The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-04-16
THE GREAT BELGIAN STRIKE.

~ a. pOntlCdl SlTlhe, not lnuucItidi, L no
object OF it is to obtain manhood suf-
frage; and yet so far as developed,
the strike is by no means as general
as had been expected, nor is 1t likely
that the strike in its present phase is
to be a success. And yet the central
idea in the strike is not only correct
but desirable What the Belgian work
men are striking for is precisely what
has been recognized in the United
States and in Great Britain as the
proper basis OF suffrage; that is, the
right of the individual as citizen.
Manhood suffrage, with womanhood suf-
frsge coming later, based on the per
sonality Of the individual and not upon
special requirements in property or
otherwise, is the true basis Of suffrage.
| The Belgian system of suffrage is
probably the most complicated Of any
that exists in what might be called the
advanced states of the world. Every
citizen in Belgium over twenty-five
years of age, domiciled for not less
than one year in the same commune
and not legally disqualified has one
vote. Every citizen over twenty-five
years Of age with legitimate issue and
paying at least FIVE francs (approIi-
mately dollar) year in house tax,
has supplementary vote; that is, he
votes twice. Every citizen over twenty
Eve years Of age, owning immovable
property, TO the cadastra value, (that
is, real estate bounded and Defined
or having a corresponding income from
such property or who for two years has
derived at least one hundred francs a
year from Belgian funds either direct
ly or through the savings bank, also
has a supplementary vote. Two SUP
Elementary votes are given TO citizens
over twenty-five years Of age who have
received diploma of higher instruc-
tion or certificate Of higher secondary
instruction, or who fill or have filed
Offices or engaged in private profes-
sonal practice implying at least
average higher instruction. This gives
to the first class Of citizens each one
vote; to another class OF citizens 1t
gives each two votes; to third class
it gives each three votes. Failure to
vote is misdemeanor, punishable by
law.
In 1910-11 the number Of electors
for the Chamber Of Representatives
(we quote the Statesman s Year Book,
1929 was 1907 ,619, of whom 1910
had one vote each, 395,s66 had two
votes each, and 30S,6s3 had three votes
each. From this it appears that al
though the class Of citizens having one
vote largely outnumbered both those
who had two votes and those who
had three votes ombined, still the per-
sons enjoying supplementary votes
could easily outvote the larger num-
Der OF citizens who had but one vote
each. Although the persons enjoying
supplementary votes numbered hut 704,-
$40 all told, to the 993, ,070 of those
who have one vote, the supplementary
voters could cast 1,717,7s1 votes to the
993,070 of the non-favored class. Al,
though there were but 395,s66 voters
Of the second class, those could cast
791,732 votes, and although there were
but 30S,6s3 of the third class, those
could cast 926,049 votes, almost as
many as the total citizenship with ono
vote, although less than one.third in
number. That is, minority Of the
citizenship had vast majority of the
votes.
! l. 1t is not surprising that this sort oi
, favored suffrage should be resented by
the men Of Belgium; but the method ot
seeking redress is certainly open tC
, question, not only as matter of jus
tice but as a point of tactics and OF
; the estimate Of probable success; fo
the industrial operations of country
often have very little relation to thu
political interests of that country; ant
sometimes, as we see in the Unite
States Just now, the political interest
= may be directly antagonistic to the in
dustrial interests, as where our politi
cal interests are undertaking TO fram
tariff law that will foster the import
y alton of goods, manufactured an
l. otherwise, giving easier and chcape
access to the markets Of this countr
to, the fabrics of other countries, wit
tne result CudJ III SO ldI ds Tue lnuuSLTld
r jproducts from abroad take the plac
e of our home industrial products. on
n home products will be by that muc
y deprived OF the home market.
N The accounts from Belgium do nc
n indicate that the strike is anythin
ID like as general as was expected; so tina
n so far as appears upon the surface G
t. the news, tho strike is likoly to be
a. failure. And iuasmuch as the strik
ne does not relate to industrial condition
is (though chiefly il affects. them,) NJ
In to the industrial advantage Of III