The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-06-15

L
voters are still unwilling TO 20 10 the polls.
Catholics Again Dominant n Belgium.
Tho Parliamentary election which took
place this week In Belgium having resulted
In triumph for the Clerical party. ell the
changes In the Belgian Constitution projected
by the Radicals win be indefinitely post
poned, and, Of course, diplomatic Intercourse
with the Vatican will be at once resumed.
In no European country, not even in Spain
| or Ireland, do Jealous Catholics constitute 90
powerful an element OF the population as
they do In Belgium. Neither 10 there any
European State protesting to enjoy Parlia-
mentary government where tho body Of cleo
tors Is so narrowly clrcunscribed by high
property qualifications. Az regards the pro-
vision made for popular education, tho ro-
lations Of tho civil power to tho Church, and
In many other particulars, tho existing Con-
stitutlon has long been the object Of vehe-
ment attack upon the part Of Belgian Radi.
calls. On the whole, however. the country IL
extremely prosperous. and the masses OF
those at present intrusted with the suffrage
seem content to leave we'll enough alone. Ac-
cordlngly, when tho Radicals last year in
trOduced bill proposing q revision OF the
Constitutionfor the purpose OF extending the
franchise, they were only able to muster
eleven votes In tho Chamber OF Deputies.
Yet, although the Radical contingent in tho
Legislature was thus Insignificant the Liberal
Cabinet presided over by NJ. FRRR1-OR
could not dispense with Its support, and pro-
ceeded to make number Of important con-
cessions which, by alarming the Conservative
and Catholic voters, have led to Its over
throw. While, for instance, the Government
refused to touch tho Parliamentary franchise,
1t brought IN measure almost totally abol-
ishing tho property qualifications hitherto
required for participating In the provincial
and communal elections. and It also UNDER
took to make education compulsory. mas
much as such Innovations, by disseminating
instruction and training tho peasantry to exer-
else political rights in local affairs, would tend
to remove the objections Of the Moderates to
the bestowal Of the Parliamentary franchise,
the FRERR-ORBAU Ministry was accused by
Its opponents Of acting In bad faith, and OF
privily giving with the left hand what 1t pre-
tended to withhold with the right. Tho I'M
friendly attitude which the Cabinet MAIN
taincd toward tho Vatican was also caicu-
lated to excite the Catholics to unusual nc
tivity at the polls, whilo among their GUS
tomary adherents In tho large cities the Lib
eral Ministers had lost favor by their fiscal
difficulties, which had compelled them to ag-
gregate the burden Of taxation.
The outcome Of the election being to give
the Catholics majority in the Chamber OF
Deputies, the new Cabinet will place the re-
lations between Belgium and tho Vatican on
hair MIR ~ Iinp
nmity, and one effect Of the return Of the
Clericals to power will no doubt be the do
spatch OF strong remonstrance from Brus-
sells against the conversion OF the Propa-
ganda property. At homo an effort will DO
made to revert as far as possible to the state
OF things which prevailed before tho FRERR-
ORBAU Ministry took once. The apprehen-
sion OF reactionary measures has already
caused riots In some of the large
towns, and will fuse together the sew
eral groups Of the opposition which,
under the names Of Liberals, Moderates,
and Radicals, have hitherto shown them-
selves averse to concerted action. The
determination Of each section to name can
didates Of its own undoubtedly caused the
loss Of good many seats at the late election,
and, according to . telegram, movement
has already been begun to organize stable |
coalition with . definite programme of re-
form. But the chances are that the hold Of |
the Conservatives on the Belgian Legislature
will remain for some time mistaken, unless,
indeed, the rumored intention OF WILLIAM
III. OF Holland to betroth his infant daughter |
to the son Of the Belgian heir apparent |
should bring the relatively tranquil and
sequestered Belgium within the range Of
diplomatic Vaccinations.