The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-10-17

The election which took place last Sunday
in Belgium was not only Of great impor-
lance to the country Immediately concerned,
but of singular interest to all self-gov-
erning peoples, because the exercise of the
franchise was based upon new principles.
1t will be remembered that the Clerical
Conservative party. which has been in
power for several years at Brussels, was
prevailed upon by King LEOPOLD II. to
change the Belgian Constitution so as to
grant the demand OF the advanced Liberals
and Socialists for universal suffrage, de-
mand emphasized by general strike and
by a threat of instruction. The assent OF
the Clericals is believed to have been Sc
cured by the argument that the prospective
increase OF the artisan vote in cities and
large towns would be counterbalanced by
the Acknowledgement of the peasant pro
prietors and agricultural laborers, who are
Catholics almost to man. VI. FRERE-
ORBAN, however, who was long the head OF
the old Liberal party, protested against
the proposed change, on the ground
that it would be fatal not only
to moderate but even to advanced
Liberalism, and would divide the con-
stituencies between the Clericals and
Socialists. In Difference to his warnings,
the Liberals advised that the constitutional
amendment instead of simply asserting the
principle of universal suffrage, should in
troduce the novel features of plural voting
and compulsory voting; and they carried
their point with the assistance of a section OF
the Clericals who thought that the suggested
innovations might inure to their advantage.
NJ FRERE- ORBAS, for his part, doubted
whether plural voting and compulsory vot-
ing would answer the purpose OF REFRESHING
the Socialists, and adhered to his opinion
that the franchise should receive only a
moderate extension, in conformity to the
precedent set by the English Reform act OF
1882. He was overruled, and the election
just held took place under the complex reg
ulations inserted at the suggestion of the
Radicals in the constitutional amendment.
The result is that the Radicals have been
hoist with their own petard, and that the
apprehensions of NJ. FRERE- ORBAN have
been justified. he himself having failed To
be chosen in his district.
From the revolution Of 1880 up to sun
day last a smaller percentage of the popula-
ton had possessed the franchise in Belgium
than in any other country enjoying parlia-
mentary institutions The whole number
of qualified voters was only about 1870 900.
BY the constitutional amendment this num-
Der was raised at "a bound to 300 900,
who, moreover, by the provisions regarding
plural voting, were empowered to cast about
100000 votes The conditions governing
the voting power of individuals are elabo-
~ ,I.tn salI Al
following classification First, every man
over twenty-five years of age has one vote;
secondly every married man or widower,
paying an annual tax of one dollar or more,
has two votes; thirdly, every educated man,
and every man who holds or has held a Gov
eminent Office above a certain grade, has
three votes. The advanced Liberals ex-
pected to profit by the last-named
provision, but they reckoned without
the priests, who number some 10000, and
who on Sunday were enabled to cast about
30, 900 votes. The second provision, also,
that comforting a double vote, seems to
have benefited the Clericals more than their
Radical and Socialist opponents, for the
reason that marriage is more nearly univer-
sal among the peasantry than among the
majority of tho one-vote electors arrayed
themselves against the Clercals, because
the latter have lost some Of the 93 seats
which they held in the last Chamber,
though they will still retain a preponder-
ance The striking result of the election is
the submergence of the last remnant Of the
Moderate Liberals and the tremendous fall
ing of in the strength OF the Advanced
Liberals or Radicals. At the hour when We
write the returns are not complete, and il is
certain that a second balloting will be
needed in large number OF districts.
Enough is known, however, TO make it plain
that for the present, at all events, the So
cialists will replace the Radicals as the
principal opponents of the Clerical party.
We have spoken of plural voting as a
novelty, because in Belgium alone it is de
liberately sanctioned and applied on great
scale; It is, OF course, practised in Great
Britain, but only in a small way, and 1t is
there regarded by all parties as an anomaly
that requires correction. From an histori-
cal point of view il cannot even be said that
compulsory voting is altogether new, seeing
that in the fourteenth and fifteenth cen
turtles certain English bOrOughs, having
sought 70 avoid the cost and trouble OF re-