The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-04-19
Measure Providing for Universal Suffrage
Adopted by q Large Majority and PARTIAL
Iy Approved by the Rebellious ToilerA
Abandonment Of the General Strike
Urged by the Leaders of the Trouble.
Four Rioters Bsyoneted to Death and Fifteen
Wounded Near Antwerp-The Dowager
Duchess of Sutherland Sent to Prison.
CONCESSIONS GRANTED ToILERs.


The Belgian Chamber OF Deputies Adopts
Universal Suffrage-Serious Riot.
BRUSSELS. April 1S.-The uprising OF toll
ers throughout Belgium has probably end
ed for the present When the Chamber
of Representatives opened, to-day, the
Premier intimated that the reports on tho
proposals for the revision of the Constitu-
tion would be debated tomorrow. NJ. De-
mou at once arose and proposed that the
Chamber should not wait till tomorrow.
but should suspend its sitting. in order
that the reports should be made ready for
immediate presentation, and then assemble
again at once to discuss the reports. 10
this proposition the Chamber agreed. The
agreement appeared to be hastened by the
presence of an enormous throng of people.
VIII, crowded the precincts OF the Cham
ber. evidently very much excited on the
subject of universal suffrage. and resolute
that there should be no delay in cons,der-
ing that subject The approaches to the
Chsmber were strongly guarded. to prevent
violence from being done to obnoxious
me abers.
The Chamber of Representatives reas-
sen. bled after the preparation of the re-
ports on the revision OF the Constitution.
and by vote of 1l9 against IL. with four.
teen absentIons from voting. adopted uni
versal suffrage with provision for plural
voting by the classes owning property, ac-
cording to the amount and situation of the
property. Cheers within the Chamber were
followed by prodlgiOus acclamatl0ns from
the enormous crowd that awaited the re-
suit of the voting outside the Chamber.
The greatest enthusiasm was displayed ev.
erywhere. and the people joined in jubi-
lee in honor OF the great triumph which
they had achieved. The dread OF q terri
BILE uprising of the people, similar TO that
of the French revolution in it's resistless
effect of bringing the Chamber of Repre-
sentatives around to the popular side.
There Is no doubt in many minds that had
the Chamber not acted promptly there
would have been revolution in Brussels.
ACTION OF LABOR LEADERS.
In view of the action of the Deputies. the
labor leaders resolved at q meeting held
this evening to advise the abandonment of
the general strike. At the same time they
decided to issue to the people q manifesto
against the Nyssen bill, which proposes the
COT bination of plural voting and universal
suffrage. The leaders will urge the people
to follow up their victory by aSitsting nm
ceasingly for universal suffrage. pure and
simple. Police and workingmen had sew.
eral encounters this evening. IN which SIX
rioters were seriously injured. Neverthe-
less. the end of the riots 10 believed to be
near. The decision of the labor leaders to
abandon the strike has produced general
feeling of relief. The police have worked
night and day, and are completely exhaust
ed. Were the strike and riots to continue
O few days more preservation of order
would be left entirely to the military, as
the police could not endure the strain
forty-eight hours longer. Many arrests of
Socialists are reported from the provinces.
The uprising was not directed against
the King. The movement has been entire
ly against the Chamber of Deputies and
the Ministers who opposed the working.
mems demands for the right to vote when
they reached legal age, without any prop
erty qualifications whatsoever. The King
has been in favor of wide extension OF
the suffrage. and the crowds OF excited
workmen who demanded what they be-
iieved to be their rights had nothing
against him personally. Impartial OBJ
servers of the situation readily find SYM
pathy 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 rapacity and greed Of his
employer. The Belgian wOrkipgmen have
rem in other countries placed under the pro-
tectiou of special laws enacted for their
benefit, and have seen employers held to q
strict liability when these laws were vio-
lated. The Belgians have had nothing
and the Bourgeois class, which rules tho
country, evidently intended that they
should have nothing. Hence. in their de-
sire to assert their manhood and secure
their rights. the spectacle presented itself
of q gigantic strike to obtain the right to
IL tha In Il
ers Had the strikers been armed and dis.
ciplined there is no question that the In
dustrial revolution would have quickly be-
come bloody contest AS IL is, the
stksTs have m.a noias %sny .ns instances SsYs
not hesItated to attack the SOL
diery. The peace effective of BelRium,
officers and men. is 4s. .S4l. exclusive of the
civic guard, numbering 43.6t7 men, and il
will, therefore. be seen that the disorgan-
ICED mobs of workingmen, only few of
whom possessed weapons. had little chance
of overthrowlng the government by resort
ing to an attack upon the troops. Yet with
their passions infiamed by the words of
their leaders the strikers did not hesitate
to fight, and but for the action of the Dep
uties the trouble would have resulted dis
astronsly to the trade and commerce of the
country.
STRIKERS BAYoNETED.
The most serious disturbapce that oc-
CURED to-day is reported from Bourger-
hout, village q short distance from Ant
werp. Many candlemakers are employed
In the village. and q majority of them
joined the movement In favor of universal
suffrage. Those who remained at work
were attacked by the strikers to-day, and
the troops were called out to protect the
workers and restore order. The appearance
of the soldIery had little or no effect in
quelling the riot. and the orders to the riot
ers 10 d;sperse met with no attention. The
strikers continued the attacks upon the
"blacklegs" as though no troops were pres
ent. The officer in command of the soldiers
ordered the men to fix their bay ouets and
then followed the order to charge. On q
full run, with leveled bsyonets, the SOL
diers charged upon the rioters and drove
them away. Four of the strikers however.
were killed. and fifteen others received
more or less serions bayonet thrusts. Some
Of the wounded may die. Great excite
ment prevails, and the strikers threaten
vengeance for the death of their comrades.
Here. as in other parts of the country. the
men are in many instances spurrej on to
riot by tho women.
Led by Anarchists, tho striking dock
laborers Of Antwerp began their disorderly
demonstrations again this morning. They
took possession of the docks and marched
along the water front. attacking the men
who were at work. compelling many of