The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1893-04-22
A WAR FOR SUFFRAGE.
Labor Riots in Belgium Directed Toward the
Ghamhap Of DanntinS

Chamber Of Deputies.
/ bI>ssEIs, April IS.--DIopatchcs from
all parts OF the kingdom Inhabited by
the working people bring disquicting
news. Disturbances occurred in several
places during the night, but there nIz
no concerted attempt t. rebel against
the King. The movement l. Iii
rcctrd entirely against the Cha Der
! of Deputies and the ministers
who oppose the workingmcn, de
mands for the right to vote when
/ they reach legal age without any prop
+ crty qualification Whatsoever. The
King, it is known, Is III favor Of wide
/ extension of the suffrage and the crowds
of excited woTkingmen who are now
/ demanding what they believe to be
their right have nothing against him
/ personally. Impartial Observers of the
situation readily find sympathy with
the strikers. Belgium is, with the
exception of Russia, perhaps,
the only country where there
is absolutely no law protecting the
WOrkingman from the rapacitv and
greed Of his employer. The Belgian
Workingmcn have seen within the past
ten years their brethren in other coun-
tries placed under the protection of
special laws enacted for their benefit,
and have seen employers held to Il
strict liability when these laws were
violated. The BclgianS have had moth
ing, and the buurgcoiSc class, which
rules the country, evidently intend
that they shall have nothing if
they can prevent. Hence in their
desire To assert their manhood
and secure their rights, the spectacle
presents itself of 4 Gigantic strike To- ob-
tain the right to elect representatives
among the lawmakers. Were the
strikers armed and disciplined there Is
no question that the industrial rcyolu-
ton now shaking the country would
quickly become bloody contest Az is
Is the strikers have i'll many Instances
routed the armed police and have not
hcsitatcd To- attack the soldiery. The
peace force of Belgium, officers and
men, is Is, ,S4l, exclusive of the civic
guard numbering 43,b41 men, and il will
therefore be seen that the dIsurganIzcd
mubS of WOrkingmcn, only a few Of
| whom possess weapons, have little
chance of oNcrthroWiHg the government
by resorting to attacks upon the troops.
( \ CT, with their passions lntiamcd by
the words Of their leaders, the strikers
do not hesitate to fight, and
unless extreme steps are taken
against them the trouble will
result disa4trOusly to the trade and
commerce Of the country. In Ant
Wcrp the outlook is more threatening
than il was yesterday, and this despite
the fact that extraordinary military pre-
cautions have been taken To preserve
the peace. Among the more promi-
ncnt of the agitatorS in Antwerp are a
number of Anarchists. OF these. two
EabCy and Wcltcrs-hayc made them
selves particularly ObnOXious to the 30
ico and they were placed under arrest
The striking dock labOrcrs began
their disorderlv demonstrations again
this morning. They took possession Of
the docks and marched along the water
front, attacking the hIen who were at
work and compelling many of them to
quit. one captain of vessel from
which the crew had been driven away,
protested To the leaders OF the rioters,
Whcrcupon the mob promptly stoned
linn and forced him to flee. The police
in force were finally ordered to disperse
thc rioters. \ short conflict CnSucd,
during which the police used their
swords and rcvolycrs, and finally the
mob scattered.
In Brussels the fcrmcnt continues
with no sign of abatement. The streets
are filled with crowds of excited work
ingmcn and again a feeling of uncasincss
prevails. 1t was the intention of the
strikers to hold a grand demonstration
to-day in the park at It. GlIles, two
miles south of Brussels. This place
had been selected for the meet
inc in consequence of the order
prohibiting demonstrations in Brussels
but the instructions sent out last night
by the governor Of the province of
Brabunt have put a check upon the
proposed meeting. \ strong force of
troops il in possession Of the park and
the demonstration Will not be allowed
Many strikers in the city are deter
mined to hold meetings despite the in
structi0ns of the governor of the PROV
ince to the contrary. They do not,
however. intend TO hold their demon
strations within the city limits. They
select suburban villages where they
trust they will not be interfcred
with bv the authorities. One such
meeting was held this morning at Mol
cnbcck, 4 short distance from Brus-
sells Fifteen Thousand working
men assembled At this place
and many incendiaTy speeches
were made. The speakers pointed out
the wrongs under which laborcrs
miners, mechanics, factory hands and
mill operatives labor and called upon
them H. assert their rights. The meet
inc was most enthusiastic and great
significance attaches IL it. The i'm
mensc crowd Of workingmtn swOre
they would sacrifice life if it were need
ful t. obtain the rights of manhood suf
tra4c The meeting broke up without
interference from the authorities and
most Of the crowd returned to the city
Burgomastcr koekclbcrg, Of St Gillcs,
refused to prohibit the meeting in the
park there to-day, and as. result the
governor of Brabrant took the affair
into his own hands. He ordered troops
to be sent to st. CIllcS To- prevent any
demonstration the strikers might at.
tempt to make.
IN the Chamber Of Deputies VI. Beer
naArt, the premier, intimated that the
port on the proposals for the revision
Of the constitution would be debated to-
morrow. VI. Demou at once rose and
proposed that the chamber should not
| wait until tomorrow, but that the re-
ports should hc made ready for imme-
diate presentation. To this proposition
the chamber agreed.