New-York tribune., 1906-07-02
rHE FRANoHLsH IN EuRoPE.


The movement for franchise reform, which we
have hitherto remarked upon as sweeping with
apparently irresistible force over Austria and
Hungary, and as provoking in various German
states a counter movement of reaction, which,
however, is not likely permanently to prevail, is
extending beyond the limits Of those countries
and involving other races besides the Teuton
and Magyar. 1t was strongly felt in Belgium. in
the recent elections, in which the Clericals, who
have controlled the country for the last twenty
two years, were indeed successful once more,
but by an ominously reduced majority Of the
Chamber-only twelve. as compared with twenty
in the former Chamber. The fight there was
not entirely but largely, over the franchise
question, the Liberals and Socialists cooperating
against the Clericals and striving for a reform
Of the voting system. At present every citizen
twenty-five years old has one vote, every one
who Is over thirty-five and is the head Of q
family has a second vote, and every one over
twenty-five who owns land worth S400 or has
an income from Belgian public securities Of 500
year has an extra vote. 1t is thus not an un-
common thing TO find a man of thirty-fve or
more with three votes. It is by virtue Of the
extra votes Of the peasant proprietOrs that the
Clericals have so long been able TO control the
government. The Liberals demand the abolition
of the land or income vote, though they are will
ing to let the second vote Of heads of families
remain for the present. The Socialists would
abolish all plural voting. AS the Liberals are
growing in strength rapidly, while the Socialists
though noisy, remain about stationary. it is con-
fidently expected that at the next election two
years hence when half OF the Chamber is to be
chosen anew the Liberals will win and their
franchise policy will be enacted into law.
Another country affected by the movement is
Finland. Having regained it's independence
from Russia, that sturdy and enlightened land
has enacted a new electoral law, which is prob
ably by far the most advanced" in Europe. It
provides for universal, equal and direct suffrage
for all persons twenty-fOur years OF age men
and women alike paupers. criminals and luna
tics excepted. The National Parliament is to
consist Of a single chamber, of two hundred
members, elected from the sixteen districts into
which the country is to be divided, for term Of
three years. Women are eligible to election
equally with men. The Chamber will meet once
year In order to secure the check upon hasty
legislation which is usually sought in a senate.
there will be a sO-called Grand Committee, COM
posed Of sixty members Of the Chamber, which
will in a measure serve the purpose Of an upper
house Radical as this system is, it does not yet
satisfy the Social Democrats. who demand that
the voting age shall be reduced from twenty
four to twenty-one years. and that the provision
disqualifying pauDers shall be repealed. 1t Is
not to be expected however, that their demands
will prevail. In those northern lands men and
women are no more mature at twenty-fOur than
they are elsewhere at tVventy-One and in thrifty
Finland there is an insuperable popular Objec-
ton to the enfranchisement OF paupers.
Most noteworthy of all, perhaps, is the prog
ress Of franchise reform in aristocratc, not to
say Oligarchical Sweden. At present there is a
property income qualification for suffrage
under which only few more than onefourth Of
the adult men of the nation have votes For the
last twenty years the Liberal party has been
fighting for the abolition of this restriction and
the adoption Of universal male suffrage Seeing
the need of yielding something to the demand
Of the people. the Conservative Ministry last
year proposed an extension of the franchise in
certain directions, but added some requirements
calculated TO perpetuate Conservative control
Upon this appeal was made to the country and
the people, recognizing the "string" which was
attached 10 the offer OF extended suffrage re-
jected it and returned a Liberal majority to the
lower house, and thus gave Sweden its first
Liberal Ministry. This body prepared a fran
chise bill providing for universal suffrage OF
men az the age Of twenty-fOur and for election
Of Deputies by majority votes in single member
constituencies. This measure was passed by a
strong majority of the lower house. but was
rejected by the upper house, on the ground that