The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1893-04-20
THE BELGIAN RIOTS.

betwcen tho strikers nnd Poiics lacked
ny tho MIiItnry-The militia to be
Mobhizrd for Action.
IlRussELs, April ~ Meetings In fa.
Tor Of universal suffrage are being held
throughout the country, and great cS-
citement prevails Mt all Of them.
Everywhere the speakers declare that
The time has come for the downtrod-
den worfiirpman to assert his right to
voice in the govern ment Of the coun-
try, and impassioned appeals are made
W those who live by toll to leave their
work and join the great demonstration
now in progress
In the Charleroi district It is esti-
mated that $4,000 miners are en-
ploycd. Work in the mines may be
s1id to he at standstill, for 10000 OF
the miners have quit work.
Most OF these miners are miserably
poor, and they and their families arc
bound TO suffer in this fight for prin-
cipe.
The cotton, yarn, lace, linen and
.sool mills and factories in Granmont,
In Enst Flanders are affected by the
movement, large number Of the oper-
atlves in these industries having joined
the strike movement
The gendarmcs attempted to break
mp IL meeting at Granmont, but not
without a stout resistance. The fight
was transferred to the street and
though the gcndarmes had the advan-
tage of arms and discipline the strik-
ers struggled desperately and wero
only dispersed after long contest and
after two gendarmes and large num-
Der of rioters were seriously wounded.
Order now prevails but is liable to-
again he disturbed at any moment.
Many of the men employed in load-
ing and discharging vessels and in
other work about the wharves did not
quit work in obedience to the men en-
ginecring the strike. They continued
their work as usual, and this fact in
famed the strikers against them, and
threats ttcre made to compel them to
stop work.
During the course Of the morning
the strikers, many of whom had been
drinking freely. made nm attack on the
workers. The latter made a weak at
tempt to defend themselves, but they
would in all probability have been
driven away had it not been for the
gcndarmes, who took II hand in the af-
fray.
Some of the attacking party were
armed with revolvers and when the po-
lice interviewed to protect the nom
strikers, they displayed no hesitancy
in using their weapons. The gem
darmes, w!,o also had fire arms, wcr''
1uicls to respond to the fire directed
against them, and it is thought several
Of the strikers were wounded. A num-
ber of the ringlcaders among the
strikers were captured by the gem
| iarmes and locked up.
The feeling of unrest continues to
spread slowly but surely, and deeds OF
violence are being reported from most
of the industrial centers
The dynamite explosion at Mons
Yesterday seems to have acted ~ an in
rrhtiyc to the strikers to commit
further outrages
The strikers filed the drinking places
afd indulged in all manner OF threats
ngainst the government, and as tho
| day wore on became emboldcned and
rmined to take possession OF the
| town for labor procession. The in
| tcntions were known to the authori-
ties, who have many spies among the
worlimen, and when the mob singing
the "Carmagnole" and the '4harscil-
laisc." attempted to march through tho
streets they were met by strong de-
| tachmcnt of the civic guards. The
usual order was given for the strikers
to dispcrse, but no attention was paid
to it by the strikers 1!ooting and
yelling, they attempted TO march on,
when the order was given Tor the
civic guard to prepare to fire.
The IT. Oh dched the guards to fire
hpon them, and threw heavy stones
bottles and other missiles at them. Tho
guard fred upon the crowd, but this
did not effect their dispersal. On the
contrary, it only infuriated them, and
| n charge en- masse was made upon the
guard. A desperate hand-to.hand con-
| fct ensucd. The main body Of the
strikers was broken up, but group7 OF
struggling men could he seen in the
side streets, leading from the main
thoroughfare.
The battle was long and bitterly con-
tested, but finally the civic guards
were victorious. 1t is known that four
of the miners were killed. Many of
| the rioters were wounded and num-
Der were taken to the hospital 1t IL
thought that the exact number OF
wounded will never be known, ms some
of them were carried away by their
friends to prevent their falling into the
| hands OF the authorities
The killing of the four strikers has
added greatly to the excitement in the
town, and there is danger OF q more
serious outbreak, Men and women
from the adjacent mining villages are
entering into Mons and the author
tiles are nnxiously awaiting the events
of the night
Mons is in the center OF the great
Borinage coal mining district, Three
fourths Of all the miners in Belgium
are employed in this district.
BRUSSELS, April Is.-In the fight be-
tween the worlsingmen and the civic
guard in the streets OF Mons yester'
day, fourteen soldiers were wounded,
three fatally. They were removed h
the hospitals, where their ante-mortem
statements were taken.
| nh. xuu.,o,, Ur,,l,, NAV IIls a pelltiOD