Omaha daily bee., 1905-11-12
POLITICS IN THE NETHERLAND
Present Ministry Holds Tenure Of
once by Narrow Margin
of Four.


BRUSSELS. Nov. u.-(Special Cablegram
to The Bee.)-Although the recent elections
in Holland have resulted in the overthrow
Of the Kuyper ministry, the slander major
ity upon which the government comes Into
ONCE does not augur we'll for its future ex-
istence. A brief analysis of the new cham
Der is necessary to understand the some-
what precarious situation TO which minis
ters must face from the outset. OF the 100
members of which the second chamber is
composed the total number which can be
reckoned upon in an ordinary division is
only ffty-two-a working majority Of -four
OF these seven are socialists whose allegi-
ance Is doubtful. The rest are made up of
liberal democrats, liberal conservatives and
advanced liberals. the latter being numer-
ically the strongest OF the forty-eight
members of the right twenty-four are
Catholics. sixteen anti-revolutionists or
Calvinists and eight historic Christians
The complexity OF the situation is agEra-
| waited by the fact that while each party
OF the left has its own particular program,
different groups are united on particular
measures Of reform. Thus the liberal DEM
ocrats and advanced liberals have rallied
to the ''blanco article" implying the disap-
! pearance from the statute book of article
Xxx. under which certain qualifications are
! required for the exercise Of the franchise.
| They desire that the question Of electoral
| reform shall be solved without any such
obstacles as are therein presented. The
/ socialists model their program in that of
| their German colleagues. while parties Of
the right disclaim any definite policy at
! present beyond that of generally opposing
all legislation of anti-clerical nature.
The coming session is therefore destined to
be full of surprises.
| II is admitted that the queens speech
| from her throne. which her aJesty deliv-
cred in person, was of the nature of an
endeavor to conciliate all parties. The
phrases in connection with the "blanco
article" are taken to mean that a royal
commission will be appointed to report
upon the best means of revising the consti-
tuition than is proposed by partsans Of tho
| "blanco article" The other leading features
OF the speech relate to proposed legislation
in respect TO labor contracts, already in
itiated by DR.. Kuyper, and to notifications
in criminal and civil law, for which the
previous ministry is also responsible. 1t is
further proposed to introduce conditional
sentences Of punishment in courts of law
| to abolish obsolete laws in respect of trade
and navigation, To develop technical In
struction and to revise the law regulating
the sale of alcoholic liquors In order &c
meet the deficit already announced by the
minister of finance additional centimes viii
be levied In the form Of provisional ia,
upon property and incomes. Physical cu
ture will be included in state instruction
with view of fitting the youth of tht
country for military service and the army
contingent will be increased with view e
reduction in the term OF service. 0theI
measures include compulsory Insurance.
against accident sickness and old age, tn,
conditions being extended to those engaged
in agriculture, fisheries and the merchan
service. The legislative program has beer
well received by the press