The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-04-13
UNIVERSAL
 SUFFRAGE Demand of The Belgian
 Socialists. LULU BEFORE THE STORM General Strike Has Been Orr dered for Monday.
 > Wednesday Political Crisis Will Be Reached By the Opening of the Discussion on Revision
 of Constitution.

Brussels. April i2.-This exciting week coming week has already been dubbed revision week, and 1t promises to witness important events. A general strike has been proclaimed for Monday. and We'd nesday political crisis will be reached by the opening in the Chamber of Depu- ties of the discussion of the constitutional revision question on which the Belgian people are divided.
 At the present time. any elector can cast one or two or three votes. according to his qualifications. The Liberal leader in the Chamber of Deputies. NJ. Jansen, submitted motion for the revision of the constitution which the Government has agreed shall come before the Chamber next Wednesday. If the Clerical major ity consents to take the proposition nn- der consideration. it win be referred to a committee for examination. This will be the first gain for the revisionists. and it will undoubtedly have an immense effect in calming tho country which. at the present moment. Is everywhere in state of ebullition.
 Sop to Revisionists.
 The belief prevails fin many quarters that the Government will give this sop to the revisionists with the intention when the country has been auieted, of throwing out the proposition.
 In the meantime, from almost every mining and industrial district comes news that large numbers of men have decided to strike Monday. Partial strikes began xye utArAav at Tjauct sNfana fshartara, a,,a elsewhere and 1t Is reported that 2O,ooo men are already out. There is little in dication, however. that a general strike will ocur in Brussels itself.
 The Government is very anxious re- garding the situation in the mining dis tricts. Regiments of infantry and cav airy have been drafted to the various centres and quarters have been prepared at many mining and industrial works for of troops to guard the prop critics. The papers report that no fewer than 17,0O0 old pattern rifles have been into breech-ioaders and sold and are now In the hands of workmen.
 Le Peuple. Socialist paper of Brussels. is openly selling revolvers to workmen.
 Van der Velde the Leader.
 The soul of the Socialist movement in Belgium is NJ. Van der Velde. member of the Chamber of Deputies. who has great influence over the masses. A rep of the Associated Press fn- terviewed M. Van der veidc at the close of todsy's session of the Chamber. We are determined to go on now" he said. until we have secured revision. The general strike next Monday will testify to the strength of the Socialist party. We count on 100000 strikers in the mining and industrial districts. There will be no strike at Ghent, where the textile industry in undergoing a crisis, but there will be demands for universal suffrage.
 The workmen of Brussels will hold a monster meeting Monday to show to the government the feeling that exists here. We arc urging the men to remain absolutely pacific. but minor conflicts such as have occurred arc hardly 
 Regarding the demonstration against the king last Wednesday he declared it was quite unpremeditated. "Ncverthe- less he said, we approve it and favor any demonstration of a peaceful charac- ter which will show the king that we want revision. It is true that cries of 'vive republique' were raised. but though we socialists favor a republic. our im- mediate aim is the revision of the con l believe in the event of dis turbances. if the soldiers were ordered to fire on the strikers, fifty or sixty per cent of them would refuse to obey or fire in the air. This, however, would not be the case in Brussels.
 Revision Must Be Had.
 If the government accepts revision, the general strike will end immediately. But if it refuses. 1 cannot predict what will happen"
 When M. Van der Velde left the Cham Der of Deputies this afternoon ho was followed by a crowd which the police dispersed and arrested NJ. Van der Velde. He was soon released with the official explanation that his being taken into ustody was due to mistaken Identity VI. Van der Velde proceeded to the Maison du Peuple, where he urged the 'rowd 10 refrain from creating a dis and not to give the police ,retext for further violence. The crowd gradually dispersed, but later reassem- ,led In the square facing the Maison de Peuple. A detachment of the civil guard hereupon marched through the square. .learing it and the contigous thorough ares. At half past 10 the crowd again ;rew troublesome and the guards charg- d through the streets in which threaten ng crowds were massing with drawn words and fixed bayonets. They were srected with q hail of stones
 The people in some of the houses hurt d flower pots, knives and lighted boxes # matches upon the heads of the charg- ng police. A revolver fusiade WAS be- ,un by both sides and some of the ;endarmes fired their rifles Several ioters were injured, two of them being hot. one of whom has since died A ew of the police were hurt.
 After this encounter wide area around he Maison du Peuple was systematically ,leared by successive charges oe gend- lrmes carrying drawn swords and re- yoIvers and civil guards with fixed ,ayonets. Mounted gendarmes, wherever he crowd looked ugly. fired blank l cartridges from their revolvers. while the officers shouted at the top of their voices. | close your windows"
 The Town Quiet.
 Brussels, April 1S.-te 8. m.l-The lqusres in the neighborhood of the Msison iu Peuple are still occupied by troops ,usily engaged In dispensing the groups which had gathered on the outskirts of he cleared scene Nest of ths rioters.