Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1892-07-06
Life and Affairs In Belgium.

ANTWERP, June 1S-
To the Editor of the Journal AND CoURIER:
Empty the inhabitants of the state of
New York into an area no larger than the
state of Maryland, throwing In for good
measure the people Of one or two OF our
sparsely settled western States, and you
will then have u practical illustration of
what Belgium Ia both as to its geographi-
cal circumference aud the density of it's
population. With 30 many mouths to fill
and 80 little soil to cultivate she has had q
tremendous problem to solve, but under a
revenue policy of the sort which Lord Sal
isbury says England ought to have, and
hardly at all dissimilar In kind TO that oh
tanning at present in the United States,
she has fought her great battle for materi-
al prosperity with 30 much wisdom and so
much success that to-day she Is in all vital
particulars one of the most thrifty and
happy nations on the globe. Her tariff
regulations have had in view as their main
feature the promotion of her own inter
ests. That which the people have needed
and could not produce In sufficient quanti-
ty by their own labor or through the exer-
else of their own ingenuity, she has al
lowed to come in free; but upon things of
luxury she has imposed n duty, and in all
cases in which 1t has been evident that a
tariff upon imports would inure to her
own advantage she has used IL. All this
may have been very selfish in'little Belgi
um, but 1t is nevertheless very business
like and very human. Indeed, one might
venture to add-remembering what the
New Testament says about the duty we are
under to provide first for our own house
hold-thst such policy is entirely scrip
tural.
A careful study for some time of the
laws, Institutions and conditions of life
under which this plucky and happy little
people are working out their destiny has
left in our minds a feeling of real admira-
ton for them. Many things we could
wish vastly otherwise, but the impression
as a whole is favorable. AS a loyal Amer
ican we must naturally wish that they
were freed together from the burdens of
royalty. Still the sway of King Leopold
| 1s exceedingly mild. de costs considera-
BILE, but he doesn't interfere much in the
government So far is he from being a
despot that he is actually at this time ask-
ing the country to relieve him of the veto
power. What he proposes is that in all
those matters in which the king has exer-
cised a constitutional check up the assem-
bly,, appeal shall be made hereafter, not to
himself, but to a direct vote of the people.
Truly this is a wonderful age when kings,
instead of reaching out on all sides for an
increase of power, are voluntarily laying
aside even the few shreads of authority
which still cling to theml Whether Leo.
pold is lazy, and does not want to bother
with such things, or is conscientious, In.
tending to express in this referendum, az
1t is called, his conversion to the great
new world idea that the people of a coun
try are its rightful sovereigns, we have moi
yet had an opportunity to ask him. But
whatever the motive, the act itself is right
and If kings are at all necessary, Leopolc
certainly is the sort TO have around.
Another feature of Belgian affairs which
is not satisfactory, but which, happily
will be changed for the better before long
is the restricted status of the electora
franchise. 1t Is substantially q none,
franchise. though It has attached to IL
chiefly for ornamental purposes, Ii woult
seem, q somewhat complicated educations
proviso. In local elections one may 20