The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-03
make their aggregate strength tell even

mako their aggregate strength tell even
under onc-ballot scheme, by adopting the
American plan OF an informal primary cleo
ton and agreeing to support the nominee
thereof at the ballot box. They are seem
ingly justified, on the other hand, in be-
lievlng that, II they acquiesce in the pro-
posed scheme OF partial minority represent
tatlon, they will commit political suicide.
To indicate the grounds OF this belief, 1t
may be we'll to recall some Incidents In the
political history of Belgium.
From the organization Of the kingdom in
1880 up to 1893, no country protesting to
enjoy Parliamentary institutions intrusted
the Parliamentary franchise to so small a
fraction OF It's population as did Belgium.
In 1874 for instance, tho total number OF
Parliamentary electors was III, 1876, or at
the rate OF 21.15 per 900 inhabitants.
The suffrage, thus restricted, excluded
from any voice in the Government not only
all operatives and miners, but also all agri-
cultural laborers, and almost oil peasant pro-
prietors. The result was that, during the
first sixty years Of the national life, most
OF tho Ministries were drawn from Liberal
oliGarchy representing the richer bour-
geoisie. Now and then, however the Cleri-
calls. or, as they were called in Belgium,
the Ultramontanes, would, by coalition
with the Radicals, acquire temporary con-
troll Of the Parliament. This they did in
1857 and, by considerable majority,
passed bill withdrawing from the secular
power the administration OF charities
throughout the kingdom.
The protests against the measure took
the form OF disturbances so violent that
the regular army had to be employed to re-
store tranquility and the obnoxious bill
was eventually, withdrawn. From that
date until 1893 with the exception Of q
few years following tho outbreak Of the
Franco-German war, the Liberals remained
masters Of the Government and, under tho
leadership Of Mr.. FRERE-ORBAN, set their
faces firmly against the demand for man.
hood suffrage. which was acknowledgement.
not only by the Radicals, reinforced by the
Socialists. who had gradually become nu-
merlcally strong. but also by the Clericals,
who, feeling assured OF their hold upon the
rural population, thought that they had
more to gain than to lose by great extern
sion OF the franchise.
The pressure brought to bear in s93 by
the almost universal strike, which the So
clalists organized proved Irresistible, and
tho provision OF the Belgian Constitution
relating to the Parliamentary franchise
was amended in curious way. Manhood
suffrage was established. but 1t was COM
plicated with plural suffrage. a second vote
being given to the posscssor OF q certain
amount OF property and also to the pos
SCISSOR of specified educational qualiflca-
tions 1t might and did happen, there
fore, that one individual would cast
three votes while the possessors Of two
votes were numerous. The result OF
the first test Of the new system at the
ballot box was the virtual humiliation
of the Liberals properly so called, and the
demonstration that manhood suffrage,
coupled with plural suffrage. was more
favorable to the Clercas in the rural dis
tricts than it was to the anti-Clercas in
the urban centres, owing largely to the
discussions which prevented the Socialists,
Radicals and Liberals from combining
against the common antagonist. Thus, at
the last general election the antl-Clericals
lost Brussels, although. II united, they
could carry it by a considerable major
ity. Experience however has brought
wisdom, and an agreement has been
since made by the three factions to
give hereafter their combined strength ut
second ballotings to that ono Of their re-
spective candidates who secures the largest
number Of votes on tho first trial.
This agreement threatens the Clericals
with defeat, to prevent which they have
introduced the bill now pending in the
Chamber Of Deputies, n bill on the face OF
it unfair, because it provides for minority
representation in the six cities which the
anti-Clericals. when united, may expect to
carry, but denies it in districts where the
anti-Clericals would DO outnumbered prob
ably by their opponents.