Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-18

@RUSSELS, Jan. 7.-(Special Corre-
spondence Of The Bee. - saw the
@ king of Belgium walking alone in
RH8H the park near his palace this
- morning. Yes, alonel He was
sprinting along with a springy step, his
shoulders well back, as though walking for
a wager. He had a cane in his hand and
bis trousers were rolled up. although the
paths were perfectly dry and the sun was
shining. He was dressed in business
clothes and wore a sack coat and derby
hat. Altogether he looked more like a
gentleman farmer with a touch of the sport
in him than the king Of one OF the busiest
little nations OF Europe.
Nevertheless Leopold ii is a king In every
sense OF the word and as kings go he Is
not so bad after all. He is now 81 years
I'D and he has been ruling Belgium for
more than thirty-seven years. He assembled
the throne Just about the close Of our civil
war and has held his own through the
various changes Of government in France,
Germany and the other countries about him.
His title, you know, is Leopold ii, King Of
Belgium. He is the second king that
Belgium has had. This country was a part
II the Netherlands until 1880. when 1:
became an independent Kingdom. and It's
congress elected Leopold. the father Of this
man, as it's king. Holland went of to itself
and since then Belgium has walked alone.
Austria, Russia, Great Britain and Prussia
guaranteed the neutrality Of Belgium and
a few years later all the states OF Europe
recognized It as an independent govern
ment.
Leopold I was the ruler from 1881 until
1865 and upon his death his eldest son. the
present king. took his place. During his
IA
grown In population and wealth. II Is
hardly bigger than some Texas counties
and its seacoast is not longer than from
Washington to Baltimore; still II supports
o~ne-twelfth as many people as the whole
United States and It has a population
greater than any OF our states with the
exception OF New York.
Indeed. Belgium Is as we'll managed as
any land on the globe. The soil is natu-
rally sandy. but every acre Of II is we'll
farmed. The country is divided up into
small holdings and the greater part Of It is
worked with the spade. so intensiyely that
II produces vastly in excess OF other coun-
tries. Not only the farms. but the mines
and factories are we'll handled. There are
1000 stone q~uarries. which are worked. en-
ploying about $1,000 men and yielding an
annua product OF S11, 200. 900. l have al
ready written OF the lIo, OnO coal miners and
what they produce, and l might fill a page
OF stories OF the different industries.
Belgian iron goes all over the world. Its
galvanized roofing is used all along the
coast OF South America and the great rail-
road projected from Hankow to Pekin IL
being built with Belgian steel rails. There
are three steel plants here, now working OF
a 50,0O0-ton order Of steel rails for Mexico
and other factories are making tons OF rail
road iron for Maryland. ! have travels
pretty we'll over the, world. but 1 have nevel
been able to get out Of sight of Belgian
goods. nor to find a country where Belgium
had not more or less commerce.
Think Of a and like this not more thai
One-third the size Of Indiana which Is thu
able 20 put its fingers into the pockets o
all the world and draw the dollars oul
They say its king Is a sport, and my In
formation inclinas me 10 believe they ar
right. but he must be a business sport 4
order to accomplish such business results
Let me give you a few commercial facts
In 1900 Belgium sold more than 500 wort
Of goods for every man. woman and child I