Evening journal., 1893-04-18
OPPRESSED WORKMEN.
Gigantic Strike That Threat
ems War.
AGAINST CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES,

NO Law tOr the Protection or work /
ingmen Against Employers Greed, the |
Toilers Arise and Threaten to Cripple |
the Country's Industries.
BRUSSELS, April 1s.-The night has |
passed far more qui etly than the author
tiles expected but nevertheless the out
look is still threatening Dispatches
from all parts of the kingdom inhabited
by the working people bring disquieting
news. Disturbances occurred in several
places during the night but there was no
concerted attempt to rebel against the
king.
King Favors wide Suffrage.
The movement is directed entirely
against the chamber of deputies and
the ministers who oppose the working
mems demands for the right to vote when
they reach legal age, without any pro
perty qualification whatsoever. The
king, it is known, is in favor of a wide
extension of the suffrage and the crowds
of excited workingmen who are now
demanding what they believe to be their
right, have nothing against him person
ally.
Impartial observers of the situation
readily find sympathy with the strikers
No Protection From an Employers Greed.
Belgium is, with the exception of Russia
perhaps the only country where there is
absolutely no law protecting the work
ingman from the rapacity and greed of
his employer. The Belgian wOrkingmen
have seen, within the past ten years,
their brethren in other countries placed
under the protection of special laws en-
acted for their benefit and have seen en-
ployers held to a strict liability when
these laws were violated.
Have Had Nothing But Shall Have
Something.
The Belgisns have had nothing and the
Bourgeoise class, which rules the country,
evidently intend that they shall have
nothing if they can prevent. Hence, in
their desire to assert their manhood ard
secure their rights, the spectacle pre-
sents itself of gigantic strike to obtain
the right to elect representatives among
the Jaw makers.
Danger, Were the Strikers Armed.
Were the strikers armed and disci
>plined there is no question that the in
dustrial revolution now shaking the
country would quickly become a bloody
contest. AS it is, the strikers have, in
many instances, routed the armed police
and have not hesitated to attack the
soldiery.
The peace effective of Belgium, officers
and men, is 2S, S41, exclusive of the civic
guard, numbering 49, 647 men, and it
will, therefore, be seen that the dis.
organized mobs of wOrkingmen, only a
few of whom possess weapons, have
little chance of overthrowing the gov.
ernment by resorting to attacks upon the
troops
Can Cripple the Country's Trade.
Yet with their passions infamed 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 disastrously to the trade and
commercial commerce of the country.
In Antwerp the outlook is more threaten
ing than it was yesterday, and this
despite the fact that extraordinary
military precautions have been taken
to preserve the peace.
Anarchists Promptly Arrested.
Among the more prominent of the
agitators in Antwerp are a number Of
anarchists. OF these, two, Fabry anC
Welters, have made themselves particu-
larly obnoxious to the police, and to day
they were placed under arrest. ThI
striking dock laborers began their dis
orderly demonstrations again this morn
ing
Dock LabOrers Stone a Captain.
They took possession of the docks and
marched along the water front, attack
ing the men who were at work, compel
ling many of them to quit. One captain
of a vessel from which the men had beel
driven away protested to the leaders o
the rioters, whereupon the mob prompt,
stoned him and forced him to flee.
The police in force were finally ordere,
TO disperse the rioters A short confic
ensued, during which the police use
their swords and revolvers and fnall
the mob scattered.
All Brussels Uneasy.
In Brussels the ferment continue
with no sign of abatement. The street
are filed with crowds of excited work
ingmen, and general feeling of uneasi
ness prevails. 1t was the intention q
the strikers t o hold grand demonstrt
tlon to day in the park two miles sout
of Brussels. This place had been ST
lected for the meeting in consequence {
the order prohibiting demonstrations
Brussels, but the instructions sent ou
last night by the governor of th
province of Brabant have put chec
upon the proposed meeting. A stron
force Of troops is in possession of tn
park. and demonstration will not
allowed.
Troops Hurried out To-day.
Bnrgomaster Koekelberg, of st. Gille
refused to prohibit the meeting in Il
park there to-day, and as a result Il
governor of Brabant took the affair in
his owD hands. He ordered troops to
sent to st. GILES to prevent any demoi
stration the strikers might attempt
malra