The elections in Belgium have ended in a small victory
for the Clericals, who have increased their majority in the Chamber by five. This is a disappointment to the Liberals, who had expected a " demonstration " in favour of universal suffrage, but it does not settle the question at issue. The city populations are only more embittered, and the majority are already talking of a compromise under which the pro- pertied classes would surrender their extra votes, though married men would still count at the hustings more than the unmarried. The great difficulty in the way of a peaceful ad- justment is the attitude of several of the lay leaders of the Clerical party, who are convinced that with an equalised fran- chise the Liberals would " laicise " education, and who therefore make of resistance to universal suffrage a question of conscience. The dispute will be postponed till the temper of the new Parliament is fully ascertained ; but if the majority proves obstinate, the Socialists, despairing of legal measures, will revert to their policy of violent demonstrations. In that event everything will depend upon the temper of the troops, which is not quite certainly known, but is probably in Belgium, as everywhere else, anti-rioter.
