Omaha daily bee., 1891-05-30

taking place siane July, 1885, in British pub.
| lie opinion. 10 gauge tho breadth and depth
Of this extraordinary change and to undor-
| stand why the tories have finally, from sheer
terror, resolved to put Off to the latest possi-
| bic moment general appeal to the electors
! we should examine the collective outcome Of
| all the contests for vacant seats which have
| occurred during tho last five years. We
shall find that while tho unionists have
somewhat added to une strength which they
exhibited in 1855 this slight increase is far
| more than Offset by the almost complete re-
covcry of the voting power displayed by tho
| Gladstoniuns in 1885. In word, since the
| last reform of the franchise aud the redistri
| button of seats Great Britain Is indubithbly
| liberal. This Is now as true of the counties,
where the agricultural laborcr has become
the most potent factor, ms it has long
been true of the manufacturing and
mining districts II is idle for the
| conservatives to hope IN the long run
to compete with party which has
arrGyed u Jon its side all the traditions of
progress and the unshakable confidence Of
the enfranchised classes They may Offer
free education, but the voters are well aware
that they will get the same boon from Mr.
Gladstone in much more inviting form. At
every point the liberals, propelled forward
as they are by the strong aud fast growing
radical section of their body, arc certaiu to
outbid the tories The masses of the British
voters may not care much about homo rule,
but they are liberal by instinct ana couvic
tion, and they have decided to acquesCe in
MIR. GladStone's attitude toward Ireland. or
that acquiescence the by-elections afford, as
we have seen, Interchangeable proof. The
only element of doubt touching the outcome
of the next appeal to the country may DO
said to have been eXtiuguished.
w
The political revolution in Belgium-the
introduction of manhood suffrage may rea-
sonably be thus descrioed-may have direct
and important bearing on tho European situ-
alton. 1t is generally admitted by military
authorities that, SO imprcgnably fortified on
both sides is the frontier line between Cor
many and France, great aggressive opera
tiors in this quarter are improbable To get
ut each other the combatants would have to
pass through Belgium, which, therefore, is
fated TO become once moro the cockpit of Eu-
rope. 1t follows that, on the outbreak of the
inevitable war between France and Germany,
it will make great difference on which side
the sympathies of the Belgian people, and of
the government for the time being, shall
chance to be arrayed. If conservative minis
tiers happcn to be in Office it is probable that
they would give effect to the pro o.German
sympathies of their sovereign, who is, it will
be emembcred, by descent member of the
house of Saxe-Coburg- -Gotha On the other
hand, it is more than probable it is almost
certain, that radical ministry in Brussels
would give definite and effective expression
n thn or1nnf fanIinu ~ In, ,,bi icb
lists between the workingmcn of Belgium
and of France The Belgian artisans make
no secret of their wishes and intentions in
the matter AT monster meeting held by
the strikers the other day a resolution was
unanimously passed declaring that, in the
event of war between France and Germany,
the French republic could count upon the en-
thusiastlc sympathies of Belgian workmen. In
thus avowing boldly the position which they
would desire the government to take, tho
Belgian artisans were faithful to their tradi;
tions. We need not recall how promptly the
ideas of the first French revolution took root
in Belgium, or how the deposition of Charles
" at Paris in 1880 was immeiiatcly followed
by an uprising at Brussels against the Dutch
sovereign. We see, then, that the reform of
the Belgian constitution, and the resultant
possibility of the accession of the radicals to
power, is q matter of no little consequence to
the great powers of Europe.
~
The latest reports from China are to the
effect that the native opposition to all work of
railroad construction, if less fanatical than it
was short time ago, is still Obstinate and
serious. When work was begun a short time
ago upon the projected line at Kaping, tho
attitude OF the Cantonese was so menacing
that more than one-ha!f of the English work
men were compelled to retire. 1t is pointed
out by English correspondents that the con-
tract for 5000 tons Of rails reported to have
been signed recently by the Chinese govern
ment if it has been made at all, does not have
any bearing, necessarily, upon the question
of commercial railway put Is far more likely
to have some connection with the plan 10
build military roads, for strategic purposes,
from Pekin to the northeastern frontier. the
Chinese authorities are not blind to tho i'm
portance OF the Russian operations at Vladi-
YOstoclS, to which their attention has been
directed rather sharply of late by the prepara-
tons for the visit of the czarovitch to that
port, and the arsenal which would be so CON
vonient in the event of a campaign on the
Amoor
~.
Preliminary steps have been taken in Eng
land towards the organization Of a scheme of
national Insurance against old age. con-
ference was held on the subject IN the house
of commons the other day, which was at
tended by II number of influential members
of parliament and others Interested in the
question, including Canon BlacSley one of
the earliest and most earnest promoters of
the project. Mr. Chamberlain presided and
delivered an address in which he expressed
the opinion tnat it would be impossible to al
low the proposed government pension to
begin before the age of siXty-tive years, and
that the matter should not be complicated
with any proposal for sick pay. He also
maintained that no subscriber 10 the fund
ought to be allowed to withdraw his money
from the purpose for which it was originally
given. The question as to whether the
sch ,me should be compulsory or not was one
for future consideration A committee was
appointed finally to discuss and decide tho
best manner of bringing the whole subject
before Parliament.
Make the Punishment Fit, Etc.
NcU YOri IIOrid.
There would be- more convictions in emo