The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-07-12
The Situation in Belgium.

that unsettled Issues nave no melOJ
for the peace of nations. The issue
that has kept that State in constant
turmoil. and has bred there periodic
riot and revolution pertains to the suf-
frace. 1t was born into the constitu-
ton when, in 1880, Belgium gained
her independence and organized her
government
The constitution is that of limited
monarchy, with responsible ministers,
Senate and Chamber of Deputies.
The electorate was originally limited to
citizens paying AZ francs year in d.
rect taxes.
Here was the germ of subsequent
antagonism, and of contests that have
grown in violence with every passing
wear of denial of reforms strenuously
demanded by the classes debarred from
the suffrage, or from full and equal
enjoyment of the privilege. Under
this constitution the electorate con-
sisted of only about twenty persons in
every one thousand inhabitants. That
greatest of all disturbing influences, re-
lieion engaged in and seeking to con-
troll politics, added fire and bitterness
to the contests of parties. The chief
internal trouble has been the strife be-
tween the Liberal and Clerical parties.
The Liberal party is composed of all
who, having faith in human reason and
in liberty, fear return to the past and
desire reforms of all sorts. The oppo-
sition of Catholic to Liberal is a matter
of political, not religious, opinion. The
Liberals are nearly all Catholics, at
least by baptism. The Catholic party
Is guided officially by the bishops, and
is composed of the clergy and those
who from a sentiment of religious ODE
dience do as they are directed by the
bishop of the diocese and the Pope,
and also of men who are by nature or
circumstance conservatives, those who
consider that liberty leads to anarchy
and progress to communism. Thus 1t
appears that in Belgium parties are
separated by spiritual rather than by
material interests. The Liberals de-
fend liberty which they consider men,
aced by the aims of the church. The
Catholics defend religion which, as
they look upon the matter, is threaten
ed by political liberty.
In 1850 there were 400 monasteries,
with $4,000 monks and nuns, in the
land, and the Liberals made strenuous
efforts for many years to abolish them
and control education, but neither
party could command firm and last
ing majority After the rise and fall of
many ministries the Liberals succeeded
in closing the converts and gaining
control over State education.
Politico-religious contests between
Catholics and Liberals exist to great
er or less degree in all Catholic coun-
tries, but nowhere is political life more
completely absorbed by this antagon-
ism than in Belgium, nowhere are the
lines of the contest more clearly traced
The constitution of 1880 enjoins and
sanctions all the freedom and liberty
enjoyed in England and America. Its
principles are opposed to the traditions
and dogmas of the Catholic church.
This result is explained by the writings
of celebrated priest and author, La
Mennais, whose opinions at the time
exercised great influence, and his
works on State and religion established
him for time as an unquestioned au-
thority. He taught that the Church
would regain her former power by
separating herself from the State.
Nearly all Belgian priests became fol-
lowers of La Mennais. But the Pope,
in 1882, hurled thunderbolt at the
Belgian constitution in its cradle.
He declared that modern liberties
were a plague, "delirium" from
whence incalculable liberties would in
evitably flow. La Mennais, the real
author of the Belgian constitution,
was cast out of the church, and this
event marked the end of the political
union of Catholics and Liberals which
had overthrown King William of the
United Netherlands, and founded {
new political order in Belgium.
The first fury of this political divi
sion was developed in a contest t.
wrest the public schools from the con
troll of the clergy, which was accom-
plished in 1879. Thereupon tn
schools were attacked in all tn
churches, and denounced as "school
without God" Parents were forbid
den to place their children in thee
schools and denied the sacrament of tn
Church if they disobeyed. Schoc
masters and mistresses who taught i
the public schools were also placed III