The morning call., 1893-04-20
LIE REVOLUTION IN BgLdIuM.

The march Of revolution in Belgium pro-
ceeds with steady strides. The vcte in the
Chambers on Tuesday cOnceding universal
suffrage, tempered by plural voting, is prac-
tlcaliy the end of a contest which has lasted
twenty years, and has been acute and en-
Uttered for ten. Ten years ago the Liberal
ministers of Frere-Orban. following in the
track Of the Cericals, refused TO grant uni
versal suffrage. This was the more surpris-
ing rs Belgium lies between two much
larger countries in which universal suffrage
prevails. The Belgians claim, not without
Justice, 10 be as intelligent as the Germans
or tile French, yet out of population of
6.147,0h in 1890 only 133,039 persons exer-
cised the suffrage.
When the Frere-Orban Ministry went out
the CleTicRls or Conservatives came in, and
their policy was such that the Radicals in
creased prodigiously in strength. and the
Conservatives we're driven to offer a COM
promise on The suffrage question by which
tile voting power should be extended on the
lines of Gladst0ne's act of 1882 in England.
This plan would have given the suffrage to
about 100000 BelGans-say l in 10 Of the
population. It was rejected by the popular
leaders, who, seeing their growing strength,
declared that they would be satisfied with
nothing short of absolute universal suffrage.
The Government refused, and the result
was resort to the tumultuous movements
which are usual on such occasions. These
gained such a head that the Government
took fright, and on Tuesday it conceded the
demands OF the Radicals, with the condi-
ton that property-owners holding property
in several constituencies should enjoy vote
for each-as is the case in England. The
peoples party accepted the concession
with a protest against plural voting, well
knowing that when q Government in the
position of that of Belgium begins TO yield
it is bound to 60 on yielding until its foes
have got all they want. The labor strikes
were ordered off. and peace again reigns for
time at Brussels, Charleroi. Liege Client,
Ostend and Antwerp.
That Belgium should have been thus
tardy in accepting q situation that was
forced is one of the curious anomalies of
European evolution. In times past no ma
tion has more sturdily defended its liberties
than the State which has inherited the good
Old red blood of Burgundy. In the revolu-
tionary epidemic Of 1S48 the Belgians were
among the first people to rise. As it
CHANGED they were then ruled by most
sagacious sovereign. Leopold, the father Of
the present King and the friend of Prince
Albert and Queen Victoria. He met the
storming, seething mob of reyolutionists
with a perfectly tranquil face. Removing
his hat he said to them: Gentlemen, you
want to get rid Of me? 1 haven't the least
objection. have no desire to go on doing
your work. Pray give me time to pack a
yalise and I will be off by the first train.'
So he retained his throne and his popu-
larity.
His son-Leopold the Second, SANKEY'S
friend-is not by any means as wise
monarch. Ii has been his misfortune that
controversies which have been laid to rest
in other countries have ragged fiercely in Bel
GUM during his time. The problem of Sec
ular education has elsewhere passed out OF
tie list of debatable topics. Ia Belgium it
Is alive and is the source of red-hot animosi-
lies. Again, Belgium, which has always
been hive Of industry, has made prodigious
strides in manufacturing Of late. The popu-
lation has Increased nearly 80 per cent since
1870. The country is now more densely
peopied than any other part Of the world,
unless it be parts of China. Six million
Beigians are crowded into a space not as
large as Maryland Such swarms of me-
chanlcs are apt to be sef-asseIting. It is
dangerous business to deny them their
rights.
The revolution which began on Tuesday
Will probably 90 on until the institutions of
Belgium assimilate to those of France, and
unlike tie revolutions in France, Spain and
Italy it is likely to be fought out to a finish
without much effusion of blood.