Chapter 17 : Election results

After listening to Arthur's speech, the people around him erupted into warm cheers and applause, and Martin and Henry were no exception.

People of this era naturally don't know how to make grand promises. Unconsciously, they take Arthur's grand promises as something normal and feel grateful for them.

However, Arthur has the ability to carry out everything he has planned, and the vision is about to become a reality.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I know that many of you running for office do not have a very clear purpose. Perhaps, like Martin, you want to better participate in the development and construction of the country and improve the standard of living and economic income of all our compatriots. Some, like Henry, have witnessed the miserable situation of the poor at the bottom of this country and want to make efforts and changes to address it. Regardless of your purpose, the members of the House of Commons hold a very important and powerful position. I hope that after being successfully elected, you do not forget your original intentions and strive to bring benefits to the country, the government, and all Australians. Of course, do not be discouraged if you fail in the elections. There will be elections every two years. As long as you learn from the experience and lessons, you will eventually succeed." Arthur solemnly looked at the crowd and said.

"Yes, Your Highness!"

The group seemed to have a tacit understanding and responded to Arthur in unison.

"Of course, you don't need to be a member of parliament to contribute to the development and construction of the country. Even as ordinary citizens, as long as everyone works hard and abides by the law, you are contributing to the development and construction of the country, aren't you? As long as all Australians are united, Australia is the best country, and Australians are the best nation," Arthur said with a smile.

This slightly nationalist speech was well received and respected by all Australians.

Although Australians are a new nation born from the mix of Western immigrants and Indigenous people, this does not mean they consider themselves inferior.

What Australia has always lacked is an ambitious leader. Now that Arthur is here, Australians will also flourish with their own colors.

"Of course, all of this cannot rely solely on your participation and changes. The royal family and the government must also lead by example to make changes, so that the country can grow stronger and the people's standard of living can greatly improve." Arthur played his final trump card and declared loudly:

"Therefore, as your Monarch, after learning that there are still many poor people in Australia who cannot afford medical treatment and education, I have decided to take action: from now on, the royal family will establish a royal relief committee and select a group of officials loyal to the royal family and the people to serve. I will personally oversee and be responsible for rescuing low-income Australians who cannot afford medical treatment and education. I will invest 5 million pounds as the committee's activity fund and promise to allocate at least 1 million pounds to the relief committee each year. I hope that all Australians will not be devastated by the cold, tortured by hunger, or tempered by illness, and that they can afford to clothe themselves, eat, see a doctor, and go to school. Although Australia's rise may currently seem like empty words, I am still willing to work hard to achieve it. All Australians, are you willing to work with your Duke to build this great country and let Australians and Australia stand together at the top of the world?"

It could be said that Arthur's words caused a great stir. In a country where the annual per capita income is less than 10 pounds, the 5 million pounds invested by Arthur is undoubtedly an enormous sum of money.

Most importantly, it was what Arthur said. In the eyes of Australians, Arthur is undoubtedly a Monarch who respects and loves all Australians, and he is the perfect Duke in the hearts of Australians.

"Yes! Yes!"

For a moment, the crowd's cheers shook the sky, making it hard to distinguish whether this was the scene of the House of Commons election or Arthur's speech.

Then, the crowd's applause gradually transformed into "Long live His Royal Highness! Long live Australia!"

The Duke leads, and Australia follows, which is enough to show how much these Australians love their Monarch, even though Arthur has only been crowned for a few months.

Unknowingly, Arthur's popularity among the Australian people has far surpassed that of the prime ministers of the original colonies, who are now governors of various states.

This is positive for Australia's development. After all, the development of a country only needs one voice. With Arthur's forward-looking vision, Australians do not need anyone to sing a different tune.

"Very well, gentlemen, continue with your elections! When the day comes that the House of Commons officially announces the election results, I hope some of you will become official members of the country." Arthur was very satisfied with the crowd's reaction. Amid the cheers, Arthur left the hall.

After a while, the crowd gradually regained order and continued the election, which was supposed to proceed smoothly.

Compared to before, the enthusiasm of the crowd to participate in the elections and vote has greatly increased, and everyone has an excited and eager smile on their faces, which is enough to prove that Arthur's speech earlier was a great success.

New South Wales State House, Sydney, May 25, 1900

After a short but long seven-day election period, the first election for the Australian House of Commons was finally completed with relative success.

However, because Arthur's speech spread across Australia through newspapers, the enthusiasm of all Australians to participate in the elections and vote significantly increased, and the data was more difficult to tally than expected.

Thanks to a large number of officials working overtime for several days, the final results of the first House of Commons elections were finally counted.

Today is May 25, the day scheduled for the announcement of the election results.

Before dawn, the entrance to the Capitol was already packed with people waiting for the announcement of the results. As time passed, the crowd continued to grow rapidly, even causing congestion on the street in front of the Capitol.

Everyone eagerly awaits the final list of representatives. Although many know that there is a high probability they will fail in the elections, they still hold onto some hope. What if the goddess of luck favors them especially today?

At eight in the morning, the doors of the State House finally opened.

Two guards came out with a list, looked at the crowd, and said loudly, "Everyone, the election results are here. After reading all the names, someone from the city government will notify each elected council member. Now, please remain silent so that everyone can hear the names of all the council members."