New-York tribune., 1905-07-09

doctrines of an advanced character. and. under
the circumstances. the idea of substituting uni
versal suffrage for franchise which limited the
electorate to little over seventy thousand
voters in a population Of over five million was
naturally regarded as fraught with much dan
ger. Leopold. however. devised a scheme, now
in force which accomplished the apparently i'm
possible feat of practically granting the demand
for universal suffrage and at the same time dis
pelling the fears of those who dreaded the re-
suits of such a concession Every citizen over
twenty-five years of age. and domiciled for not
less than twelve months. has a vote. This Is
equivalent to universal suffrage. But to Offset
this every citizen over thirty-fve years Of age.
married or widower. with legitimate issue. and
paying at least 81 year in house tax. has
supplementary vote. as has also every citizen
over twenty-five years of age and possessed OF
Il certain amount of immovable property, or
money invested in Belgian funds, or the State
Savings Bank. Supplementary votes are also
given to citizens who have received university
diploma and who fill offices. or who engage in
professional practice implying higher instruc-
ton That is TO say, a number of the electors.
possessed Of vested interests in the community.
in the shape of property professions, industry
and trade. have as many as three votes each.
but none more. The effect Of this has been to
about 1000 to over 100000. the latter pos
sessing in all about 100000 votes. The plural
votes of those possessed of exceptional quail
fcations thus serve as a check upon the single
votes of those who owe their admission to the
polls exclusively to universal suffrage, and in
order that there may be opportunity afforded
to those possessing plural votes 70 neglect TO
make use of them, absence from the polls on
the occasion of Parliamentary elections is pun
ished by law a misdemeanOr with fine and
Imprisonment
ways been at variance with his people. The
latter, content to rely upon the support of the
four great pOwers-England. Russia. Prussia and
AuStrla-Whlch guaranteed the neutrality OF
the kingdom seventy-hve years ago, are aveIse
to spending much money either upon military
or naval defenCeS. Leopold. recalling the mem
Crable understanding of Bismarck and Bene-
dettL two or three years prior TO the Franco
Prussian War. arranging for the partition OF
Belgium. takes but little stock in these guaran-
tees, and. insisting that neutrality is of no ac-
count unless the nation prOclaiminS it has the
power to enforce its provisions demands in vain
large standing army OBTAINED Dy means OF
compulsory military service and the recon-
structiOn and rearmament Of the defenceS of the
MeuSe and of Antwerp. He likewise cham
pions the construction of navy-nOw nOn-eX-
iStent-fOr the protection of Belgian maritime
interests and colonial possessions AS his sub
jectS will not hear of this he is understood to
have adopted other measures, and, it is gem
orally believed. to have concluded some kind OF
q convention WIN OerlllnSY whereby tnS EtJJrT
would. in the event of war with France. or per-
haps with England, be entitled to occupy Bel
gium. making use of her forts and her defenCes
as of those of an ally, guaranteeing. however,
her national indeDendenCe The existence q
this compact. which has been time and time
again officially denied, is nevertheless generally
credited in military and political circles in Ger
many. Should il ever become operative through
of Germany with her Western neishbOrs.
it would have tho disastrous result of transform
ing once again little Belgium into the battle
ground and cockpit of Europe