that direct voting be substituted for indirect. There was no
mention of redistribution, and the secret ballot was specifically
withheld. The rearrangement of classes did not touch the fundamental
difficulty, and the only demand of the reformers which was really met
was that for direct elections. In his speech in defense of the measure
the Chancellor fr