The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1893-04-29
BELGIUM WoRKMEN WIN,
Tho Chamber Of Deputis0 Feels the
Pressure and Grants Univsrsai
Suffrage,

Suffrage.
The laboring classes OF Belgium have won
their point and the Chamber OF Deputies on
the 18th passed the bill granting universal
manhood suffrage.
To enforce this demand the workingmen's
unions have caused the men to strike during
the last few weeks and very few men remain
at work while large bodies met, paraded,
threw stones, exploded dynamite, and sue
ceeded in making the middle and upper
classes very nervous. 1t was feared that an
other French revolution would be brought
about, and the Chamber OF Deputies found
itself unable to resist the pressure.
In the Chamber Of Deputies on the 18th NJ.
Bernaert, the premier, congratulated the gen.
darmes and the civic guards on their success
in coping with disorder. The government
would guarantee, NJ. Bcrnaert declared, to
maintain order. The premier intmated that
the report on the proposals for the revision OF
the constitution would be debatedWednesday.
NJ. Demon at once arose and proposed that
the chamber should not wait until Wednes-
day, but should suspend It's sitting In order
that the reports should be made ready for
immediate presentation and then assemble
again at once in order TO discuss the reports.
To this proposition the chamber agreed.
The agreement appeared to be fastened by
the presence of an enormous throng OF peo-
pie, who crowded the precincts Of the cham
Der, evidently very much excited on the sub
ject OF universal suffrage and rcsolute that
there should be no delay In considering that
subject. The approaches TO the chamber
were strongly guarded to prevent violence
from being done 10 obnoxious members.
The Chamber Of Deputies reassembled after
the reports OF the revision of the constitution
and by vote Of lle to II, with fourteen alb
stentions from voting, adopted universal SUI
frage, with provision for the the plural yot-
ing by the classes owning property, according
to the amount and situation OF the property.
Cheers within he chamber were followed
by prodlglous acciamations from the enormous
crowd that awaited the result OF the voting
outside the chamber. The greatest cnthu-
siasm was displayed everywhere and the peo-
pie Joined in jubilee In honor Of the great
triumph which they had achieved. 1t IS ex-
pected that the decision In favor OF universal
suffrage will hive an allaying effect upon the
popular excitement and the agitation, which
had beer rapidly assuming the dimensions OF
general insurrec on.
In view Of the action OF the deputies, the
labor leaders resolved to advise the abandon
mcnt OF the general strike, AT the same time
they decided 70 Issue to the people a manifes-
10 against the Nysscn bill, which proposes the
combination of plural voting and universal
suffrage The leaders of the bill urge the
people TO follow up their victory by agitating
INCREASINGLY for universal suffrage pure and
simple.
The night was passed far more quietly than
the authorities expected, but nevertheless the
outlook Is still threatening. Dispatches from
ali parts OF the kingdom inhabited By the
working people bring disquieting news.
Disturbances occurred In several places dur
Ing the night, but there was no concerted at
tempt TO rebel against the king. The move
mcnt Is directed entirely against the chatnbe
OF deputie. and the ministers who oppose the
workingm.n's demands for the right to vote
when they reach legal age, without any prop
erty qualification whatsoever. The king, II
Is known, is in favor OF n wide extension OF
the suffrage, and the crowds OF excited work
ingmen who are now demanding what they
believe TO be their right have nothing against
him personally. Impartial observers of the
situation readily md sympathy with the
strikers. Belgium IL, 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 workingmen have seen within
the past ten years their brethren in other
countries placed under the protection OF
special laws enacted for their benefit, and
have seen employers held to \ strict liability
when these laws were r.olEtc5. The Belgians
have had nothing, and the bourgeoise class,
which rules the country, evidently Intend
that they shall have nothing II they can pre-
vent Hence, In their desire to assert their
manhood and secure their rights, the specta-
Gle presents itself Of a gigantic strike TO OBJ
tain the right to elect representatives among
the Lawmakers. Were the strikers armed
and disciplined, there Is no question that the
industrial revolution now shaking the coun-
try would quickly become bloody contest.